Okay just to put this thing to bed, I did calculations on the MINI E vs the MINI Diesel (doesn't get more direct than this) before here:
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/21585-post8.html
I'll summarize results:
(Original calculations: Electricity transport, Petro refining/transport efficiency not factored)
Mini E (167km combined range & 28kWh usage + 80% charging loss = 35kWh plug to wheel usage = 0.21kWh/km):
CA Power (724lbs/MWh = 328grams/kWh) =
68.9 gramsCO2/km
US Avg (1329lbs/MWh = 603grams/kWh) =
126.6 grams/km
UK Avg (from their data = 687.5gms/kWh)=
144.3 grams/km
Coal__ (2249lbs/MWh = 1020grams/kWh) =
214.1 grams/km
Mini Diesel:
Manual =
104 grams/km
Auto__ =
134 grams/km
Mini Gas:
Manual =
129 grams/km (from mini.com but no direct link)
Auto__ =
142 grams/km (figured using 32mpg manual, 29mpg auto)
(Figuring Electricty Transport Efficiency = 92.4%, Petroleum refining/transport = 83%, Diesel may take more refining but giving it benefit of doubt that it isn't much more)
Mini E:
CA____ =
74.6 gramsCO2/km
US Avg =
137.0 grams/km
UK Avg =
156.2 grams/km
Coal__ =
231.8 grams/km
Mini Diesel:
Manual =
125.3 grams/km
Auto__ =
161.4 grams/km
Mini Gas:
Manual =
155.4 grams/km
Auto__ =
171.1 grams/km
How clean is the electricity I use? - Power Profiler | Clean Energy | US EPA
http://www.miniusa.com/minie-usa/pdf/MINI-E-spec-sheet.pdf
http://www.mini.com/com/en/ecom_rfi/_download/MINI_Cooper_D_September2007.pdf
Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Program; Petroleum-Equivalent Fuel Economy Calculation | Federal Register Environmental Documents | USEPA
http://www.epa.gov/cleanrgy/energy-and-you/affect/coal.html
Keep in mind I am assuming 80% charging losses, which is the worst case they assumed.
The relevant numbers are the UK & US numbers vs Diesel after factoring in electricity/fuel transport/refining losses. The EV still comes ahead over the automatic mini diesel while being worst than the manual version. Given no shifting is involved in the EV, the comparison with the auto seems to make sense. They are right that 100% coal is pretty bad, it's worst than the gasoline version & diesel, but
43.6% worst than the diesel factoring in petroleum losses, not
2x worst.
Where they got worst numbers is they were optimistic about Petroleum refining/transport losses (assumed 89% rather than 83% since they went from 45% efficiency of diesel to 40% after refining) & their number for coal emissions (1,380 gms/kWh) is worst than the US avg (2249lbs/MWh or 1020grams/kWh). This is a big flaw:
They also assumed drivetrain losses for diesels and EVs are the same (not true). So basically they twisted some numbers, (optimistic about diesel, pessimistic about EVs) to get the worst results for EVs.
Sorry for the
extremely long post.