Since bursting on the scene in 2009 as “a new way to roll,” the funky Soul urban passenger vehicle – and an accompanying trio of music-loving hamsters – has become a genuine phenomenon, with U.S. sales of the iconic people mover increasing every year.
Now, the latest installment of Kia Motors America’s (KMA) award-winning ad campaign finds the hamsters inhabiting a high-tech, high-energy laboratory and unleashing their inner mad scientists to create the most innovative and eco-friendly Soul yet. Set to the infectious beat of Maroon5’s never-before-heard song “Animals,” sparks fly and jaws drop when a surge of electricity leads to the discovery of a furry new friend and the all-electric, zero emissions Kia Soul EV.
As part of the multi-platform “Fully Charged” campaign, Kia.com said it is exclusively offering 200,000 free downloads of “Animals” before its release on iTunes.
Check out the Kia Hamsters’ fully charged 2015 Soul EV.
2015 Kia Soul EV
Scheduled to go on sale in the third quarter, the all-electric, zero-emissions Soul EV is the centerpiece of Kia’s Clean Mobility program and the brand’s first-ever mass-marketed electric vehicle. While it retains the funky style and functionality Soul is known for, the EV variant introduces new and more aerodynamic styling cues and is the first vehicle in the world to receive Underwriters Laboratory’s (UL) environmental validation for its integration of 10 percent bio-based material in the interior. A state-of-the-art 27 kWh lithium ion polymer battery powers an 81 kW electric motor, producing 210 lb.-ft. of torque, which drives front wheels and is expected to yield a range of approximately 80-100 miles of real-world driving on a full charge, with internal testing and evaluation results exceeding 100 miles in some instances.
