Leafs in Utah

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Yanquetino said:
One important note I'll pass along to you. After test driving my Leaf, my state representative is preparing a bill to raise the EV tax incentive to the same $2,500 as CNG vehicles. He has asked if it would be possible to show a Leaf to other legislators when the bill comes to the floor, and I reassured him that there are owners up there on the Wasatch Front who would likely be willing to show up at the Capitol. What do think? Something that the Wasatch Leafs would like to get involved with?

I would be happy to do what I can to support what you have started but I have to be honest I think you face very long odds of this happening. Fox news has done a good job of trashing all EV's.

The other thing that comes to mind is that I feel the lack of charging stations in Utah is a much bigger problem than the price of the vehicle. Whenever I try and talk to people about EV's the first thing they ask is where am I going to charge it up if the battery goes dead.

If we ever want to see EV's go mainstream we need charging stations at every shopping center built. Every new home built should also be wired for a 240 volt outlet in the garage or carport.

I am sure that this was not the answer you wanted to hear, but these are things that I feel we should be talking about here in Utah.
 
KJD said:
I would be happy to do what I can to support what you have started but I have to be honest I think you face very long odds of this happening. Fox news has done a good job of trashing all EV's.

The other thing that comes to mind is that I feel the lack of charging stations in Utah is a much bigger problem than the price of the vehicle. Whenever I try and talk to people about EV's the first thing they ask is where am I going to charge it up if the battery goes dead.

If we ever want to see EV's go mainstream we need charging stations at every shopping center built. Every new home built should also be wired for a 240 volt outlet in the garage or carport.

I am sure that this was not the answer you wanted to hear, but these are things that I feel we should be talking about here in Utah.
I hear ya! 'Tis true that the petrolpuppets continue to endlessly lambast EVs, with Rush Limburger heading the charge. Consequently, the public at large, especially here in Utah, parrot their one-liners as though they were gospel truth. Yet practically none of them have ever driven an EV!

As for the charging infrastructure, as I've told my State Rep, it is the quintessential chicken-and-egg quandry. Consumers are wary about buying an EV unless there is ample public charging available. Yet nobody wants to install public chargers unless there are ample EVs to use them. In that regard, I have to commend the 18 Walgreens up there along the Wasatch Front for their willingness to be the vanguard. I am hoping that the three in my area, part of the chain's Las Vegas region, will follow suit. I'll keep pestering them about it!

Gotta start somewhere, I guess, and offering Utahns an EV tax incentive equivalent to the $2,500 for CNG will help. But you're right that we shouldn't hold our breath that "equal opportunity" will prevail in this state any time soon. When it comes right down to it, I have to wonder: how did Questar Gas cut such a sweetheart deal for CNG in this state to begin with? Are its top execs --Ron Jibson, Kevin Hadlock, Craig Wagstaff, and Dave Curtis-- members of some sort of "good ol' boys club" with key legislators? :roll:
 
Even in Utah, almost all houses and businesses have electricity!

So, with some politeness, one can get an emergency charge almost
anywhere. Finding CNG is much more difficult.

A few well-placed QC stations will help more than hundreds
of the L1 or L2 charging stations.
Perhaps at existing CNG stations would be a good start?

Try for one location "near" the Legistaltive Building.
Then, give rides (or let Legislators drive), going for a
3-minute QC at the outbound end of the demo drive.

Then, they can experience real polution-free driving,
perhaps thinking of using the "green" electrons from
the wind farm?
 
I have to go up Provo Canyon tomorrow to the Canyon's in Park City. Google Maps claims it is 46.5 miles but all up hill. I drove it almost a year ago and made it with a little to spare but I swear it feels like my range has decreased over time. My car is now 15 months old but the dealership claims they are not showing any battery degradation. I guess I am curious if you think I will make it again and if I don't does anyone know of a place to charge along the route.

I can charge it at the resort while I am staying there.
 
Darren said:
I have to go up Provo Canyon tomorrow to the Canyon's in Park City. Google Maps claims it is 46.5 miles but all up hill. I drove it almost a year ago and made it with a little to spare but I swear it feels like my range has decreased over time. My car is now 15 months old but the dealership claims they are not showing any battery degradation. I guess I am curious if you think I will make it again and if I don't does anyone know of a place to charge along the route.

I can charge it at the resort while I am staying there.

You should be just fine. I made it from downtown SLC all the way to Park City AND back a couple of weeks ago... Kept my speed up all the way and had about 5 miles or range left when I got back. Your route will be at lower speeds. If you get very very low, one option is to stop at the hotel Park City about 2 miles short of the Canyons. They are EV-friendly and have a great lobby where you can wait 20 minutes while you get a bit of juice to drive the remaining couple of miles.

I would say that if you can make it to the top of highway 40 hill with at least one FULL bar left, you can make it the rest of the way with no problems. If you drop to one bar left before getting to the top of the hill, you can stop at Jordanelle, they have outlets you can use. You may not be as comfortable with pushing the range as I am, but I honestly believe you will make it just fine.
 
I think we have definitely confirmed that the range gauge is nothing more than a guess-o-meter. I made it to Park City with 24 miles left on the range. Last year, the same trip left me 4 miles (which is why I was nervous).

