[lacrew]

A dark liquid that holds alot of potential energy...only instead of pumping it out of the ground, you have to make it.

I’m no MIT researcher; but, I’ve got a theory:

Mining coal out of the ground, burning it to convert potential energy into mechanical energy, converting said mechanical energy into electrical energy, transmitting said electrical energy for hundreds of miles, and converting back into potential energy in this ooz....is probably less efficient than just putting a fossil fuel in a car. Just a hunch.

[nascarnation]

I agree.
The EV thing only works rationally if you get your juice from hydro or nukes.

[Upstate NY Guy]

Thank you. So much of this “green” nonsense is based on foolishness and ignores the simple fact that most electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels or using nuclear power.

[AndyJackson]

Mining coal out of the ground, burning it to convert potential energy into mechanical energy, converting said mechanical energy into electrical energy, transmitting said electrical energy for hundreds of miles, and converting back into potential energy in this ooz....is probably less efficient than just putting a fossil fuel in a car

Your hunch is not entirely correct for a couple of reasons having to do with efficiency. A gasoline engine is about 15% fuel to wheel efficient, not counting the cost of crude in the Middle East to refined gasoline in your tank. Coal plants are quite efficient as is the conversion of electricity to mechanical energy in an electric motor.

The real issue is capital cost because of the battery, lifetime, range, and performance.