40% diesel efficiency is for optimal conditions, like steady cruise on a motorway. For practical driving it is less than 25%.
What is also missing here is that it takes 20-30% of energy to refine diesel or gasoline plus there is oil extraction cost. Accounting for that electrical car produces less CO2 when electricity comes from a modern coal plant than a diesel car.
What is also missing here is that it takes 20-30% of energy to refine diesel or gasoline plus there is oil extraction cost. Accounting for that electrical car produces less CO2 when electricity comes from a modern coal plant than a diesel car.