KIA E-Soul full review - is this the best electric car on the market?

[@rkalla]

Big fan from the US - your casual, well-informed style is so refreshing man. Also notice the updates B roll with drone shots, very fancy! Keep videos coming!

[@BobFlavinVideo]

Thanks very much!

[@michaelrch]

Good review. I have the Hyundai Kona which has a similar drive train. I don't agree with the comment about regen though. I drive with regen on 3 all the time because it allows 95% one-pedal driving. It's great on windy country roads especially because you effectively control power and braking without flicking your foot from pedal to pedal. Once you get used to it, it's great. Edit: can confirm that the Kona is not a spacious car! But I love it all the same. 560km range at 100% last time I finished charging :)

[@philipreece4648]

Great Review, Thankyou. I have just ordered a KIA E-Soul and expect delivery in Q1 2020, One of the deciding factors for me in the UK was NO Luxury Car Tax as under £40k. This will be my 5th KIA (I used to have a fossil Soul many years ago and loved it), I love the styling of the Soul, and it is a very practical car - This will be my 1st EV, can't wait.

[@BobFlavinVideo]

You've picked the right one Philip, enjoy it!

[@philipreece4648]

@@paulbrowne6087 Hi Paul, Not really worried at all, I decided to go electric for various reasons, I could wait till the next best thing comes out, but then again do you think I better wait for the next one after that which will be better still !!. The charging network in the UK is getting better all the time with new chargers from Ionity etc, plus I like a change every now and then. Each to their own, EV's will not suit everyone..

[@teslatrev5764]

i have the older soul EV love it ..... you will love it to....

[@otleybull]

How've they been? Any mechanical issue with any of your previous KIA's? I've ordered the E Niro!

[@ianandme100]

@@paulbrowne6087 Hi Paul, I don't think seeing stuff is the issue. I read that the very small particulates that you can't see are worse as they go deeper into your lungs. Sorry I don't remember the source for this though.

[@ReevansElectro]

I took delivery on a 2020 Soul EV Limited a week ago. I love it.

[@12alocin]

How long did you wait?Also, is the deposit refundable? Also, does the government grant of 4,500 come into play when you order it?

[@ReevansElectro]

@@12alocin If you don't take the car for some reason, deposits are refundable and I got a $5000 provincial grant and a $5000 federal grant. The provincial grant dropped to $3000 two days before I took delivery but I got the full $5000 because I had a deposit on it to buy. I waited for a whole 10 days from when I put down my deposit to when I took delivery.

[@wobby1516]

I had the diesel variant and loved it now have the Kona EV as to long a wait for the Soul. However in a couple of years when the Soul is more available I’ll change as the Soul is just a brilliant car. Just love it.

[@JonMoralesLA]

Just purchased the Kia Niro EV. Couldn’t be happier with it. Took it on a trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and the range of the vehicle made it a pleasant trip.

[@stevecarter8869]

Hey mate, I have purchased an e-Soul here in Victoria Canada in Jan of 2020 and I totally agree with your review. I also liked your review of the e-Nero and will be buying one for my wife as my 2004 Sienna just blew the head gasket. Thanks for the reviews and I am looking forward to watching more of your videos (and coming over to enjoy a pint or two). Cheers.

[@dplummer35]

Bob, when you were reviewing the rear boot area, the shot had a lot of dark areas due to the shadows. Quick tip for future reference just turn the car around and have the sun facing the boot area for better lighting

[@MaartenJ777]

Actually ordered this car unseen, without a test drive, convinced by this review video! No regrets either. Thanks again!

[@BobFlavinVideo]

You’ll love it, the e-Soul is still the best Electic car

[@MaartenJ777]

@@BobFlavinVideo Thanks! I have my e-Soul since December, so just over half a year now, and I love it. I had to decide quickly in December because a tax incentive for EVs ran out here in the Netherlands, so that's where your review came in and convinced me it was the right car for me 👍 My wife loves it too btw.😎

[@Hampo6t9]

Great review. I have a Rio 1.0 T-GDi, and when I drop the rear seats, I always put the Tonneau/Parcel Shelf behind the front seats. Plenty of space, and available to put back when you replace the rear seats. As you say, the biggest issue (apart from cost) for most people is the range of EVs, although most people won't be doing hundreds of miles per day and will spend most of their time around town. There needs to be a massive hike in the infrastructure to support these vehicles.

[@lesliefaulkner6533]

greetings from Canada, loved your show, thanks

[@eamonnhenry8161]

Bob, you hit the nail on the head regarding public charging on Ireland. At the moment EV buyers are forced to buy cars with big batteries. Most will never make use of the full range in their day to day driving only for the occasional long trip. This means that you have to lug around a big battery that you don't need most of the time that you paid a small fortune for. Proper public charging infrastructure makes the range issue a moot point. Keep up the good work, love the channel!

