Bob Flavin (motoring journalist) & his views on EVs

Gumbo · 19-04-2022 07:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118947945#Comment_118947945

I don’t think you are.

Orebro · 20-04-2022 03:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118946493#Comment_118946493

I wouldn't give the likes of Flavin a car if I was them either - plenty of quality YouTube content these days with proper in depth reviews (e.g. Jonny Smith, Car Wow etc) without pouring coke into McDonalds cups, no need for the B-grade productions and messing around he does. And it certainly doesn't affect sales, the Tucson sells like hotcakes and the Ioniq 5 is flying out the door.

Lantus · 20-04-2022 06:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118952007#Comment_118952007

My criticism of the proper reviews as you call them is they can all be a bit formulaic. First impressions, engines, interior, back seat, boot etc. A lot will use the same words and phrases and make the exact same observations and comments. It's a bit weird to listen to. I also don't get the obsession with scratching the top of the dash. It's not a part of the car I ever touch, why would I care for the relative softness of it? But it seems to be an industry review standard time filler.

So good consistency you could say but other styles of review are always welcome.

road_high · 20-04-2022 11:47PM

Bob isn’t someone you’d really warm to unlike some others I follow like say Ian seabrook of HubNut or Stef from I Drive A Classic who are very natural warm presenters and that’s probably the biggest turn off for me.

Kramer · 04-09-2022 07:19PM

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMNTKxsk4/

I guess Tiktok links don't work?

Anyway, Bob incredulous that anyone could charge an EV (any EV), at home for as little as €3.50 🤔. He's "calling out that BS" to his millions of followers!

Our previous Model 3 SR+ (46kWh approx) cost €3 for a full overnight charge & was usually good for 300km+ then.

Our recent lowly Model 3(s) RWD with 57kWh now cost €4.50, from completely flat to completely full (never happens). Good then for 400km+.

No solar.

Buy Bob knows best!

mc2022B2TF · 04-09-2022 07:28PM

60kw × 7.5 cent night rate = €4.50

This is a m3 rwd

That's good for between 250 and 300 miles

So let's say €10 for 600miles

To fill my diesel car right now to get 600 miles that costs €135

Mod Note: Snipped, let's keep the insults out of posts

TitianGerm · 04-09-2022 08:58PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119571097#Comment_119571097

My 28KW Ioniq will top up from 0-100 €3.38 including charging losses. Once my Energia plan kicks in it'll be around €2.65.

kanuseeme · 04-09-2022 09:17PM

An old leaf would probably cost less than 1.50 euro, I think bob meant whatever rate he is on and something bigger than 28 kWh ioniq, only expensive electricity is ionity without a plan, in that case diesel would be cheaper.

unkel · 05-09-2022 12:04AM

Maths are not Bob's forte. I've pointed it out (to him) several times. It's funny though how he is so self confident and assured when he asserts figures.

If it was me and I knew I wasn't good at something, I would double and triple check and appoint my wife, children and friends as editors to check my stuff, before I shared something with thousands of followers online

Old diesel · 05-09-2022 08:20AM

My issue with him is that I feel his EV views are influenced by what he thinks his audience many of whom may not be pro EV want to hear.

If a reviewer is anti EV then fine whatever - i can deal with that.

Problem is Bob can't make up his mind on EVs.

He randomly suggested that PHEVs were the option to consider when testing the Opel Astra diesel recently.

But with no context whatsoever on why PHEV specifically

AndyBoBandy · 05-09-2022 10:20AM

@Bodhan Bob, Are you still knocking around Boards?

Care to explain the BS charging for €3.50 comment? As it seems folk here can achieve that!

KCross · 05-09-2022 10:54AM

There is no accounting for stupidity or simple ignorance or lack of research. A quick look at the comments on his TikTok is a view into that world.... some people just have no clue and you will never open their eyes... you just have to let it slide over you....

Look at this Brian Doran guy who says "this is my industry, its what I do for a living"... and doesn't understand kW and kWh and thinks it costs €3.20 per hour to charge a car at home and gave a worked example where he says a "40kw" car takes 133 units to charge it..... omg!

AndyBoBandy · 05-09-2022 11:11AM

There are some special people out there....

I'd love to engage with that sort of nonsense, as I actually am in the power generation industry, (our machines generate ~30% of the worlds electricity), but there would be absolutely zero point in trying to engage/educate against that sort of 'expertise' as they are so sure of themselves and their numbers, you'd have an easier time explaining quantum physics to a snail....

mc2022B2TF · 05-09-2022 11:22AM

haha Brian Doran ye legend haha

talk about exposing himself!

innrain · 05-09-2022 11:33AM

I'd blame the education system for letting people graduate to life without life knowledge, but that's pointless really.

