Kia has seen some success with its latest electric vehicles. The Niro EV was an impressive start and there are plans to release another electric model called the Soul EV. The EPA has already rated the Soul EV with a 243-mile driving range, which is a massive improvement over the previous generation's 132-mile range and exactly four miles more than the Niro. We are excited to drive the electric version of the Soul but Kia has already delayed its arrival in the US until at least 2020.

Now, Kia has delayed the car until the 2021 calendar year. Kia spokesperson James Hope confirmed the delay with CarBuzz: "The global demand for Kia electric vehicles continues to grow and exceeds Kia's current production capacity. To address supply constraints, Kia Motors America (KMA) has decided to delay the Soul EV to the 2021 calendar year. This action will allow KMA to concentrate the limited supply of EV components to one model, the Niro EV, to better meet customer demand."

Kia was initially planning to release the car late in 2019 before pushing the arrival date to 2020, and now it won't arrive until 2021. Kia's sister company, Hyundai, has also faced supply constrains with the Kona EV, which is based on the same platform set to underpin the upcoming Soul EV. The delay will also hurt the Soul EV because by the time it goes on sale in the US, it will likely face additional competition from Tesla and Volkswagen.

When the Soul EV finally does go on sale in 2021, it will offer a 64-kWh battery pack mated to an electric powertrain delivering 201 horsepower and 291 lb-ft of torque going out to the front wheels. Pricing has yet to be announced but with deliveries not expected for more than a full calendar year, it may be a while before Kia makes any announcement on the starting price.