[@waltergordon4682]

I think BOB is the best at giving you a prospective analysis of the electric car ,he,s sold me on the KIA E SOUL i think he is brilliant i could listen him all night you know what you get with BOB the truth.

[@dcvariousvids8082]

Another great down to earth review.

[@anthonywalsh2520]

drop seats down then take parcel shelf out and put in front of the headrests you should find it it’s.

[@izzard]

Another good review. I have a quick suggestion: when you're showing us the boot space, it will be much easier to see if you turn the car to face away from the sun so the boot interior is not all in shadow.

[@pippameagher9411]

Good reviews of both this and the ID3 Bob - we are currently looking at both cars and wondered what your preference would be - looking at the VW ID 3 Family or the Kia E-Soul? Husband is from Laois so it really helped having a familiar accent to show us the pros and cons of both cars.

[@russellmyers9013]

Bob. Great video. Just to highlight. Electric cars are very quick 0 to 60 because the electric motor gives 100% torque and power from 0 rpm compared to petrol or diesel where you have to get up the rev range to get the best performance.

[@tellthemborissentyou]

Thank you Bob. The E-Soul isn't available in New Zealand yet but I think i will wait until it is. An electric car seems like a great choice for a second car.

[@BobFlavinVideo]

I used to live in Feilding, lovely spot that. Kia will be bringing out the Soul worldwide once they get enough batteries

[@tonywardill5375]

Brilliant review, great info and very accurate explanation of the current state of the market and the charging infrastructure.. Currently driving the 2018 Soul Ev and absolutely love it, but fully intend making this my next car...if I can get my hands on one... Cheers 😁

[@sirousmohseni4]

I had Soul EV 2015 for four years. Now I have Model 3. Soul had less road noise than Tesla. Problem with Kia is having to deal with dealership, no over the air updates and charging on the road is challenging.

[@smaemurray]

Great review. Couldn't agree more regarding ecars/ESB network. To have one fast charger at the services on the M1 is a disgrace.

[@bobmcnally5205]

Thank you for this. Have just ordered one (delivery Feb 2020???). You make me feel I did the right thing

[@oceanfroggie]

Your reviews are refreshingly direct and matter of fact focusing on the pertinent facts. Also entertaining. BTW with a range of 450km the availability of chargering infrastructure has been largely irrelevant once home charging or destination charging is available. I think you are right 600km will become the standard for EVs. VAG are likely to blow the bloody doors off next year and shake the whole market up. Tesla need to focus on cars rather than mobile iPads, and Nissan the original pioneers need to catch up with the posse who've overtaken them and left them for dust. ID.3 could be like the original battle and original golf, an iconic market shaping vehicle. Only time will tell. If 600km cars costing €30k become the norm the numbers could soar as folks monthly savings on diesel/petrol alone could fund HP finance or the dreaded PCP. All IMHO of course.

[@BobFlavinVideo]

The price of batteries has to fall so we can have some affordable EV's in the market. The market is only starting out, there's a lot left in this race yet!

[@MrConor159]

Even when there are 600 km cars there will still be a large market for cars with 40 to 60 kwh batteries. A bigger battery will always cost more and won't fit into small cars.

[@oceanfroggie]

@@MrConor159 Yes there will be good market for urban commuters where 40kWh (280km range) should suffice with home charging only needed. But over the coming years battery density will improve dramatically and cost per kWh is continuing to fall, so in a few years time don't be surprised if a 120kWh battery fits in the same or less space than a current 64kWh battery. 600km range will become the base line. Watch VAG and Ford between now and 2024.

[@oceanfroggie]

@@BobFlavinVideo Yip early days, battery density should improve dramatically over the next 5 years, and cost per kWh of batteries continues to fall exponentially as plants ramp up. Only time will tell

[@MrConor159]

@@oceanfroggie looking at what a few electrochemists say we aren't to far off the limits in density in lithium ion maybe another 10%. Solid state will be needed to get 120% kWh into e up. They will get cheeper with economys of scale that's for sure.

[@antonionevessantos65]

Great public service info about the electric fever that hited cars.

[@Retrofordguy]

Hey another leftfield fan I've loved leftfield since early 90s love your reviews keep it up dude

[@BobFlavinVideo]

I used to get dressed to go out to Leftfield, it's still the most complete album ever made!

[@paulbarton957]

“On of the best interiors, bar none” ;-)

[@petewilliams4289]

Great review, nothing for Australia until 2020 but looks like worth the wait for the Kia E-Soul. I live in Tasmania which is 100% hydro so we're the only 100% renewable state yet, as always the 'powers to be, suits' have not seen a need to install public chargers, heck, our entire state only has one fast charger.... crazy, given we're a 100% renewable energy state. Our local caravan parks seem to be the away from home charge option?

