• 12-AUG-2015

Kia Motors America Announces Title Sponsorship Of Oregon's 2015 Plug & Pinot Celebration

To celebrate the Soul EV's highly anticipated arrival and sales commencement in Oregon, Kia Motors America (KMA) is proud to announce its title sponsorship of the 2015 Plug & Pinot celebration, kicking off with an evening reception Thursday, August 13, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm at Jacobsen Salt Co. in downtown Portland. As much a celebration of the Soul EV as it is a culinary festival, Plug & Pinot highlights Oregon's easily accessible EV byways by promoting eco-tourism and the region's highly respected wine country. Tickets for the reception are just $15 (free to those who register for a Soul EV test drive/ride experience at plugandpinot.com) and include hors d'oeuvres and live soul music by Speaker Minds and Will West & The Friendly Strangers. KMA will have six Soul EVs available to experience during the evening's festivities, and guests are encouraged to interact with the onsite product specialists who can provide detailed information in a relaxed environment.

Oregon is one of five recently announced expansion states that will sell the 2016 Soul EV. The state's well-developed EV infrastructure, including its ever-expanding EV byways, along with high consumer demand for eco-friendly vehicles makes Oregon a natural next step in KMA's progressive Soul EV roll-out strategy. Eight Kia dealers have been certified to sell the Soul EV in Oregon, and all are conveniently located, including sites near centers of population such as Portland, Eugene, and Medford. Each retail store is being equipped with two Level-2 chargers and four 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 . 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. Fast charging can power-up 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.

As with other markets around the country, 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 specifically tailored for the electric vehicle experience. Available at no cost for the first five years of ownership, UVO EVServices 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. Chargers may also be located using the PlugShare app or by visiting plugshare.com.

Offered in two trims, Base and + (Plus), the 2016 Soul EV MSRP will be $33,950 (not including federal tax rebate of $7,500) for the Base and $35,950 for the Plus (not including federal tax rebate of $7,500) . With an introductory lease price of $249 per month, the Soul EV boasts best-in-class EPA-estimated range of 93 miles and MPGe4 of 92 miles on the highway and 120 miles in the city (105 miles combined).