[Canderan]

Hello! I’m looking at buying a Soul EV+. In particular, I found one from 2017 with 15K miles at an independent dealer near me.

A few questions...

1. How long should I expect an electric battery to last on average?

2. Is it true that the EV has a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty on electric parts?

3. How much does it cost to replace the electric battery? Looking at some car parts stores online I’m seeing $13,000. That seems like a lot, so I’m wondering if I’m looking for the wrong thing.

4. I’ve seen a few people talking about the importance of checking an SOH% before purchase. What does this mean and what’s the easiest way to do it?

Thanks so much!!

 

[freddym]

1, should last 10 + years unless you are in a very hot climate

2, in the UK, it's 7 years

3, unlikely to be economic to replace battery also unlikely to be needed unless you intend to drive for 100s of thousands of miles

4, to check for battery degredation. Important for Leafs, less so for Souls because batteries have much better technology.

 

[IanL]

SOH (State of Health) can be checked by a Kia dealer who is equipped with the relevant test equipment. I believe that, in the US, they are not all so equipped. You can get a reading (which Kia will not accept) using the Android app Soul EV Spy and a KW902 bluetooth OBD2 dongle. If KIA accept that the SOH is below 70%, they will repair/replace to better than 70% provided the vehicle is under warranty. Most have been replacements with 100% SOH.

Cars used in the hottest US states (e.g. Arizona) have had poor experience with battery longevity, but newer models have a battery cooling fan is the trunk which has improved matters. In late 2017, an improved battery (30kWh) was introduced. The VIN has the 10th character "J" in those models. They have the extra cooling fan. I'm not sure that any earlier models have it, and they only have a 27kWh battery. I would go for a 30 kWh model.

 

[cah197]

I wouldn't worry about a Soul EV with 15k miles on it. Unlikely there would be any measurable degradation due to the built in buffer on the battery.

Just make sure you have a good warranty from the dealer, to protect you from any unforeseen electric gremlins. But the traction battery is the least of your worries.

 

[mrdr_ev]

Worth noting the long warranty is on the battery only and applies to its ability to hold 70% of quoted capacity, nothing else. You are not covered for 7yrs/100k miles on the motors, inverters, control system, etc etc, only the battery itself.
That said, as other have said above, the battery life myth is a myth. Most buyers will not see real issues for a decade or more with the cars being sold now.

 

[cdlb]

Worth noting the long warranty is on the battery only and applies to its ability to hold 70% of quoted capacity, nothing else. You are not covered for 7yrs/100k miles on the motors, inverters, control system, etc etc, only the battery itself.

Really? Because it reads like it covers "everything"... Terms and Exclusions: Kia 7 Year Warranty | Kia Motors UK

 

[Xinix]

Kia have 7 years full warranty on their cars. Battery is warranted to hold 70 % of charge after 7 years.

 

[mrdr_ev]

Ah, gotcha. Sorry I was thinking of other brands battery warranties.

 

[IanL]

The OP is in the USA. Kia warranty conditions may vary from those in the UK/EU.
197's post above about battery life is relevant to temperate climates. Some US states have extremely hot climates, and Kia Soul EV batteries have suffered greatly. This is easily verified by researching this site, which is largely contributed to by North Americans.

 

[freddym]

Worth noting the long warranty is on the battery only and applies to its ability to hold 70% of quoted capacity, nothing else. You are not covered for 7yrs/100k miles on the motors, inverters, control system, etc etc, only the battery itself.
That said, as other have said above, the battery life myth is a myth. Most buyers will not see real issues for a decade or more with the cars being sold now.

In the UK, the entire car is covered by the 7 year warranty (subject to various limitations of course)