5 ms·
The overall losses between the power plant and consumers is in the range between 8 and 15%. An electric motor typically is between 85% and 90% efficient. Conven
by reacweb 7y ago
The overall losses between the power plant and consumers is in the range between 8 and 15%. An electric motor typically is between 85% and 90% efficient. Conventional gasoline vehicles only convert about 17%–21% of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheels. State-of-the-art fossil fuel plants at 46% efficiency. Using average values gives a ratio of 46x0.885x0.875/19=1.87 (electric almost twice as efficient). This calculus has not taken into account transport and filling the tank and older fossil fuel plants (maybe they compensate each others).
- adrianN 7y agoYou should also take into account the embodied energy of the battery which is currently produced with fossil fuels. That narrows the efficiency gap a lot.
- reacweb 7y agoYes building an electric car requires more energy than building a conventional vehicle. According to https://www.quora.com/How-much-energy-is-required-to-build-an-electric-car https://www.quora.com/How-much-energy-is-required-to-build-a..., this requires 2.1 year to amortize the difference.