Category: Ozone pollution

EVs near 28% of all sales in #Colorado: Big bag of incentives puts state slightly ahead of schedule in pursuit of goal of its 2030 goal of 940,000 EVs as some efforts moves to fleets — Allen Best (@BigPivots) #ActOnClimate

Coyote Gulch’s Leaf charging at the City of Vail Lionshead parking structure May 24, 2023.

Click the link to read the article on the Big Pivots website (Allen Best):

November 1, 2024

Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids constituted 27.8% of all new car sales in Colorado during this year’s third quarter, according to sales figures compiled by the Colorado Automobile Dealers Association.

That puts Colorado second in the nation in proportion of sales, behind only California.

It also puts Colorado slightly ahead of the trajectory it identified as being necessary to have 940,000 EVs or hybrids on its roads by 2030. It had 151,000 as of October. It needs 157,000 by year’s end to stay on its pace, and Mike Salisbury, the Colorado Energy Office’s director of transportation, said the state will likely exceed that target by several thousand.

Clearly, the combination of tax credits offered by Colorado and the federal government have put wind into the sales of EVs and hybrids. New incentives that went into effect in January were particularly important in understanding Colorado’s climbing sales.

This latest milestone can be viewed against the backdrop of stories earlier this year by various national media about sluggish EV sales.

The flip side of that story of slowing sales is that lower-priced models are just now starting to arrive in significant numbers. Tesla, still the dominant brand, is getting more competition.

Notable is the expansion of General Motors in the market. As the New York Times noted this week, GM long had the Bolt compact, but it now has nine electric models that appeal to a wide range of consumers. And more are on the way, including a battery-powered version of its popular Cadillac Escalade SUV.

Bonnie Trowbridge, the executive director of Drive Clean Colorado, has been assisting in electrification of fleets. It’s easier, she explains, to make the argument for one fleet operator of 100 vehicles than 100 individual car owners. As such, electrifying fleets will have a much larger carbon impact.

Amazon has been electrifying its delivery vehicles. And Drive Clean Colorado has received an EPA grant to support the replacement of 21 old diesel trucks used for food delivery to restaurants with electric delivery vehicles. Of those, 15 will be the longer trucks and the remaining six the shorter snub-nosed trucks at the back doors of restaurants.

Colorado, the state government, also has been pushing ahead with EVs in its fleets, and some municipalities are doing the same.

What may be more surprising is how laggard even California and Colorado are in comparison with the EV adoption in China and other countries.

EVs in the United States altogether constitute about 11% of all new-car sales. The world average is about 25%. In China, EVs are on track to be 45% of all new car sales this year, according to Marc Peterson, a retired executive with General Electric who spoke recently at a Monday Zoom session organized by Phil Nelson.

That same point was made by Bloomberg Finance in a chart reproduced here.

“The Chinese market is driving the world automotive market,” said Peterson, who is the co-coordinator in Utah for Citizens Climate Lobby.

Peterson reported that EVs now cost less in every U.S. state except West Virginia and Maine. In Utah, where he lives, the average cost of ownership of an EV across five years saves its owner $7,113.

Trowbridge, at Drive Clean Colorado, points out that China and some European countries have reached an inflection point in their adoption of EVs. Instead of driving the adoption with incentives, some places are using regulation to preclude use of internal-combustion engine vehicles in highly polluted places such as cities.

Could she imagine that happening in Colorado?

Trowbridge paused before answering.

A layer of smog covers the skyline of Denver. (Courtesy of EcoFlight)

“We haven’t reached any of our attainment goals for NOX (nitrous oxide) and other pollutants, so we are going to have to contend with the federal government pretty soon. It’s really unhealthy for Coloradans, and a lot of that centers on transportation,” she said.

“I don’t know that it would be necessary for passenger vehicles, but perhaps for trucks and other fleet-type vehicles,” she added, referring to potential regulations in the near future.

2024 #COleg: Common Sense Solutions to Protect #Colorado’s Children — Colorado Times Recorder

Denver smog. Photo credit: NOAA

Click the link to read the guest column on the Colorado Times Recorder website (Heather De Keyser):

May 3, 2024

Colorado’s air is not as clean as it may seem, and the youngest lungs among us are paying the price.  I witness the consequences of Colorado’s inadequate action on air quality daily as a pediatric lung specialist.

The new legislative efforts led by community, advocates and our elected leaders pave the way for a healthier future for our children.

I’ve dedicated my career to studying and treating respiratory issues in children and have seen firsthand the damage caused by unchecked pollution. Children living near habitual polluters are more susceptible to developing long-term health issues such as asthma and other breathing disorders. And all children are at higher risk from pollutants entering their developing lungs.  Because of this, when air quality is especially poor, all children are considered a high-risk group. I’m left with telling children to stay at home and stay inside on beautiful Colorado days, because the air is not safe for them to breathe. This is not merely a professional observation but a personal plea for action.

This package of bills represents hope – a framework to reduce hazardous emissions from Colorado’s biggest sources of ozone-forming pollution. Our leaders must not turn a blind eye to the problem; they must take action to require better corporate practices and extend oversight like never before.

If we ignore the realities of poor air quality on our children, we are not merely overlooking unsafe air quality metrics, but disregarding the longevity and quality of life for Colorado’s kids. 

The responsibilities of my profession extend beyond the walls of a clinic. The efforts to mitigate ozone do not strive to stifle industry, but rather to challenge it to do better—to be innovate and consider neighbors and future generations.

Coloradans understand the value of our environment and the necessity of guarding it. As residents, parents, and stewards of this great state, I urge our senators and representatives to support this crucial legislation. 

Heather De Keyser, MD is a pediatric pulmonary specialist. She advocates for policy solutions to the growing health threats of climate change with Healthy Air and Water Colorado.