Safety ratings (from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency)
Economy
Electrical energy consumed from the battery over a given distance.
Economy
{model}
{wh}
kWh/100 km
Economy
{model}
{km}
km/kWh
Energy consumption is displayed on the dashboard and is re-calculated as you drive. It is different to the WLTP-rated consumption (which measures power from the mains).
This number is estimated by comparing the usable battery capacity against the WLTP range.
How far the vehicle will travel on a single charge, accounting for local driving conditions.
Adjust for the portion of urban/city driving vs highway (100 km/h) that you typically do.
Consumption ⚡️
How much electrical energy does the vehicle use while driving?
Higher speeds increase energy consumption (due to aerodynamic drag and reduced opportunity for electricity regeneration). Cold temperatures also increase consumption.
Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) ⚡️
V2L allows electricity to flow from the battery to power appliances.
Some vehicles have interior NZ sockets, while others require an adapter be plugged into the Type 2 exterior charging socket.
Tow Capacity
Unbraked (kg) / Braked (kg)
Most EVs can have towbars fitted for carrying bikes (but not for towing loads).
Towing a load will significantly decrease range (typically by 50%).
The maximum charging rate the EV can support at home or public AC charging.
An EV has a built-in charger that converts household AC electricity into DC current that goes into the battery.
This limits the maximum speed you can charge at home - no matter what extra equipment you install. Single-phase power supports up to 7.4 kW - if the EV can take more than this, three-phase power must be available at the property.
Fast Charge ⚡
The maximum charging rate the EV can support at a DC fast charger.
Charging power also is limited by the capacity of the charging station.
In NZ, fast chargers are typically 25 kW, 50 kW, 100 kW, 175 kW, and 300 kW.
Cold temperatures and the vehicle's charging curve also dictate peak speed (i.e. a warm battery at a lower state-of-charge will charge quicker).
The Soul EV is an all-electric subcompact crossover SUV first manufactured in 2014.
Previous models
Only available secondhand
Kia Soul EV
2016-2019
The Soul EV was never sold new in NZ (all are used imports). The 2018-2019 year had a slightly larger battery (31.8 kWh), and slightly longer range. The pre-2020 soul suffers from similar battery degradation issues as early Nissan Leafs. From 2020 onwards the Soul has a much larger 64 kWh battery with a 452 km range.