[@jamesodonoghue4541]

would like to see you do a soul v niro video. Im in market for 2020 ev and id like to see your take on both side by side

[@janeohara8883]

Yes, I would like that head to head too. Since, those are my two final choices for an ev

[@cwilsonpa]

Put the folded parcel shelf on the floor of the back seat.

[@liamjpbrady]

So Bob, it's January 2020, 6 months after you did this. Would you still buy this EV over the rest of them? What about the Niro EV? How would you compare them?

[@vpenywise]

Penywise here :-) Another great review, thank you!

[@BobFlavinVideo]

Thank you!

[@orangemonkeyjj]

As of 17/6/19 the starting price for the tesla model 3 is £37,340 so please give all fact don't just pick one of the top of the range cars and say teslas cost to much.

[@zagan1]

Do the Tesla car config and you'll see it's not that cheap. As once you change paint that adds cost. Change the wheels that adds cost. If you want the auto driving thats between 5 to 10k on top. Then if you want the longer range that costs more on top. You don't get ludicrous speed bar in the top end cars and those do cost 100k+ or whatever.

[@SrdjanPoznanovic]

Leftfield + Harman/Kardon = Superb :-)

[@BobFlavinVideo]

Was rocking out to it just a minute ago!

[@JB-iz4ju]

Great review!! But the e-Niro is even better!

[@Digikidthevoiceofreason]

However it is far uglier.

[@26DR715]

Good review at the moment im driving a phev and love it but looking forward this could be my next car.

[@Woodyjims-shack]

Agree this time Bob 😀 Don't think VW will offer over 400km as standard though. As with everything Volkswagen / Audi, over hyped and expensive for what they do. All ev's are dear but they can pay back in fuel savings pretty fast. Wouldn't touch a VW ID after the emissions scandal anyway. Dishonest eos!

[@nudgenudgewinkwink3212]

The main advantage of EV's over fossil fuel cars for most users is that you can re-fuel them while you are sleeping just plug it in every night., but all that depends on is the type of property you live in and like you say bob that's where the infrastructure needs to be in place as soon as possible.

[@BobFlavinVideo]

That's also a disadvantage, I don't have to do anything to an ICE car at night. If I run out of fuel I put more in and instant go. EV's require you to do some work

[@jaroessa294]

Actually this is one of the biggest 'faux' selling points that EV fanboys love to push - that you can charge overnight - when they don't like that the FACTS and STATISTICS don't support this. Why? When you have MILLIONS of people living in flats, apartments, townhouses and condos, there is NO garage but just on-street parking or maybe a parking lot, if you're lucky. By your logic, 22 MILLION UK'ers and 82+ MILLION Americans will NEVER be able to own an EV, even if they had the money to plunk down. That is A LOT of lost sales because the EV carmakers can't solve the 5-10 min. "real-time" charging dilemma.

[@cros13]

@@jaroessa294 I've fitted charging to plenty of apartments. By far the easiest situation is when there's underground parking because you can secure cabling to the ceiling and the electricity meters are usually in the basement car park. The most difficult situation is on-street parking, that really requires government to step in, but it's very solvable.

[@logicalChimp]

@@BobFlavinVideo True.. but that's also akin to saying 'if I'm caught short it's easy to recover' - the EV is about not being caught short in the first place. Of course, it's heavily dependent on how much driving you do in a single day (both normally, and on infrequent 'heavy' days, etc), but having the potential to start every morning with a full 'tank' (regardless of how empty it was the previous night) greatly reduces the need for a trip to the fuel station... Of course, this is the 'ideal scenario', for people with offroad parking and space for a home charger, etc. However, whilst I agree the current infrastructure is pitiful, it may be worth looking at e.g. Norway or the Netherlands to see how quickly it can turn around (~5 years ago their infrastructure was equivalent to ours today)

[@12alocin]

Bob, I value your opinion, I have yeti 150 4x4 and I love it, and I know you love them as well, from another of your videos. So, do I get the soul, would I be disappointed ?

[@tradingcardboss]

🔥🔥Loving the Vids keep up the great work 🔥🔥

[@BobFlavinVideo]

Thanks very much!

[@vpenywise]

Kia are really making as decent cars lately, it all adds up to an epic great overall package, starting from the design, interior, engine and powertrain options for literally every customer's need, the long warranty and decent reliability... For me personally, the "top 3 brands" that any new car buyer should definitely consider are the Toyota, Honda and Kia

[@brendanc5519]

sheep, sheep and sheep.

[@Barefoot_Joe]

Motor

[@and1111000]

Not sure Kia, UK offers it with the full tilt n open sunroof, but that would be a great addition. Right, I'm off to buy a lotto ticket.

[@12alocin]

Bob, what's your opinion on the low height of the battery pack.

[@ericrochford3134]

Looks like a good all round package for the price. Still probably worth waiting until next year before committing to an EV.

