Kia e-Soul Struggles in Moose Test Because of Weight, Tortures Its Tires

There's no denying that the 2nd-gen Soul EV is much better than its predecessor. The range is about double, while the build quality and interior features have improved. However, there's no getting around the limitations of a battery-powered car.

While normal cars are powered from the fuel tank, which is usually about the weight of a person, an EV is juiced by a large battery. The technology has improved vastly over the past decade, but the lithium cells usually occupy the entire floor of the car and weigh it down significantly.

While you're driving normally, it's difficult to notice the extra weight of the battery. Maybe the suspension is a little firmer to compensate, but that's about it. However, handling just isn't the same as a normal car... unless it's a Tesla, powered by witchcraft.

In any case, the Kia e-Soul recently got subjected to the moose test by Spanish auto magazine KM77. This involves a kind of high-speed slalom meant to simulate what would happen if a large animal suddenly appeared in the middle of the road and you had to avoid it.

The target speed is 77 km/h or 47.8 miles per hour, which is actually pretty conservative considering how fast people might be going down a highway or even a country road. In any case, the Kia e-Soul can't achieve this speed. It doesn't show any unsafe handling characteristics and remains composed. However, the weight of the batteries pushes hard and results in understeer. You can also hear the tires being tortured even when the car passes its test at 68 km/h or 42 mph.

We think the Soul performed admirably as an EV. Maybe it could have had a better result with stiffer suspension and a more aggressive stability control system. However, it's worth point out that the Tesla Model 3 performed better than most sports cars when tested last year (see the second video).