Kia Trail'ster e-AWD Soul Hybrid Concept Unveiled At Chicago Auto Show - Green Car Reports
At the very first automaker press conference of the Chicago Auto Show, Kia pulled the wraps off its Trail'ster Concept: an all-wheel-drive hybrid versions of its Soul that uses an electric motor to power the rear wheels. DON'T MISS: Kia Soul To Get Hybrid AWD. Developed at Kia's design studio in Irvine, California, the Trail'ster turns the practical, front-wheel-drive compact Soul into an off-road crossover utility vehicle that Kia says is "intended for urban escape and mountain adventures. The intended buyers for this "rugged runabout," Kia says, are the "city-dweller-turned-outdoor-adventurer[s]" who want to "escape their urban environs in search of higher-elevation playgrounds where snow, mud, streams and trails abound. The Trail'ster's AWD capability is underscored by numerous Kia references to outdoor sports: "mountain activities, from skiing and snowboarding to camping, hiking and mountain biking," followed by "trekking up to a high, snowy summit" and then... it likely previews an upcoming version of the Soul fitted with electric all-wheel drive to turn it into a tall, boxy utility vehicle. “The Trail’ster concept is a near-future look at how the production Kia Soul would logically evolve into an AWD-capable version,” said chief designer Tom Kearns from the Irvine-based Kia Design Center of America. Source: www.greencarreports.com