[@cain3272]

Brilliant review as always bob. Gonna buy a new car at the end of the year but can’t afford an electric car. Are diesel cars being phased out in Ireland do you know ?

[@BobFlavinVideo]

The government plans to stop selling ICE cars by 2030 but the ones that are already sold will be around long after that date.

[@cros13]

@@BobFlavinVideo 2040 the plan is to stop issuing NCTs to any combustion cars left on the road.

[@michellemenzies2187]

There is not room for a spare wheel if you lift the dark grey Polystyrene u will see the battery cooling fan

[@MrEsjmb]

correct about infrastructure. And as of ESB fast charge pricing announcements, anything giving you 4l/100km at current diesel prices is economically a better bet on a per km basis, even before you factor in the price premium for the EV - ie. ESB just destroyed the market for any car with a range too short to always charge at home. nice one esb.

[@nanotechnos]

Nice review :)

[@wobby1516]

Your comment about were to put the boot cover if seats are dropped down? I always put mine on the floor behind passenger and driver seats, no problem.

[@woxineaucrows7355]

Looks good we have a Soul 2016 and are waiting for it to hit our are thanx mate. not in Canada yet =)( Price?

[@anthonyfoley5576]

Great album Bob also got it on spotify

[@robc8593]

Not too convinced by the rear, a bit busy in a Honda way, but I love the front, sort of friendly but with glint of menace and thoroughly 'this century' compare to something from VW which looks like something from the 70's still.

[@AdrianMcDaid]

You must been driving up the M1 today around 4:30 that must be one very few souls in Ireland. Looked quirky.

[@BobFlavinVideo]

Not me but could have been another a hack int he same press car

[@Atreyou29]

Saw exactly this one a week ago clamped in the middle of a street in Inchicore, was that you running out of juice?

[@williamgoss4691]

Excellent Reviews; of the Kia Soul, of the state of the Nation, of lack of Gov support & action re Elec charging points, the sad ecological state of the local river and an education and informed opinion of where EV cars will go in the next 5-8yrs.... What more could u possibly ask for ? As b4, Just Excellent !!

[@cupidupi9282]

It´s good Kia didn´t used a lot parts from the previous generation Soul EV. That´s much better than the 2017-> Nissan Leaf, in wich there are the same doors, door handles, and pretty much the whole interior. The big disadvantage of Hyundai/Kia car is availability. It worth to wait or oder/buy it in Germany. The worst part of electric cars is backseat room. So, this is still not a family car for driving in 4 (5) persons. My Dacia Lodgy and used Opel Zafira C can both seat 7 adults, or 3 childseats in the 2nd row. Only electric cars wich can do that are: Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes EQC, Audi e-tron, Tesla Model X, Citroen/Peugeot/Renault electric UV and Nissan e-NV200. However, none of these cars are good in terms of range and price for average buyer.

[@teslatrev5764]

Great video very fair ... many thanks....oh if i could i would have A Tesla model 3 ... may as well go with the leader

[@jaisabai4155]

Good review, thanks. How can Kia etc justify the 'no spare wheel' rip off?

[@BobFlavinVideo]

Weight saving I'm sure

[@jaisabai4155]

@@BobFlavinVideo cost saving more likely

[@logicalChimp]

Most EVs don't come with a spare wheel, nor do many other new cars these days. Instead, you get a can of tyre-gunk and a compressor, and if that doesn't work you call for a recovery vehicle. After all, it's not the automakers problem if you get a flat tyre...

[@exwhyz33]

charger co should be legally obliged to ensure 4-8hr fix time or get penalised.

[@cros13]

The solution is multiple chargers per site, then chargers down are just a minor inconvenience.

[@nq6845]

Hi Bob, How much does it cost to fully charge the E-Soul?

[@BobFlavinVideo]

It depends on your rate, it's about 3-5 euro for me to charge from near empty to full. It's never been empty though

[@MrConor159]

64*0.16= €10.24 plus a bit more for charging loss This would be if you charged from zero to 100% though which is very unlikely Night rare might be a bit cheaper

[@linbinnash]

I wish they cud do XL version.

[@AFlyingCookieLOL]

On Bridgestone Quiettracks, this car is really silent.

[@brianfd622]

The only fly in the ointment and then you list 3 and then say this is a 100% car,but I like your reviews.

[@dgattenb]

in Cardiff wales , there are very few charging points .. either one end of the town or the other .. ... through town.. so a 40 min journey just to get power .. or Telsa has substations 30 miles away !! ... that's what stopping me getting an EV .. the infrastructure

[@cros13]

The Welsh charging desert was a big concern for a while for Irish EV drivers on the way to the mainland via the channel tunnel or ferries. With my first EVs the trip across North Wales from Holyhead to the first rapid chargers at Chester Services always involved some careful calculations. That's not an issue with modern 400km range EVs. If you live in Wales and you have home charging, it's unlikely you'd ever need to use public infrastructure in Wales itself. On long distance trips like to mancester or berlin you'd be hitting your first rapid charge in England.

