Credit: SingularityHUB
It's over two years since the issues to be considered in answering this question were first discussed in these pages. Now the Union of Concerned Scientists has agreed that the question is settled.
http://singularityhub.com/2013/12/22/its-settled-electric-cars-are-cleaner-than-their-gas-powered-cousins/
Of course, the carbon footprint of an electric vehicle in your area depends on the power generation mix used there. