Comment Re: Most electric cars are powered by burning coal (Score 1) 280
Nope. You forgot about the transmission. The diesel is most efficient in a narrow RPM range. When it's connected to a generator, it can remain in that RPM range. When it's attached to a transmission that is attached to the wheels, it can't. The worst is low-speed acceleration, where electric motors do quite well.
Since you're so new to the subject, you could start here: http://science.howstuffworks.c...