Leafs in Utah

[KJD]

It would appear that the Deseret News is just as clue less as the Salt Lake Tribune.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/8655 ... bound.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Utah air quality regulators have been crafting a pollution-reducing plan since the state landed on the list of being out of compliance in 2009, a laboriously technical and protracted effort that has involved dozens upon dozens of meetings with business owners and operators, the public and clean air advocates.

As long as these people ignore the solutions at hand the problem will persist.

[KJD]

Letter of the Week in the Salt Lake Tribune

Electric vehicles
PUBLISHED: FEBRUARY 16, 2013 01:01AM
UPDATED: FEBRUARY 16, 2013 01:01AM
Last month, Utah suffered the nation’s worst air quality. I hope this shameful distinction will finally serve as a wake-up call to our state lawmakers.

The solution is to clean up our local transportation. Colorado awards a $6,000 incentive to purchase zero-emission electric vehicles.

And in Utah? Our lawmakers allow a paltry $605 for an electric vehicle, yet $2,500 for a natural gas vehicle. Why? Is that discrepancy based upon verifiable data, or is it a blatant example of catering to industry lobbyists?

Consider the combined greenhouse gas emissions in pounds per 100 miles for tailpipe and upstream electricity use, determined by the Environmental Protection Agency, for these comparable vehicles:

• Honda Civic gasoline: 76.28

• Honda Civic natural gas: 76.06

• Honda Civic Hybrid: 55.56

• Ford Focus electric: 30.86

• Mitsubishi i-MiEV: 28.66

• Nissan LEAF EV: 33.07

The data leave no room for doubt: Electric vehicles have no tailpipe and the electricity used produces half the greenhouse gases of gasoline or natural gas vehicles.

If Utah’s legislators want to encourage cleaner transportation, look at the actual figures and award the highest tax incentive to EVs.

Mark D. Larsen

Ivins

[KJD]

Today show did a short segment on Utah Air Pollution.

http://www.today.com/video/today/50838996#50838996" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The pollution levels in and around Salt Lake City have been bad enough to worry parents, with a new study saying that bad air over northern Utah makes it a risky place to have a baby.

[KJWL]

Mark, thanks for writing the letter, Kyle, thanks for posting it. ill have to unwrap my paper which is still in the rubber band! (been working). I have seen numerous references to EVs "running on coal" trying to give the false impression that they MUST therefore pollute more. First I would ask how many millions they spent trying to sell us "clean coal". but the fact is, even when powered by the filthiest source of electricity -coal- EVs are cleaner by far than any other mode of personal transpo, including the governor's beloved CNG. Let's keep the pressure on the state. Priced a Te$la lately? gonna need that incentive. Daddy needs a new pair of 21" mags. Or maybe just another LEAF. ML

[KJD]

AIR-articleLarge.jpeg

“Obviously, this is not acceptable,” said Bryce Bird, the director of Utah’s Division of Air Quality. “The public is fed up with it. The concern for them is that it is not being addressed fast enough.”
According to the division, Salt Lake County has experienced 22 days this winter in which pollution levels exceeded federal air quality standards, compared with just one last year.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/us/ut ... ml?hp&_r=0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[nsps]

Hi all, I'm a Salt Laker looking to join the EV world with either a Leaf or an i-MiEV. (I've test driven both and am still shopping around.) Seeing as this winter provided a pretty good test, I was wondering if those of you up north were happy with how your Leafs survived some of our tougher snow storms.

Thanks!

[LTLFTcomposite]

How much of the smog/air quality problem in Salt Lake is attributed to tailpipes vs smokestacks? I spend a fair amount of time in that area and have noticed power plants (coal I assume but not sure) right there in the SLC area, and some refineries just to the north. Seems they could have been located in more remote areas, but when they were built the whole area probably seemed remote.

[Reddy]

Today show did a short segment on Utah Air Pollution.

http://www.today.com/video/today/50838996#50838996" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The pollution levels in and around Salt Lake City have been bad enough to worry parents, with a new study saying that bad air over northern Utah makes it a risky place to have a baby.

That may actually be a "good" thing. As soon as the majority ruling group in SLC realizes that pollution is so bad that they shouldn't have kids (or a handful of them), then maybe we've reached a tipping point, and they will work to reduce consumption of fossil fuels. Maybe they will even work to reduce pollution throughout the country as they move away from SLC. Can you see solar on every house? Let's hope the future is cleaner, and it doesn't take too long or get too dirty before then.

[KJWL]

Hi all, I'm a Salt Laker looking to join the EV world with either a Leaf or an i-MiEV. (I've test driven both and am still shopping around.) Seeing as this winter provided a pretty good test, I was wondering if those of you up north were happy with how your Leafs survived some of our tougher snow storms.

Thanks!

nsps- you still with us? Sorry for the lengthy delay. This winter was nasty, a few good snowy periods, but mostly just cold COLD COOOOOLD. (Canadians laughing now) We switched charging timer to charge to 100% every day, which reminds me, I should go switch back to 80% right now! That, of course was to squeak out the max range, 2011s don't have the battery heater.
As far as driving in snow, it's all about the tires. Unfortunately, the Bridgestone Ecopias, tho rated M+S, leave some to be desired. I guess they were chosen for their very low rolling resistance. My wife is super careful winter driving whereas I don't mind sliding around a little, so long as I don't hit things, in HER car. We have a long gravel driveway that does not get plowed. When the snow gets deep, the flat, smooth bottom of the LEAF (which is very cool) rides up on the snow, as it flattens it down, further reducing traction at the tires. Any kind of car will do this but I think that full flat bottom, like a huge sled, might make it worse. All that said, Kelly only got stuck in our unplowed driveway ONE time all winter, and never anywhere else. ML

[nsps]

Thanks for the reply, KJWL! I ended up getting the other EV, mainly because KG Mitsu offered me a really attractive lease deal for a premium-package raspberry SE. It still lacks some features that only the Leaf has, but nothing I can't live without given the deal. I plan on checking in on where the Leaf the rest of the EV market are in a couple years.

Hopefully you all won't hold the make and model against me and will still be willing to give me some EV advice from time to time.

Cheers!