Vyv T drives a KIA Soul EV First Edition 2020 and shares how they got started with their electric car.
Why did you buy the KIA Soul EV?
I had been watching the developing market for several years but was put off by the lack of range offered by most affordable models at that time. We had two hybrids over a period of three years which introduced us to limited electric driving but I became frustrated with them as the engine tended to cut in too quickly in my opinion. I considered PHEV but the premium to a mild hybrid was excessive for our purposes and would have been uneconomic.
I became aware that Kia was offering cars with a range of 280 miles which was more than sufficient for our normal needs and arranged to test drive the e-Niro. Lovely car but the ride didn’t suit my wife. I had discounted the Soul EV in my mind as the boot space was less but after the disappointment of the e-Niro we spotted the Soul EV at the dealer, test drove it and fell in love.
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What got you into an electric car in the first place?
- The desire to try new technology
- the concept of no gearbox
- not really too much of a green agenda!
Initially, what did you find most confusing about electric car ownership and how did you solve that?
I had done considerable research and thus there wasn’t really anything that confused me other than getting to grips with the different types of EV charger connectors.
What sources of information helped you e.g. people, groups, websites etc?
Various Facebook groups either general or dedicated to the Soul EV. Southwest EV Owners Group & UK Electric Vehicles Owners Club in particular for general information. Ahead of making the purchase decision, I had researched manufacturer sites and various review sites extensively.
What are your top 3 pieces of advice for those people considering their first electric car?
- Don’t expect to tow a caravan with most EVs
- don’t panic when planning a longer trip but do research where you can charge and always have a plan B within sensible reach of your prime charging location choice
- the best economy comes for home charging as much as possible.
*library image used.
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