Kia Soul EV Charging Cable

Check the connector before you order

This is the one Kia where buying the wrong cable is easy. The 2014 to 2019 Soul EV uses the five pin Type 1 inlet. The 2019 e-Soul switched to the seven pin Type 2 that every modern charge point uses. They are not interchangeable and no adapter is included.

Count the pins on your own car and buy accordingly. Both cables are on this page, and if you are buying for a car you have not collected yet, the 64 kWh battery is the giveaway for the newer one.

What each generation does at home

The first generation accepts 6.6 kW, the e-Soul 7.2 kW, both single phase. Either figure is close enough to the 7.4 kW ceiling of a British house that the 32A cable is worth having on the newer car and the 16A lead is the sensible buy on the older one.

Hours are worked from battery size against power drawn, plus a 13 per cent allowance for what is lost as heat, rounded to fifteen minutes. The columns are the 27 and 30 kWh first generation packs and the 64 kWh e-Soul. Ranges were quoted on the old NEDC test for the early cars, 132 and 155 miles, and 281 miles WLTP for the e-Soul.

Which length to buy

Both generations charge from the front, which makes life easy. The first generation flap is dead centre in the grille, so you plug in head on. The e-Soul moved it slightly to the nearside of centre, beside the left headlamp.

Nose in towards the charge point and 5 metres is plenty. Reverse in and 10 metres is the safe choice, since the cable has to come the whole length of the car.

How these cables are built

It is a CE marked IEC 62196-2 cable, IP55 against the weather, rated to work between -30C and +50C.

The three pin version is an IEC 62752 unit, CE marked and IP67 sealed, specified -30C to +60C. Warranty is two years from the manufacturer, delivery free next working day, returns accepted for 30 days.

Also from Kia: Kia EV3 EV Charging Cable. The full range of Kia charging cables is on one page. For a wall box or public post the lead is the Type 1 to Type 2 charging cable.

Kia Soul EV charging cable questions

Does the Kia Soul EV use Type 1 or Type 2?

Both, depending on age. The 2014 to 2019 Soul EV is Type 1, the five pin connector. The 2019 on e-Soul is Type 2. Count the pins on the car before ordering, because the two do not fit each other.

How fast will a Soul EV charge at home?

The e-Soul accepts 7.2 kW, which fills its 64 kWh battery in about ten hours. The first generation accepts 6.6 kW and has a much smaller battery, so a 30 kWh car is done in about five.

Was 6.6 kW standard on the early Soul EV?

Kia listed it as standard, though some records show 3.6 kW as the base fit with 6.6 kW optional in certain markets. If your car is a 2014 to 2016 model it is worth checking, because it changes the charge time by half.

Where does the Soul EV plug in?

In the nose. The first generation has a sliding flap in the centre of the grille covering both the Type 1 and rapid sockets. The e-Soul sits slightly to the nearside of centre, by the left headlamp.