Kia Soul EV surf car was saved from the crusher to enjoy endless summers

Kia's British division turned a Soul EV into a surfer-friendly, beach-ready rig named Boardmasters Edition. Presented as a one-off concept, the hatchback started life as a pre-production car that should have been crushed.

One of the most obvious modifications is a set of 16-inch wheels wrapped by Maxxis Bighorn sand tires, the same unit found on cars that participate in rallies. While that sounds relatively simple, stuffing 30-inch wheels under a city-sized hatchback was stunningly complicated; Kia notably had to redesign the front foot wells. It also added a three-inch suspension lift, among many other changes. All told, the Soul has about 12.4 inches of ground clearance.

It's not just the jacked-up suspension that makes the Boardmasters Edition taller than a standard Soul. Kia topped it with a custom-made tubular roof rack designed to hold surfboards, and it added a solar panel to charge some of the onboard accessories, such as a fridge. Slip behind the wheel, and the Boardmasters Edition looks just like a normal Soul.

Look behind you, and you'll notice the rear bench has been replaced by a wooden deck. Expanding the size of the Soul's trunk also allowed Kia to mount a fold-out bench and a swing-out arm used to hang towels and wetsuits out to dry.

No drivetrain changes were made to the Soul EV, meaning it's powered by a 201-horsepower electric motor linked to a 64-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. There's no word yet on what effect the jumbo tires have on range.

Kia will display the Soul EV Boardmasters Edition at the 2021 edition of Boardmasters, a surfing and music festival taking place in Cornwall this week, August 11-15. As of writing, nothing suggests the EV will spawn a production model.