Image a person driving 30.000 km per year and doing so with an average car that outputs 200 gram CO² per year.
How much CO² is produced for the personal transport of this person?
6.000 kg or 1/3 of the shipping container = 30.000 km * 0,2 kg / km
Would electric be a better option?
We need to take a couple variabels into account, like CO² output of electricity production, transport and conversion losses. Assuming that electric cars create peaks in grids that require gas or coal powered instant-on power generation, and assuming 15%* transmission and conversion losses between production and consumption, the CO2 output can be calculated: Gas = 600 g/ Kwh, Coal = 1300 g / Kwh electric power.
Assuming a car that consumes 0,175 Kwh / km, the total CO² output amount to 3.150 kg CO² for gas powered electricity and 6.825 kg CO² for coal powered electricity.
So is electric the better option?
In reality, it isn't, especially is the CO² output per km for combustion cars are dropping faster than electricity consumption of cars. In CO² output, new combustion cars will remain less polluting as long as any electricity is produced by coal or gas.
Once dirty fossil fuels can be replaced by clean recycled fuels, then electric car will become clean oil powered, delivering power to a limited battery capacity, combining the best technologies in one design, the electric drivetrain to minimize maintenance and the clean fuel combustion for the efficient power transport, while neutralizing CO² emissions to ZERO.
*15% includes grid transmission losses @ +- 9% and 6% step-up and step-down transmission and AC to DC conversion losses. In reality these losses could be much higher...