In fairness physicists didn't make it simple when it comes with power and energy units especially when we speak about electric power/energy. kW and kWh are swappable not to mention the imaginary kWh/h and kW/h

I know is just stop and think a second but tiktok is just the opposite. Don't think just talk. Maybe the EV industry should do what the food industry did when they replaced 1000cal (calorie) = 1Cal (calorie). So if I say my Kona has a battery with the capacity of 55,000 Calories people would understand much better, because they can relate with the fact that is is the equivalent of 395 cans of coke (or about)

D_D · 05-09-2022 11:36AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119573296#Comment_119573296

I lost a few brain cells reading that 🤕 Shocking that this guy has followers and influence over people's buying decisions... Goes to show you how you have to do your own research to be well-informed

ba_barabus · 05-09-2022 11:52AM

I'd love to get an EV on my channel but I'd be terrified of you all if I got something wrong 😂

mackerski · 05-09-2022 11:54AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119573487#Comment_119573487

Maybe somebody should make a TikTok video of charging a typical car from empty to full at a public charger of known unit cost, then showing the energy bill once full.

mackerski · 05-09-2022 11:58AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119573296#Comment_119573296

Reminded me of this classic video (which has rude words for anybody squeamish): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f43X6u5hPww

D_D · 05-09-2022 12:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119573575#Comment_119573575

It also makes no sense with his attachment to the rate of '€3.20 per hour' to charge a car. So regardless of your energy supplier, the unit rates of your contract, the time of charging, the charging speed of your EVSE or car, it is somehow just known that it is €3.20 to charge a car per hour. Just mad stuff.

unkel · 05-09-2022 12:07PM

Every time I look on Irish EV Facebook pages I come across people like that Brian Doran. I haven't even tried TikTok, don't think I will 😂

KCross · 05-09-2022 12:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119573598#Comment_119573598

At least she had drink on board, so had some excuse!

Not everyone can handle math, its not their fault, but it is their fault if they dont recognise they are out of their depth on a debate which requires math!

liamog · 05-09-2022 01:17PM

It's charging losses. Whatever power your car's on board charger and unit rate by your energy supplier are, they adjust themselves until charging the car costs exactly €3.20/hour. It's quite a complex chip they employ.

mfceiling · 05-09-2022 01:47PM

I'm not terribly au fait with the whole costings examples.

I'm presuming that you take the cost per KW and multiply it by how many KW's you put into the battery?

Example 10 cents per kW and you put 50kw into your battery equals €5.

Thumper Long · 05-09-2022 01:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119574095#Comment_119574095

Jaysus don’t spell it out in Ann & Barry language 😂

liamog · 05-09-2022 02:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119574095#Comment_119574095

Pretty much, you should add around 5% to 10% for charging losses. So if you need to add 40kWh to the battery with losses you may be closer to 44kWh used. I use 10% in calculations because I always prefer to be pessimistic.

KCross · 05-09-2022 02:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119574095#Comment_119574095

You are close.

kW is the "speed" at which you can charge the car. Analogy.... How quickly the petrol flows into the tank.

If you charge at a speed of 1kW and you do that for one hour you will have delivered 1kWh to your car (some losses but lets keep it simple)

kWh is the capacity of the battery.... Analogy... size of your petrol tank.

If your battery is 40kWh and you charge at 1kW "speed" it means it will take 40hrs to charge it.

In reality you can charge at ~ 7kW at home so you get 7kWh to the car every hour, so just under 6hrs (40/7) to charge from 0-100%.

On the costings side of things... an electricity unit on your bill = 1kWh.

If you charge your 40kWh car (e.g. Leaf) from empty to full it is 40 units (again, keeping it simple, it will actually be a bit more than that). If you are paying the current Energia night rate of ~8c/unit it means it will cost you €3.20 (40kWh * 0.08c) for that full charge.

It can be confusing for alot of people, tbf.

Gumbo · 05-09-2022 04:17PM

You know what the worse thing is, many people have posted up links and replies quoting the energia 8c rate but he has deleted and blocked the comments.

Which mean the only comments left are the Hill Billy comments that agree with his agenda.

Kramer · 05-09-2022 04:19PM

It can be confusing for alot of people, tbf.

Which is why we should listen to the experts, like Bob 😆.

He, thankfully, calls out BS & misinformation.

TitianGerm · 05-09-2022 04:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119575055#Comment_119575055

Except his own of course.

Bob Flavin (motoring journalist) & his views on EVs

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