[@MiniEggs1999]

When navigating with Apple Maps do you get turn directions on the drivers display or HUD ? Thanks

[@AbuDhabiDude]

Mini Eggs Not yet as CarPlay doesn’t support that. But iOS 13 (released in a few months) does support a second display. So if Kia updates the system (can they do that via over the air updates on this car?) then they could support turn directions on the hud or instrument cluster by the end of this year.

[@MiniEggs1999]

@@AbuDhabiDude Actually turn directions have been supported on the driver display since iOS 10 it's just no one has implemented it yet. The full dual screen to show full maps etc is coming in i OS 13. I hope it does not need hardware changes but I suspect it will

[@AbuDhabiDude]

Mini Eggs Not sure where you heard that information but I’m in the developer beta program with Apple and one of the things they are telling us with iOS 13 is that it finally supports dual displays. To the best of my knowledge it never has before. There may have been some sort of “fudge” that was usable in software (but I’ve never heard of it) but as far as I am aware, dual displays with different information on each have never been supported by CarPlay. I’m running iOS 13 at the moment and it’s nicer for sure but requires a software update by manufacturers to utilise this. It should not require any hardware changes.

[@MiniEggs1999]

@@AbuDhabiDude I heard it when Eddie Cue announced it on stage at WWDC 2016. See the image here from the event www.macrumors.com/2016/06/14/carplay-wwdc-2016/

[@MiniEggs1999]

and here is the technical detail developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2016/723/?time=173

[@SvikDK]

While I do agree, that the Soul is a great car in many ways, claiming it to be the best EV on the market is a bit to much. You say it has the best infotainment system..I disagree. While the new 10" screen is alot better compared to the old systems, I don´t think it´s the best. Tesla and Wv are still the king on that front. Interior quality is not really that great either. I will compare it to the Kona. Lots of cheap plastic, and it´s really dark. Back seats lack ventilation, and while you have lots of leg room, you still sit really low. Like in almost all other EV´s. The design is special, and I have not meet one beside myself, that likes it. So resell value can be affected by that. Since Kia really cant deliver any cars, there is the same wait time for a Soul and a Niro. And if you compare those 2 cars, the Niro wins. It will have the same infotainment system for the 2020 models, and interior quality is just way better. Here in Denmark, where I live, prices are the same for for both cars, if you take all the options. And then the Soul lose in my book. The best 2 EV´s on the market with a range over 350 km, is the e-Niro and the Tesla Model 3.

[@neilbrandon]

Hi Bob, great fact based review as usual. I currently own the e Niro and have owned kona electric. One common niggle is the jiggly ride and road noise. The niro has longer wheelbase so was better than kona. How is the e soul for ride comfort and noise?

[@1905934]

I charge my car at my house... trying to figure out why you would need to use a public charging station...how often do you travel more than 400km?

[@JDubbs07]

Not everyone can charge at home, and countless more will never be able to.

[@pearse.fitzpatrick]

Bob i love the reviews but saying you dont know if there is a charger. What happens if you need a charge on street. These kinds of comment are trying to replace for certain cases. Fact is im 9500km into an e-golf in dublin. Never use public chargers as they pants but also never ran out. If you a two car home an electric car is perfect. If you drive less than 80k to work perfect. They are a different animal all together and calling out the reasons a cat is a substandard dog is as bad as saying the opposites. Better to talk about pros and cons in respect to a persons driving portfolio. We think everyone is the same were not. That why i sold my diesel it suits someone else. I do low mileage and love that if i get correct house setup ill charge my car off sunlight. People dont need to go 0-60 in a x seconds in a m3 but they want to. Would be good to say people who have two cars have options. And home charger is only 300 ish after rebait. Anyway i waffle love the reviews just think say what it can or can't do. Not how it different to something that can do 650 km in a day. Thats too many hours driving for most ;p

[@nickclarkuk]

You don’t need 600km range in an electric car. 300 - 400km is good enough as long as you can find a fast charger . Thanks for a great review .

[@oceanfroggie]

Only went EV myself some months ago as a former sceptic. I had decided a few years ago as soon as BEVs developed with enough range (400-500km) came along where the only place I needed to charge 98% of the time was at home I'd make the jump to BEV. Tesla model 3 specs caught my eye, then the Hyundai so jumped. I've only used a fast charger once in 3 months, no hassle, no inconvenience, no queuing no hanging around having to stop for coffee. Just drive like I did in the diesel. BEV is performing well and as easy to drive as an ICE even on long trips. Range is everything with BEVs. I know early adopters who are tech savvy got 24kWh and 30kWh vehicles to do extraordinary trips but with a fair degree of added time. Joe Soap consumer hasn't the interest nor the time to fraff about trying to find or use FCPs. Only passionate early adopters can make 300km work easily for themselves, not joe public.

