Kia Motors America (KMA) is continuing its progressive launch of the Soul EV and adding to the electric vehicle ecosystem in the Pacific Northwest with 20 Soul EV-certified dealers and a robust charging network.
Of the 20 dealers in the region, 12 will be located in Washington and eight in Oregon. In addition to each being equipped with two Level-2 chargers (40 total in the PNW region), 10 of the dealers will also be up-fitted with DC fast chargers, increasing Kia’s overall network of fast-charging stations. As an added value, select Kia dealers will allow Soul EV owners to charge their electrified urban runabout at no cost.
Kia’s addition of six new DC fast chargers to Washington’s already-existing network of 41 DC chargers will increase fast-charger availability by 40 percent in the Seattle metro area and 15 percent statewide. The four new chargers added to Oregon’s current network of 81 DC fast chargers will increase fast-charger availability by 15 percent in the Portland metro area and five percent statewide.
“With the level of interest the Soul EV has received in the eco-friendly states of Washington and Oregon, it was only natural for us to expand into the region and make our electrified urban passenger vehicle available to customers who not only want to be eco-conscious, but stylish as well,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president of product planning, KMA. “Kia is committed to making sure Soul EV customers in the Pacific Northwest are adequately covered, which is why we’re also installing DC fast chargers and offering free charging at select dealers.”
With Kia’s expansion of Soul EV availability into Washington and Oregon, consumers in the Pacific Northwest will no longer need to travel great distances to get behind the wheel of the funky and fun EV. All Soul EV-certified dealers will be conveniently located throughout the region, including sites near centers of population such as Vancouver, Washington, and Eugene, Oregon. In an effort to ease “range anxiety,” all Soul-EV certified dealers will be equipped with a pair of Level 2 chargers, while half of them will also have a 50kW Signet FC50K-CC-S DC fast charger available for use. This fast charger can charge the Soul EV’s battery from empty to 80 percent in about 33 minutes, which will benefit those customers who are constantly on the go.
Similar to California’s infrastructure program, Kia has partnered with Greenlots in the Pacific Northwest to offer flexibility and on-the-go access to large networks of charging stations. Through the Greenlots partnership, Soul EV owners will be provided a Kia “ChargeUp” CardTM, giving them access to multiple DC fast charger networks, making the Soul EV ownership experience refreshingly simple and charging easily accessible.
When it comes to locating charging stations, the Soul EV offers UVO EVServices, Kia’s cutting-edge telematics system. Available at no cost for the first five years of ownership, UVO EV Services utilizes an embedded connectivity solution powered by the Verizon wireless network and an integral smartphone app to provide Soul EV owners with an innovative, real-time, in-vehicle connectivity experience that includes navigation and a host of added convenience features.
