Kia Motors has picked up further international recognition for its Kia Soul EV, with the latest accolade arriving from France via the prestigious Prix Auto Environement MAAF 2015 awards.
The Kia Soul EV, the company's first 100% electric urban crossover, won in the 'Alternative Energy City Car' category. Established in 2005, the Prix Auto Environement MAAF 2015 rewards innovation and technology that promotes sustainable mobility, with a jury composed of journalists from automotive and environmental sectors.
Soon-Nam Lee, Vice President Overseas Marketing at Kia Motors, commented, "This latest accolade for the Kia Soul EV brings further recognition for our ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability through zero emissions motoring. The car also looks great and is fun to drive - we hope this winning combination will attract more customers to Kia."
The Kia Soul EV has been rewarded with a number of top global honours, including 'Car of the Year' by Dagbladet, Autofil and Dinside in Norway; Best Eco-Friendly Vehicle in MotorWeek's 34th annual Driver's Choice Awards in the US; and '2015 Canadian Green Car Award' by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada. It was also named a 2015 Vincentric 'Best Value in America' award winner in the Electric/Plug-in Hybrid category.
The Kia Soul EV has also won international plaudits for its looks. The car picked up a 'Red Dot' for outstanding product design in the 2015 Red Dot Awards - one of the most highly-respected international design competitions. This followed on from a 'GOOD DESIGN' award, a Chicago-based program which recognises contemporary design excellence, earlier in January.
The Soul EV is a battery electric vehicle ideally suited for city commuters thanks to its class-leading drive range, a spacious cabin and generous cargo area. Featuring a high-capacity 192-cell 27 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack, the Soul EV can drive 212 km on a single charge.
- Kia's Vision 21, July 2015 Issue 153
Publisher: Tae-Hyun Oh Editor: Michael Choo