# How does a power plant work? (Question is related to electric vehicles)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-power-plant-work-question-is-related-to-electric-vehicles/966439>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 18, 2022, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-power-plant-work-question-is-related-to-electric-vehicles/966439 "2022-06-18T23:58:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 8

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**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-power-plant-work-question-is-related-to-electric-vehicles/966439/141 "2022-09-15T11:16:56Z")

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> [@eschereal](#):
>
> My question is, if you replace 24 quads of petroleum use with the distance-equivalent in BEV usage, what does that come out to? 10 quads? Less? Because one of the reasons there can even be BEVs is that they use so goddam much less energy to do the same thing. To suggest that we would need those same 24 quads to move a full fleet of electric vehicles is passing ridiculous.

I’m glad you ask because my post was pretty bad because both numbers are energy in (coal gas petroleum etc) instead of useful energy out, which were 12.9 and 5.65 quads per my printout of last year’s LLNL energy Sankey.

If we assume 60% efficiency in the vehicle and 5% grid losses, that’s an additional 9.9 quads of electricity on top of the 12.9 generated last year.

Note that there are compound assumptions there and that’s the _entire_ transportation sector.

“[O]ne of the reasons there can even be BEVs” _right now_ is that there are so few of them that they’re a rounding error. Although everyone should keep in mind that extra generation doesn’t necessarily mean an equivalent increase in generation or transmission _capacity_, as that depends on demand timing and storage. But electrification of any sector does have infrastructure costs.

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**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-a-power-plant-work-question-is-related-to-electric-vehicles/966439/142 "2022-09-15T16:29:22Z")

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> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#):
>
> I wonder how Jiffy Lube is planning for the EV future. No oil changes. Are there any fluid changes required in an EV? I don’t see topping off wiper fluid as a long term business model.

To add to FordPrefect’s reply, I would suggest that in a world in which there are mostly EV’s, a new form of car maintenance station could arise.

Like a place in which, while you drink coffee or eat lunch, your car might be fast-charged, have its tires inflated, have its exterior and interior cleaned (esp. vacuum the floors and clean the windows), windshield washer fluid topped off, etc. Anything that does not have to do with ICE maintenance.

Could be a good opportunity for both cafe owners as well as fuel stations. Although I’ve not checked, I’d bet such places already are springing up.

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