This is not a fact, and thus not worth repeating.

Yes, electric motors are 2 (or more) times as efficient as conventional. But the proper way to compare energy usage is over the *lifecycle* of the vehicles. So the "in and of itself" excludes a TON of crucial context. {thread} https://twitter.com/drvox/status/1308178899168239616

For an apples-to-apples comparison, you’d need to account for the VERY energy-intensive process to produce and, eventually, dispose of the battery an EV requires. This turns out to be something on the order of 10% to 20% of the total lifecycle emissions. Significant!

Also of note: EVs need charging. Since no process is 100% efficient there’s a loss of energy (thus added emissions) here. BUT, EVs also regenerate some energy through braking. So those two factors mostly cancel each other out relative to conventional efficiency.

It’s also important to observe that electric motors retain mostly uniform efficiency regardless of driving conditions, whereas conventional motors do much better under certain conditions: mid-to-high speed (~45 mph), little to no acceleration/deceleration. Highway driving IOW.

So this suggests that there are more gains to be realized by replacing vehicles in urban/local contexts than, say, cars or trucks that will mostly drive on highways (or in tunnels built to bypass traffic if that’s your deal).

Lastly, and most crucially, the carbon-intensity of how the grid energy is produced varies widely. If your region mostly burns gas/coal for electricity, gains will be far less than Portland’s heavily hydroelectric mix (thanks @bonnevillepower!).

(New York’s heavily nuclear mix does even better from a pure carbon emissions perspective, but that of course ignores obvious potential pitfalls of nuclear technology).

So bottom line: Yes, there are potential gains from electrification, but it’s far more nuanced than “bEtTEr MotERz,” and addressing other aspects of transportation logistics and energy production are key for maximizing gains and implementing optimal strategy. /fin