The Kia Soul is a common first-time car in the modern age. With an MSRP of around $16,000, it's an affordable but reliable first choice. But soon, the compact crossover SUV will be joining the future with its own electric powertrain.

The automaker revealed a new generation of Kia Soul at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday. While it retains the familiar box-like shape the line is known for, the entire powertrain has been replaced with a set of electric motors and a battery.

In older generations, the Soul would come with a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine pushing 147 horsepower and 132 pounds-feet of torque available in manual or automatic. That could be upgraded to 201 hp and 195 lb-ft respectively, if you chose the GT upgrade.

In the Soul EV, electric motors are powered by a 64-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion polymer battery with DC fast-charging capability. With a specc'd 201 hp and 291 lb-ft torque, the EV comes with multiple driving modes, each adjusting power output, regenerative braking, and comfort settings for optimal efficiency.

Range and charge times were not clarified. But if we compare it to the similar specs of the Kia Niro EV, it'll have an estimated range of 240 miles with an 80 percent charge in 75 minutes on fast chargers.

The Soul EV will enter showrooms next year, with a release as a 2020 model. Pricing is unknown at this time.