Diesels blamed for increasing air pollution

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SaltyNZ

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#242653 7-Nov-2018 17:47

Auckland Council's latest report is blaming diesels for rising carbon particulate pollution in Auckland. But that's a small price to pay for the convenience of being able to drive for three hours non-stop once a year.

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Dingbatt

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#2121735 7-Nov-2018 18:15

I guess the diesel buses that were also blamed in the report, could do 300km without stopping, but it might annoy passengers trying to use them. Up to the council to go back to operating trolley-buses.

And if you could plug the construction related vehicles (trucks) into the mains, that would be great, but Tesla don't sell them here yet.

And the diesel powered ships in the port at the bottom of Queen Street that might struggle to find a fast charger in the middle of the Pacific.

And we could knock down all the tall buildings that are trapping the pollution.

Old diesels are the main problem.

But don't let that stop you pushing the EV barrow.

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SaltyNZ

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#2121737 7-Nov-2018 18:23

Dingbatt:

But don't let that stop you pushing the EV barrow.

I certainly won't, no, because it's the easiest thing we can do to make a difference.

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alasta

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#2121739 7-Nov-2018 18:34

Where do you get your once a year figure from?

Dingbatt

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#2121747 7-Nov-2018 18:44

SaltyNZ:
Dingbatt:

But don't let that stop you pushing the EV barrow.

I certainly won't, no, because it's the easiest thing we can do to make a difference.

No. The easiest thing to do would be to get rid of dirty old diesel trucks and buses. And dirty little second hand diesel trucks and vans imported from Japan.
And while we are at it. Ban the use of wood/coal burning household fires.

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TwoSeven

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#2121756 7-Nov-2018 19:04

Dingbatt:
SaltyNZ:
Dingbatt:

But don't let that stop you pushing the EV barrow.

I certainly won't, no, because it's the easiest thing we can do to make a difference.

No. The easiest thing to do would be to get rid of dirty old diesel trucks and buses. And dirty little second hand diesel trucks and vans imported from Japan.
And while we are at it. Ban the use of wood/coal burning household fires.

I think they have. In chch it is rare to see a new house with a chimney.

I understand many of the Japanese and some European car companies are reducing or no longer selling diesels.

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blakamin

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#2121762 7-Nov-2018 19:29

We run euro 5 spec diesels in a closed building most days, and besides the noise, you wouldn't even know they're running. No smell, no smoke... nothing.

SaltyNZ

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#2121766 7-Nov-2018 19:38

alasta:
Where do you get your once a year figure from?

Clearly ‘once a year’ is hyperbole. However the government’s research (https://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Research/Documents/Drivers-2014-y911-Final-v3.pdf) indicates the average daily trip in NZ is 28km. Even an older, cheaper 2nd-hand EV can manage 3-4x that distance without recharging. Those figures were published in 2014 but there is no reason to think it changed to 150km/day in the meantime.

EVs *are viable* for daily use. And for occasional use you can still keep your truck. We do. It just only gets driven maybe once a month.

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#2121767 7-Nov-2018 19:41

Dingbatt: No. The easiest thing to do would be to get rid of dirty old diesel trucks and buses. And dirty little second hand diesel trucks and vans imported from Japan.

And replace them with electrics.

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alasta

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#2121773 7-Nov-2018 19:57

SaltyNZ:
alasta:

Where do you get your once a year figure from?

Clearly ‘once a year’ is hyperbole. However the government’s research (https://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Research/Documents/Drivers-2014-y911-Final-v3.pdf) indicates the average daily trip in NZ is 28km. Even an older, cheaper 2nd-hand EV can manage 3-4x that distance without recharging. Those figures were published in 2014 but there is no reason to think it changed to 150km/day in the meantime.

EVs *are viable* for daily use. And for occasional use you can still keep your truck. We do. It just only gets driven maybe once a month.

I walk or use public transport for 'daily use', and my diesel car for trips out of town every couple of months. No need for an EV until the longer range ones are at least $20k cheaper than they are now.

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#2121774 7-Nov-2018 19:59

SaltyNZ:
Dingbatt: No. The easiest thing to do would be to get rid of dirty old diesel trucks and buses. And dirty little second hand diesel trucks and vans imported from Japan.

And replace them with electrics.

But only if your electricity doesn't come from coal.

Hammerer

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#2121778 7-Nov-2018 20:03

Dingbatt:

No. The easiest thing to do would be to get rid of dirty old diesel trucks and buses. And dirty little second hand diesel trucks and vans imported from Japan.
And while we are at it.

If we had more stringent pollution testing of motor vehicles then could push a lot of poorly maintained engines off the road. I've noticed that it is not usually the age of the vehicle that determines how much it pollutes. Most of the big polluters I've seen are less than 12 years old - they just don't get the engine maintained to the manufacturers recommendations.

I also think we'd find a higher proportion of cars, vans and SUVs, ratjer than trucks and buses, would be banned from the road.

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#2121782 7-Nov-2018 20:11

Hammerer:

Dingbatt:

No. The easiest thing to do would be to get rid of dirty old diesel trucks and buses. And dirty little second hand diesel trucks and vans imported from Japan.
And while we are at it.

If we had more stringent pollution testing of motor vehicles then could push a lot of poorly maintained engines off the road. I've noticed that it is not usually the age of the vehicle that determines how much it pollutes. Most of the big polluters I've seen are less than 12 years old - they just don't get the engine maintained to the manufacturers recommendations.

I also think we'd find a higher proportion of cars, vans and SUVs, ratjer than trucks and buses, would be banned from the road.

You left off the list late model vehicles from the VW Group.

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#2121806 7-Nov-2018 21:13

I believe NZ has no inshore standards for in shore diesel ship fuel which directly influences in shore particulate emissions. Unlike some other countries.

It's very noticeable when idling in port.

SaltyNZ

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#2121816 7-Nov-2018 22:00

blakamin:

SaltyNZ:
Dingbatt: No. The easiest thing to do would be to get rid of dirty old diesel trucks and buses. And dirty little second hand diesel trucks and vans imported from Japan.

And replace them with electrics.

But only if your electricity doesn't come from coal.

That is not true either: even if you run your EV from a coal-fired power station you are still ahead. For one thing, the emissions are now concentrated at the power plant - which solves the local air pollution problem, which is the topic of the thread. Also, a large coal-fired power plant is more efficient than a small internal combustion engine, and thirdly, an EV is more efficient still. So while it is true that there is more benefit to EV driving if your power is renewable, you are still better off even if it isn't.

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SaltyNZ

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#2121854 7-Nov-2018 22:38

alasta:

I walk or use public transport for 'daily use', and my diesel car for trips out of town every couple of months. No need for an EV until the longer range ones are at least $20k cheaper than they are now.

If I was to drive from my place to Silverdale and catch a bus to work, it would be $6.20 each way. To drive the Leaf the whole way and back costs about $3.30. It is therefore around $9 cheaper a day to drive the EV than it is to use public transport. Assuming I paid for parking - which I don't - the Wilson car park at Broadway is $9 for the early-bird day rate, which would still leave me 10c a day better off, and it's at least thirty minutes quicker in the car both ways.

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