Many automakers have committed to phasing out conventional gas and diesel cars soon. However, automakers are still long to decide what the EVs that will replace them will look like. One of Volkswagen’s ideas is to create EV versions of the famous VW Beetle, but the Kia Soul EV Beach Cruiser may match that. 

A look at the Kia Soul EV beach cruiser concept

This concept is ultimately based on the Kia Soul EV, a car that currently is not coming to the U.S. It’s still a Soul, just as an EV, but also modified for the beach. According to The Drive, Kia is calling it the Soul EV Boardmasters Edition. This Kia concept was named after the surfing and music festival that it debuted in.

One of the more notable modifications happened to its wheels. It now has 30-inch tires on 16-inch wheels with sand tires. Another beach-ready modification is the roof. The Boardmasters Edition has a custom roof rack that will allow it to be the master of surfboards. There’s also a fold-out seat that will allow folks to sit on the tailgate, as well as a rack for folks who need to dry their clothes.

Like The Drive wrote, this Kia Soul concept got a three-inch lift. This should help it off-road better than usual. However, other than smaller and more minor changes, this concept isn’t that different from the regular Soul EV. According to The Drive, it should get a slightly worse range, but its drivetrain is about the same.

A good challenge to the Volkswagen ID. Buggy

EVs meant for the beach are a small segment, but one of the most notable contenders was the VW ID. Buggy concept. MotorTrend wrote the ID. Buggy’s concept was partially based on the Beetle, as folks would take it to the beach after modifying it significantly. Unlike that Kia concept, the ID. Buggy doesn’t seem to be a modified version of a car—instead, the ID. Buggy was a true concept car.

It didn’t have a roof or doors, but it did have a capable electric powertrain. And it did have a lot of features that allowed it to work as a dune buggy ultimately. According to MotorTrend, the ID. Buggy was rumored to cost about $30,000. That’s not a huge price to pay for a car like the ID. Buggy.

Both cars may never come to America

While MotorTrend wrote that the ID. Buggy was “likely headed” for production. As far as anyone knows, it still isn’t in production. The Soul EV Boardmaster Edition concept is a production car already. It’s just not being sold in America right now. So, it’s not totally impossible for Kia to make that beach cruiser version a production model as well.

But, what’s also possible is that the Soul EV Boardmaster Edition goes the way of most concept cars, which means Kia won’t make a production version of that concept. While the ID. Buggy received a lot of praise. It’s also possible that VW will never make a production version of it. But if Kia and VW do, it wouldn’t be guaranteed that they will come to the United States.