14th November, Mdina. The silent city was a superb location for the launch of the Soul, KIA’s first electric car, – manufactured by the Korean brand which continues to break into new grounds and increase its market share in the car industry. A landmark in Kia's history, the zero-emissions Soul EV is Kia's first electric vehicle to be marketed by the company outside Korea. The Soul EV is a uniquely designed battery electric vehicle perfectly suited for city commuters thanks to its class-leading drive range, a spacious cabin and generous cargo area.
Transport Minister Joe Mizzi said the Government is pleased to note that the private sector promotes such initiatives as it understands the importance of culture change in Malta as we start to realise the negative impact pollution has on our health.“The Transport Ministry is committed to ensure that two projects that encourage the use of electric vehicles are implemented successfully – one that it facilitated the purchase of 24 different electric vehicles and the instalment of 90 charging points for the public to charge their electric cars. The Government also offers between €1,500 and €5,000 to those owners who scrap their car for an electric one,” said Minister Mizzi.
“I congratulate Cars International, as representatives of Kia, for putting this new electric model on the Maltese market and hence making a direct contribution to improve the air quality in Malta and increase the choice of eco-friendly vehicles,” said Environment Minister Leo Brincat. "Every Maltese citizen should embrace the availability of electric vehicles as these are the best shields against fine particles and greenhouse gases."
The Kia Soul EV comes with a battery energy density of 200 Wh/kg. Ensuring that the Soul EV retains all the ‘fun-to-drive' character, rapid acceleration to 100 kph (62 mph) is predicted to take 11.2 seconds, while top speed is in the region of 145 kph (90 mph).