[@stockey]

Great EV, and affordable compared to a Model 3 ,that are way overpriced.

[@stevemccormack9948]

You're a bit negative overall on electric cars and infrastructure. Sure, we move forward on the wheels of compromise but most people charge at home and in Ireland 250 miles of charge is pretty compelling. It will take you where you want to go. There is no way I am going back to the fossil fuels. I am happy to watch that empire die.

[@teslatrev5764]

Petrol model is called the KIA R-Soul ....

[@darnjem1642]

Top class review Bob, top class.. Sick to the back teeth of these electric things. Owners in your face trying to convince you that these are the way to go and and were all tree killing monsters... yes the cars are there BUT just like you said, we are light years behind in the charging grid network.. How do I charge my car at home if I live in an apt block? An extension lead out the window of my top floor flat!!! Brilliant bob, again, brilliant review.

[@dubhman]

good review..I agree too early to ditch petrol/diesel here in Ireland as u said the infrastructure ain't there yet..and uf as u say thet get to the 600km range ..well in 6-7 years ure Kia wont be worth too much secondhand...but hey I suppose we should be used to that here in Ireland. (and God knows how long the Grant's for elec.cars will be available and how much Elec. prices will rise! and Brexit ! we get our power thru interconnectors as far as I'm aware) anyways as always I'll See u on the far side:)

[@MrConor159]

There will be strong demand for cars like this in the future if resale values of leafs are a benchmark. 400 km cars will still be for sale 10 years from now as some people just don't need more than that.

[@claudiofransson9333]

It will be fine longer than 6 to 8 years.

[@batandball617]

Bob Flavin, do you still agree with your view of 10 months ago that the Kia Soul EV is the best EV for Ireland?

[@BobFlavinVideo]

Yes, there will be more choice next year that might change my mind and Model 3 is good currently. The Kia has a good warranty and works well for everyday use.

[@garysheil6151]

If you wait till 2020 to get a EV the grant might be less and the home charger 600 euro might be less something to think about I have a kona EV I love it ESB fast chargers are free at the moment for how long don't know i have pre power electrice cost 15 euro from 5% to 100% charge on my kona ev

[@sthegpc2439]

Is this the 64kw version.

[@MrConor159]

Battery capacity is measured in kWh and yes it is. You can tell from the red soul badge on the back.

[@andrepoon]

I was lucky enough to have this car for the day. It pretends to be an SUV, bit you can't fit anything more into it over a normal hatch. Saving my money for a Tesla model 3, and/or a model Y. A normal Kia Sportage is cheaper, bigger, better - Cheaper enough to pay for petrol (without interest) for many years (if CO2 emissions don't bother you).

[@AFlyingCookieLOL]

The soul ev fits more banana boxes than the tesla model seats with the seats down. Bjorn has a video on this already.

[@paddydowney6269]

Leftism - fabulous album Bob, soundtrack to my college years 🤘

[@neilsg2001]

Put a tea on.... Subscribe.

[@mrsinn2642]

It looks like something pixar studios designed

[@paddydowney6269]

I await the first Irish model 3 owner having some light panel damage to fix. The examples of repair costs coming from Tesla’s home US market are simply astronomical. The Kia will never have that issue.

[@cros13]

It's bad here... but not as bad as the US. Most of the parts in Europe are shipped from Tilburg, NL. Provided they have the parts wait times are less than a week vs 2 weeks or often more in the US . The bigger issue in Ireland is finding someone to do repairs who is certified and permitted to order the parts.....

[@paddydowney6269]

cros13 I’d love to replace my 4 series with a model 3, but not before a few of the willing early adopters go through the wringer first

[@logicalChimp]

Many of those examples are edge cases and outliers - and you can find similar reports from most other companies (e.g. I've heard of Jag owners having to wait 6 months+ for spare parts because JLR forgot to order them). That's not to say that Tesla don't have issues with parts and repair - they do, sometimes - but it's not as bad as some youtubers have made out (this is based on my lurking on multiple boards / forums with Tesla owners, as I'm contemplating getting one soon, and wanted to get a better idea of what they're really like, rather than how they're presented on youtube where people tend to exaggerate - good or bad.

[@12alocin]

So Bob, this is the car you are going to buy, with your own money?

[@BobFlavinVideo]

I can't afford it but if I could then, yes this would be my EV purchase

[@12alocin]

@@BobFlavinVideo Thanks for that Bob, you also need the patience to wait for it. Mick Mulvaney, Sunderland.

[@MrCBiologyIreland]

We need the ESB to build battery banks to store the wind energy they’re catching. Without somewhere to store the extra electricity the wind farms are pointless. We will never meet the extra electrical demand without batteries. C’mon ESB and government, get the finger out!

