The Kia Soul has become a SEMA staple since the
model was introduced in 2008. Now that the funky crossover is on its second
generation, we can expect Kia to keep bringing the Soul to the world’s biggest
aftermarket auto show.
At 2014, Kia will showcase a handful of new models under
the theme “A Day At The Races." Needless to say, the Soul is part of the
lineup and it’s coming dressed up as one of the sharpest-looking ice cream
trucks you’ll ever see.
That’s a handful to digest right there, and Kia
didn’t do us any favors by keeping the details under wraps. The pictures do
paint a pretty interesting story about this dressed up Soul EV, which Kia is
calling the Smitten Soul EV. You’ll immediately recognize that this is the Soul
EV and not the gas-powered model because of the body-color insert where the
front grille is supposed to be. It even has an “Ice Cream” decal spelled
backwards on the grille insert, similar to what you see in ambulances. That’s
usually done so they spell out properly when viewed in a mirror.
Other design highlights of the Smitten Soul EV
include a two-tone finish with red working as the primary color mixed with
splashes of white on the lower front bumper, the roof, and the body graphics.
On the roof, you’ll notice what looks like three cosmetic megaphones, although
those things probably work by pressing some toggle switches on the cabin.
A quick look at the cabin shows the same two-tone
red-and-white treatment on the leather seats. Just behind the seats appears to
be a wooden partition separating the front and rear sections. There are no
detailed photos of the rear yet, but I imagine it to be the business set up of
the entire “ice cream truck” concept. A foldable table connects that part with
a small trailer — the trailer appears to be the hauling medium for the folding
table.
