Kia reveals one-off surfing-inspired Soul EV ‘Boardmasters Edition’

Kia has revealed a one-off surf-ready Soul EV to celebrate its sponsorship of the Boardmasters festival in Cornwall.

This particular example of the electric crossover was a pre-production test car that was destined for the crusher, but Kia has given it a new lease of life on the British coast.

It has been given an extensive makeover compared with the regular car, for example getting 16-inch steel wheels with chunky Maxxis Bighorn sand tyres. Reaching 30 inches in diameter, they required ‘significant’ reworking of the bulkhead and front foot wells.

Kia has also fitted custom adapters and modified struts to the suspension, with a three-inch lift giving extra ground clearance and helping the tyres to fit under the wheel arches.

Not all of the changes were mechanical, with a new steel roof rack custom-built for the car to accommodate two Tahe Bic Malibu surfboards. Kia says the low profile design means the Soul can still fit beneath most height restrictions and allows the boot to open fully.

The rack has LED spotlights as well as a solar panel, which allows the driver to power a mini fridge or other auxiliary appliance with external energy without draining the car battery.

Inside there are changes too, with the rear seats removed to make for a larger cargo area. The floor of this has been covered by a wooden deck, designed to protect the interior from water and keep sand from falling into hard to reach areas.

The Boardmasters Edition retains the regular Soul EV’s 64kWh battery, though Kia says the range will be less than the advertised 280 miles because of the changes to the tyres and suspension.

Boardmasters takes place from August 11 – 15 in Cornwall, with the Kia Soul EV Boardmasters Edition on display in the Inspiration Zone.