This week of September 10-18th is National Drive Electric Week. We don’t own an electric car, but the concept certainly interests me. Electric car manufacturer, Kia, is using this week to introduce families around the nation to the benefits of 100 percent electric and 100 percent gas free vehicle options! The Soul Electric Vehicle is Kia’s compact five-passenger, five door vehicle option currently on the market and Kia is dedicated to educating consumers on the benefits of electric cars, as well as dispelling the myths around driving ranges and battery life.
Here are some cool facts on the Soul EV if you are wondering if this is the right car for you:
* Kia used an increased range of bio-based materials in order to stay true to the car’s green philosophy.
* It can be recharged by plugging the car into a standard household outlet– same one you’d use to charge your phone! What?? NOW that’s convenient.
* The Soul EV is the first car ever manufactured to feature a true “driver-only” ventilation system. By pressing a button on the dashboard marked “driver-only”, the driver can simply switch off dashboard and foot well ventilation to other passengers to save on energy. See, more of a reason to take your friends on a road-trip!
* No range anxiety here! On average the Soul EV will take you about 90 miles on one charge! #DYK 95% of US drivers’ commute is under 40 miles and the average commute is only 13.6 miles? I have a feeling the average commute in L.A. is a little higher but this would definitely decrease anxiety!
* Qualifies for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 depending on the state you live in! What would you do with that credit? I’d probably go to Hawaii.
2016 Soul EV
2016 Soul EV
I’ve seen the electric car plug in stations around town and wonder what life will be like when my child starts driving. Will plugging your car battery in to power up be the norm, rather than the novelty? I hope so. My engineer-minded husband reminds me of how far the battery electric car technology still has to go, but I see the glass as half full – look at how far we have gotten with electric cars already.
With all the multiple car households around what would happen if one car was electric? Granted, most families need their larger SUV especially on those trips where all their ‘stuff’ travel with them. But what about those small, multiple trips around town. Wouldn’t an electric vehicle offer a cool and eco-friendly solution for the many errands that occur every day?
If any of these thoughts have crossed your mind, then I encourage you to check out the electric cars at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium for the Annual AltCar Expo on September 16-17.
Kia Soul Electric Vehicle events are being sponsored at sites across the country this month. Look on this calendar to find one near you https://driveelectricweek.org/