We still need to get the Utah LEAFS together soon but unfortunately, this Sat I am completely booked.

Thanks.
 
Darren said:
I think we have definitely confirmed that the range gauge is nothing more than a guess-o-meter. I made it to Park City with 24 miles left on the range. Last year, the same trip left me 4 miles (which is why I was nervous).
We still need to get the Utah LEAFS together soon but unfortunately, this Sat I am completely booked.
Thanks.

This week I bought a GID meter. Anytime you or any other utah Leaf owners want to stop the house we can charge your car up to 100% and see what the GID number is. Might give you a better idea if the car does have any capacity loss or not.

Enjoy the drive to Park City, I like that provo canyon drive.
 
KSL interviewed me about my Leaf a couple of weeks ago, and KCSG TV later ran the segment on their 7:00pm news. Unfortunately, they didn't tell me when it was going to air so I could record it! Then, to add insult to injury... they forgot to archive it! Doh-oh.

All they could do was provide me a copy of the transcript and the raw footage. I managed to piece the components together to reconstruct a faux broadcast. It's such a hack job that you'll both guffaw and grimace. :roll:

TV News Segment on my Leaf

 
The Deseret News had a couple of good clean air articles this week.
Michael and his Leaf are pictured in this article.

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865560552/Clearing-the-air-Is-Salt-Lake-man-an-example-for-the-rest-of-us.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The other article in Clearing the Air series is here
https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865560535/Clearing-the-air-That-air-youre-breathing-may-be-slowly-killing-you.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
KJD said:
The Deseret News had a couple of good clean air articles this week.
Michael and his Leaf are pictured in this article.

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865560552/Clearing-the-air-Is-Salt-Lake-man-an-example-for-the-rest-of-us.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The other article in Clearing the Air series is here
https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865560535/Clearing-the-air-That-air-youre-breathing-may-be-slowly-killing-you.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That's GREAT! Thanks for passing along the links. Please let us know if there are additional follow-ups.
 
Is anyone planing on going to National Plug in Day ?
http://events.pluginday.org/content_item/about" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Sounds like they will be doing something at the Gallivan Center in SLC.
Hi Kyle,

Yes, we will have 110 charging and we will also try to secure 220 but have not confirmed anything. The event will take place at the Gallivan Center in downtown Salt Lake City, Sunday, September 23 from noon-5pm with free music all afternoon in the park and demo drives of all the local electric cars from the dealers.

If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Hope to see you there.

Thanks,

Stephany
 
Plug in day - September 23
12 Noon to 6PM
================================================================
LET'S CLEAN UP UTAH'S AIR! Come drive the newest electric vehicles on an afternoon of FREE Music, FREE test drives and a chance to WIN A FREE IPAD! Bring a picnic on the lawn of the beautiful new Gallivan Center downtown. Information and EV owners to talk to about their electric vehicles.
Get a Free iPhone App showing all the FREE charging stations throughout Utah.

For all you gear-heads and techno-geeks, this is your chance to check out the latest electric auto technology including the new full size "Volt style" electric pick-up truck and SUV that averages over 100 mpg by VIA Motors, a Utah based EV manufacturer.

Jump into the driver's seat of the latest high-tech, gas-free vehicles Including:
1. Jerry Seiner - Chevy Volt
2. Ken Garff - Nissan Leaf
3. Fisker Karma
4. VIA Motors Electric Pick-Up Truck
5. VIA's electric SUV and Van

FREE MUSIC ALL DAY LONG!!
** Daniel Day Trio
** High Altitude
** Reggae, Rock, Jazz Bands and More

SPEAKERS: Rocky Mountain Power, VIA Motors, Kimberly Barnett with Salt Lake County Environmental Office and more.

WITH SUPPORT FROM: Utah Mom's for Clean Air, Sierra Club, Peaceful Uprising, Utah Dept of Environmental Quality, Utah Clean Cities, Breathe Utah, etc...

LOCATION:
The Gallivan Center Downtown SLC 50 East 200 South.

From Trax:
Trax downtown hop off at the Gallivan Plaza Trax stop on Main Street to enter the Plaza.
Parking:
There’s plenty of parking under and around the Gallivan Center. Enter at 239 South Main Street Salt Lake

* Please bring a valid drivers license to test drive the cars.

For more info, please visit http://events.pluginday.org/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=68022" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To register to win a FREE iPad, please visit pluginday.org
 
KUDOS to you for organizing a Plug-In Day up there in SLC! Hope it turns out GREAT, and generates lots of interest. High five, you Wasatch LEAFers!

One question: why no Mitsubishi i (MiEV)s lined up for the event too? Besides the Nissan LEAF, Ken Garff also sells that brand, and has two i's on his lot right now. And Riverton Hyundai in Sandy has *10* of them available. Do they not want to participate in Plug-In Day? Can't imagine, since the potential to sell some of those EVs would be incomparable.
 
Anyone else going to the Gallivan Center on Sunday ?

Lets meet at the Starbucks at 2 PM and talk about our EV's.

