this post was submitted on 03 Sep 2024
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The grid is still natural gas or coal mostly. And even solar enthusiasts don't charge their cars primarily in the day (we all charge our cars at night, when solar no longer is helping).
We shouldn't be tracking electricity -> motion per se. We need to be tracking natural gas -> electricity -> motion, which has a rather inefficient step.
Hybrids at 40% thermal efficiency, like Prius / Toyotas Atkinson engine, should lead to less overall burning of fossil fuels than a 40% coal plant making electricity -> 5% losses in wires -> 20% losses in the battery -> 10% losses in the electric motor.
Now combined cycle natural gas is 60% thermally efficient. And that's where EVs gets their biggest boost IMO. But not all Nat Gas is combined cycle, it differs strongly from location to location.
My solar panels charge my Powerwall during the day. My powerwall powers our house and charges our EV at night. When the panels are no longer generating anything.