[@cms1104]

Check out www.abetterrouteplanner.com for your trip. It seems that things are not as bad as they look at first.

[@MrConor159]

After checking the ESB site to see of those chargers are working

[@paulerhimona9244]

@BOB i see you're just a tesla hater.how were u paid to priase the kia soul as the best ev in the market?

[@andymccabe6712]

So - despite actually not discussing Tesla AT ALL, he still managed to be a 'hater' eh? You Fanbois are f****** unbelievable......

[@genemayne1577]

WELL I KEEPING MY BLOODY ELECTRIC Milk Floats !

[@TAD-9]

How on earth is this infotainment system better than what the completion has to offer? This looks so old and outdated compared to what Tesla has to offer.

[@JDubbs07]

It has accompanying physical buttons for quicker access to important features and redundancy, and also offers Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. None of these features are available on Tesla vehicles.

[@TAD-9]

@@JDubbs07 none are frankly needed. I don't own a Tesla, but I have driven them quite a lot and I never miss android auto or Apple carplay. Teslas infotainment system just feels more polished and futuristic. Hell it even has a built in Spotify app.

[@JDubbs07]

@@TAD-9 Spotify is equally not needed, and if one doesn't use Spotify (I don't) it's immediately useless. However, AA and AC also enable you to safely use Spotify along with many other mobile services in the car, while with Tesla you're SOL. Futuristic appearances mean nothing if it doesn't make your user experience easier or better. The Hyundai Motor Group places a huge focus on ergonomics and UX, which I would take any day over an oversized touchscreen.

[@TAD-9]

@@JDubbs07 have you even tried the integrated Tesla system? There is more to offer than just free music on Spotify.

[@JDubbs07]

@@TAD-9 don't miss the forest for the trees. There's more to this system as well, but Bob's enthusiasm comes from the culmination. It's an extremely intuitive system to use in that you don't have to go hunting for anything, the learning curve is shallow, it's quick, and it offers redundancy through use of one's smartphone, which consumers know best. It's a really good overall experience.

[@madant7777]

The real question is, in 5 to 6 years, where are the batteries going to be?

[@MrConor159]

A bit cheaper but not more much more energy dense.

[@madant7777]

@@MrConor159 I meant batteries in this car now - worn out and not cheap to replace.

[@MrConor159]

@@madant7777 a large battery in the soul will last much longer than that. It's under warranty for 8. 15 years plus is a better estimate plus what ever second Life use.

[@madant7777]

@@MrConor159 Have you heard about such industrial batteries actually lasting that long? I haven't, and I'm used to industrial UPS (uninterrupted power supply) equipment. And we haven't even talked about lost capacity over time at all...

[@Neojhun]

@@madant7777 5 to 6 Year worn out??? NO That is unacceptable false rumor. Especially with these LG Chem Hyundai Group cars they have very generous capacity buffer & heavy duty liquid thermal management. Easily the road worthy life span minimum should be 15 years or 300,000 Miles. In 15 years no one knows the actual cost of a battery repair. My rough guess is Half the price of now but 150% Capacity in the same volume. Stop spreading falsehoods.

[@teslatrev5764]

easy to fix the infrastructure if governments are serious about the problem is to have fast chargers at every petrol station .. would cost a lot but governments waste a lot ...

[@logicalChimp]

Chargers at petrol stations make no sense - you don't charge an EV the way you fill a petrol tank. Chargers at supermarkets and shopping centers make far more sense - because you can plug in and do your shopping (or similar) whilst it's charging. Even with the fastest chargers around (350kWh CCS / V3 Super Chargers, etc) and the only car (currently available) that can charge that fast - the Tesla Model 3 - you're still looking at a 15-20 minute wait to charge from ~15% to 80% (charging above 80% typically isn't recommended on a fast charger - not least because it's not fast). So, rather than putting the chargers in an out-of-the-way place where people have to drive to solely to charge, put the chargers where people would be going anyway. Because unlike petrol, diesel, etc, there's no safety risk and no large tanks / industrial sized pumps required - even the tall cabinets you see at current charging locations aren't actually required - they're just that big for advertising and visibility. If they were mounted on a wall, they'd only need to be about the size of a shoebox (for the slower destination chargers, anyway).

[@teslatrev5764]

@@logicalChimp putting chargers in petrol station is ideal as they are not out of the obviously as they are there for cars and if you are using your ev for work you don't want to detour to a busy shopping centre and play hunt the charger ... the half hour wait is fine when you way up the many benefits of evs .They are installing ev chargers at petrol stations now....

[@logicalChimp]

@@teslatrev5764 For the majority of users, shopping centers etc are the more logical / sensible place - because you're probably gonna be plugged in for 20-60 minutes (depending on car and how much charge you need) Not every charger has to go there, but in terms of cost-efficiency and return on (gov) money, that's where they'll have the most effect. Separately, they also need to install a lot more at service stations etc (take a leaf out of Teslas book - put 10+ chargers in each location, instead of just 1-2)

[@teslatrev5764]

@@logicalChimp Governments prefer no evs they get billions from fossil companies ... what have oil / coal / tobacco companies have in common they kill people and governments love them....