KJD

KJD said:
Plug in day - September 23
12 Noon to 6PM
================================================================
LET'S CLEAN UP UTAH'S AIR! Come drive the newest electric vehicles on an afternoon of FREE Music, FREE test drives and a chance to WIN A FREE IPAD! Bring a picnic on the lawn of the beautiful new Gallivan Center downtown. Information and EV owners to talk to about their electric vehicles.
Get a Free iPhone App showing all the FREE charging stations throughout Utah.

For all you gear-heads and techno-geeks, this is your chance to check out the latest electric auto technology including the new full size "Volt style" electric pick-up truck and SUV that averages over 100 mpg by VIA Motors, a Utah based EV manufacturer.

Jump into the driver's seat of the latest high-tech, gas-free vehicles Including:
1. Jerry Seiner - Chevy Volt
2. Ken Garff - Nissan Leaf
3. Fisker Karma
4. VIA Motors Electric Pick-Up Truck
5. VIA's electric SUV and Van

FREE MUSIC ALL DAY LONG!!
** Daniel Day Trio
** High Altitude
** Reggae, Rock, Jazz Bands and More

SPEAKERS: Rocky Mountain Power, VIA Motors, Kimberly Barnett with Salt Lake County Environmental Office and more.

WITH SUPPORT FROM: Utah Mom's for Clean Air, Sierra Club, Peaceful Uprising, Utah Dept of Environmental Quality, Utah Clean Cities, Breathe Utah, etc...

LOCATION:
The Gallivan Center Downtown SLC 50 East 200 South.

From Trax:
Trax downtown hop off at the Gallivan Plaza Trax stop on Main Street to enter the Plaza.
Parking:
There’s plenty of parking under and around the Gallivan Center. Enter at 239 South Main Street Salt Lake

* Please bring a valid drivers license to test drive the cars.

For more info, please visit http://events.pluginday.org/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=68022" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

To register to win a FREE iPad, please visit pluginday.org
 
KJD said:
Anyone else going to the Gallivan Center on Sunday ?
Lets meet at the Starbucks at 2 PM and talk about our EV's.
I have just been informed that there is no longer a Starbucks at Gallivan Center. They closed it a long time ago. My Bad. :(

There is however an asteroid at the Gallivan ( really no kidding ). Meet by the Asteroid at 2.
Park benches, shade trees, drinking fountain and bike racks are all close by.
 
The local Unitarian group recently completed a large solar installation at the church. Michael sent this to me today and asked me to post it here. A good chance to talk with SLC mayor Ralph Becker. Non members ARE also invited.

Come and ask questions about clean air and our future

I'm hoping that some people come to just enjoy the show and the refreshments. But, I am also hoping that some people come to ask some hard questions about both the City's and Rocky Mountain's intentions about CLEAN AIR and our future. So come see our Mayor and Rocky Mountain's CEO in an intimate setting.... Michael

First Unitarian Solar SOLAR
DEDICATION
Our Solar Panels and Our Seventh Principle:
The Deep Green Connection

Fri, Nov 16, 2012 - 5 PM
First Unitarian Church, 569 S 1300 E, SLC

Join us as we dedicate our Solar Panels. Mayor Ralph Becker, Rev. Tom Goldsmith and Rocky Mountain Power president and CEO, Richard Walje, will dedicate and celebrate our solar system. Open house starts at 5 PM in Eliot Hall, dedication in the chapel is at 5:30PM. Program ends at 6:30PM while open house continues. Refreshments will be served. Everyone is invited.
 
KJD:

Argh! Sure wish I lived closer: I'd love to be there, if they wouldn't mind a heretic's presence.

It would be a good chance to "encourage" Rocky Mountain Power to work with UT legislators to change the solar regulations. Like in other states, citizens who put more electrons into the grid than they take out of it should be compensated. As it is, at the end of the each billing year, Rocky Mountain Power just says "thanks" for the free energy accumulated and resets the tally.
 
State will miss deadline for winter pollution-cutting plan.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55407317-78/board-cache-county-cutting.html.csp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Microscopic soot from exhaust mixes with other types of pollution, gets trapped in Utah’s valleys and builds up during winter inversions.
These episodes last days and sometimes weeks, shrouding the valleys in brown haze that poses a health threat, especially for the very young, the very old and people with heart and lung problems. Those episodes have made Utah stand out sometimes as having the worst air-quality in the nation.

A fairly long article and not one mention of EV's as part of the solution to the problem. Amazing.
 
KJD said:
State will miss deadline for winter pollution-cutting plan.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55407317-78/board-cache-county-cutting.html.csp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Microscopic soot from exhaust mixes with other types of pollution, gets trapped in Utah’s valleys and builds up during winter inversions.
These episodes last days and sometimes weeks, shrouding the valleys in brown haze that poses a health threat, especially for the very young, the very old and people with heart and lung problems. Those episodes have made Utah stand out sometimes as having the worst air-quality in the nation.

A fairly long article and not one mention of EV's as part of the solution to the problem. Amazing.
Amazing, yes... but not surprising in this state. :( And despite what the biggest slice of the pie is in the article's graphic! Doh-oh!

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