"Andy Wade" wrote in message
...
Grunff wrote:

In theory, yes. In practice, it doesn't work that way. Compare the
efficiency of a car engine with the efficiency of an electric car
(end-to-end).

I'd be surprised if it works out that way. IC vehicle engines spend a lot
of time running at very low or zero efficiency in slow-moving or
stationary traffic. I've no idea what the overall real-world efficiency
of IC-engined vehicles actually is, but (guessing) I'd doubt it's more
than 20%.

Yep. Efficiencies are always quoted at full warm up and at optimum
conditions and speeds, etc. In practice millions of small cars are hardly
up to temperature as they only go a mile or to the supermarket, burning
excess fuel, and in that time doing about 8 mpg or so. Not to mention
polluting like mad while warming up.

Electric vehicles should win hands-down, as the standing losses are so
much less, and the power conversion efficiency through the inverter and
motors should be quite high (80%?).

95% plus now.

A modern combined-cycle gas-fired power station approaches 50% thermal
efficiency. AIUI electricity distribution losses are 10-15%, so the
overall efficiency is over 40%. Now what's the overall efficiency of the
battery charge-discharge cycle? If it's higher than 60% (as surely it
should be)

In the 90 percents.

then the electric vehicle probably wins (YMMV).

It wins hands down. Technology is here right now to move over car and light
commercials to electric drive. All it needs is political will to get the
recharging infrastructure in place - Toshiba batteries can take 80% charge
in 3 mins and full in 5. Mitsubishi have an all electric car designed with
a clean sheet, coming in a few years or so (motor in wheel hub). By the
time it is on the market, battery technology will have improved enormously
too. All win, win, all the way.

Fuel Cells may be viable for heavier vehicles. No need for them in normal
everyday cars at all, as full EV will more than do. And no regular
expensive servicing except tyre changes. Brakes will be regen with a very
low mechanical wear factor that will show up as a dash light when attention
is needed.