The electricity used to refine a gallon of gasoline can propel an automobile between 10 and 30 miles. I'm sorry I can't come up with a link at this moment, but see this one to notice a strong dependency of refiners on electricity:
In addition, electric cars are 10x more efficient from their "fuel", 3x more efficient if the source is dinosaur juice. 33kwh/gallon of gasoline, 30mpg is 3kwh/mile. Converted, that car would use 0.3kwh/mile of electricity.
36.8kwh/gallon of gasoline yields 1.2kwh/mile @ 30mpg, four times the electric version. If the energy comes from combined-cycle coal plant (50% efficient), then your advantage is two times. The comparison with nuclear, hydro, etc is difficult to make.
The best advantages are the ability to be energy-independent -- on a personal AND national level. An electric car will be zero-polluting for its entire life (no catalytic converter needed!) and, with fewer moving parts, can last longer.
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The electricity used to refine a gallon of gasoline can propel an automobile between 10 and 30 miles. I'm sorry I can't come up with a link at this moment, but see this one to notice a strong dependency of refiners on electricity:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/steo/pub/special/california/june...
In addition, electric cars are 10x more efficient from their "fuel", 3x more efficient if the source is dinosaur juice. 33kwh/gallon of gasoline, 30mpg is 3kwh/mile. Converted, that car would use 0.3kwh/mile of electricity.
Err, I b0rked the numbers:
36.8kwh/gallon of gasoline yields 1.2kwh/mile @ 30mpg, four times the electric version. If the energy comes from combined-cycle coal plant (50% efficient), then your advantage is two times. The comparison with nuclear, hydro, etc is difficult to make.
The best advantages are the ability to be energy-independent -- on a personal AND national level. An electric car will be zero-polluting for its entire life (no catalytic converter needed!) and, with fewer moving parts, can last longer.