Quote:
Originally Posted by Captain Awesome
Basically when you break down the numbers electric power generation is about 75% efficent. Transmission is about 95% efficient. Battery charge is about 80% efficient. Discharge is about 90% efficient.
Internal combustion engines are about 18% efficient.
If you do the math, you see that it's almost exactly a wash. You lose 82% of your energy in a combusion engine and lose 82% of your energy in an electric car.
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Using your numbers electric power is 51% efficient and internal combustion is 18% efficient. Sounds pretty good to me.
If you assume you start with 1kw equivalent of coal
Power generation 1 kw * .75 = .75 kw
Transmission .75 kw * .95 = .7125 kW
Battery Charge .7125 kW *.8 = .57 kW
Discharge .57 kW *.9 = .51 kW