Articles & Media

Salt Lake Tribune - 3/30/2009

Salt Lake may plug in to electric-car revolution

If gasoline prices surge this summer, more people may park their guzzlers and shift to hybrids -- or even the suddenly proliferating plug-in cars.

But scores of electric-car buffs don't want to wait for an organic epiphany. They are pushing Salt Lake City to propel the green revolution by setting up charging stations at parking lots, street meters and public hangouts such as Liberty Park.

The hope is to add regular outlets where converted electric cars could "top off" for a fee rather than relying on an overnight charge at home. If the practice takes off, high-powered stations that can boost certain batteries to 80 percent capacity in just 26 minutes may be next.

"Public charging stations will help people to embrace the future and promote air quality in the valley," Jim French implored the City Council last week.

He was joined by a passionate club of clean-car owners, including a former state senator who sponsored groundbreaking clean-air legislation in the 1960s. Now Carl Clark, 74, is playing pioneer again -- this time lobbying for a city fleet of plug-ins and so-called EV stations across the capital.

City leaders are intrigued. They may call a hearing on the issue next week. If the effort succeeds, Salt Lake City could join Portland, Ore., Palo Alto, Calif., San Francisco and at least a dozen other progressive cities that promote charging stations as alternatives to the pump.

"The biggest limiting factor right now is the [30- to 50-mile] range of the vehicles," said Kyle Dansie, who drives a converted Volkswagen Golf and heads the Utah Electric Vehicle Club. "If we just had some public charging outlets around the city, it would alleviate people's fears about getting stranded."

Earlier this year, Dansie let Mayor Ralph Becker take a spin in his converted coupe. "He wanted to know if we could put it into production," the Sugar House resident laughed.

Posting signs for regular 110-volt outlets would be a cinch, club members say. They also envision tax credits for developers willing to add charging stations and similar incentives for existing parking facilities.

"Certainly, there's an appetite for it," said Councilman Soren Simonsen, an architect by trade who has placed outdoor outlets at projects.

Given the city's gunky air, Simonsen hopes the buzz over plug-ins leads to widespread electric-car usage. Nearly every competitive manufacturer is planning to roll out new plug-ins during the next few years. To be ready, he wants to establish a map with possible charging spots and push a grant program to fund citywide stations.

Down the road, Simonsen wants to rewrite city rules to require plug-in capability at a minimum number of parking stalls. And, as the city explores changing its downtown parking meters to a card-reader system, the councilman would like to outfit them with electric-car outlets. Drivers would pay for the electricity they siphon, possibly by swiping a debit card.

"The amount of electricity we're talking about is pretty negligible -- we're talking a few pennies a day," Simonsen said. "It can bring a little bit of notoriety to Salt Lake City. We can say, 'We're ready.' "

Clark -- who drives an all-electric Ford Ranger, not some stereotypical "glorified golf cart" -- now runs a conversion company with his two grandsons in Murray. He argues charging stations are a cost-effective first step toward energy independence.

"Those meters would pay for themselves over time," he said. "We are in the early stages of a fundamental shift. The dying technology is a gas-powered vehicle."

Insiders estimate about 500 capital residents drive electric cars that can be fully charged for less than $3. The cost for a conversion can run $10,000, but still comes with a limited-range battery.

That's a deterrent for the commuter trying to get to northern Davis County and back, much less Logan or Lehi.

To solve that dilemma, more and more cities are setting up charging posts.

Last month, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced his city was the first to feature charging stations for electric-fleet vehicles and car-share plug-ins. As "the testing ground for the technology," Newsom noted, the Bay area's smart-charging service can send a text message to a driver when his or her car is charged.

One day, Utah's plug-in club hopes to see similar technology at TRAX park-and-ride lots, meaning more end-to-end trips could be zero emission.

Sugar House resident Thomas Tilton, a software consultant for electrical-engineering companies, says the stations could both curb pollution and serve as revenue sources for the city.

"Every place is already wired. ... We're not talking major infrastructure upgrades," Tilton said. "It's got great PR value. You could charge me twice the per-kilowatt hour for the opportunity and I'd still be happy."

djensen@sltrib.com