[@florpster]

no this is patrick

[@tradingcardboss]

I’m still wondering what will happen when governments lose their tax revenue on petrol and diesel ?

[@BobFlavinVideo]

They'll tax electricity and by that I mean everyone's electricity even if you don't have a car. I can't wait to see if I'm wrong

[@matttupper23]

I think it'll be a black box (it's happening with some insurers already) and pay by km/mile.

[@cros13]

Per km road pricing. Which will apply to all cars... not just EVs.

[@logicalChimp]

@@cros13 Yup - and they'll probably keep the tax on fuel, but call it an 'emissions tax' instead, with the per-mileage tax becoming the 'road tax' (not that it actually gets spent on repairing the roads, etc, sigh). And hopefully they'll take the annual mileage off your MOT reading, rather than forcing the fitment of a 'black box'... except knowing our gov. they'll jump at the chance to force more monitoring and surveillance down our throats :/

[@michellemenzies2187]

This is about the same price as a model 3 what u on €100000 for a Tesla 🤨

[@cros13]

€49,000 for the Standard Range Plus Model 3 here after incentives. ~€12k more than this but more premium finish, more range and better driving dynamics.

[@michellemenzies2187]

cros13 u are better off buying in the uk £38050

[@cros13]

@@michellemenzies2187 It doesn't work like that, Vehicle registration tax (€7000 on a base model 3 before any credits) applies on import. Your price also includes the UK grant which foreign drivers like us are not eligible for (making the price before registration tax nearly €47k). By not purchasing in Ireland through an approved dealer (Tesla in Dublin) we also lose the Irish grants. So the Irish model 3 will almost always work out cheaper.

[@jaroessa294]

Wait...something doesn't add up here. A 2020 "regular" Kia Soul costs $17,500...for 415 miles of range. A 2020 Soul EV (E-Soul in Europe) costs $34,850 and I only get 243 miles????? So...DOUBLE the price for nearly HALF the range???? NOOOO Thank you!!!! You'd have to be an idiot to "pay more, to get less"!! EV's just aren't "there" yet for the vast majority of consumers - this is why you only have 2% of the population buying them.

[@cros13]

Kia has stopped selling the combustion Soul in Europe. When it was available the starting price was ~€25k, the eSoul is €36k but 10-12 times cheaper to run here in Ireland (on night rate our electricity (mostly from wind) is cheaper than most of the US....and gas/diesel is $6-7/US Gallon). That's without considering other elements like slightly cheaper insurance on the EV, lower road tax (~€400/year less than the combustion Soul), half price road tolls, practically non-existent service costs and a better driving experience overall.

[@logicalChimp]

If you *only* look at the headline price, you're at much of an idiot as the EV buyers you denigrate. EVs are far cheaper to run than ICE vehicles, meaning that TCO over 5 years almost always favours the EV. There have been plenty of comparisons (admittedly in the US, so the numbers would need to be re-run for the UK / Eire) showing that a Tesla Model 3 has a lower TCO than cars half its price. Our electricity prices are equivalent to (or in some cases, cheaper) than the US, whilst our fuel prices are far higher - so the EV is likely to be even better value for us than it is for folks in the US.

[@12alocin]

@@logicalChimp By the time the difference in price is recouped, then you have a ten year old battery car.

[@logicalChimp]

@@12alocin For 'average mileage', and taking into account resale value, it's usually less than 5 years to break-even (and that's looking at cars half the price of the Tesla M3) And, for that time, you get to drive a nicer car.

[@buixote]

Most peoples' commutes are less than 415 mi., so I'm calling BS on *that* analysis... Others have illuminated the lower cost-of-ownership, maintenance needs are virtually none, and charging at home means you're not wasting time at the gas station. The main thing about EVs is the quiet and smooth ride. It's simply amazing.

[@niceboy60]

I m worried EV's are making vehicles unaffordable What does almost 40K gets you ??? . A small Kia with 200 Miles range 🤔

[@TheIrishmanFootball]

Nice clunk.

[@WesNG]

Jaguar I-Pace would be my choice

[@HuffnPuff22]

Sorry, it feels like you got paid for this video.

[@andymccabe6712]

sorry, it feels like he didn't say what YOU wanted him to say - therefore he's biased, or not saying what he really thinks! Unfortunately, this is a big problem with social media in general. People only want to read things which reinforce their existing prejudices. It's not a good way to go.....

[@HuffnPuff22]

@@andymccabe6712 no.. he made false statements like the price of a Tesla then used that for a key comparison. It's those details that lends to biased report.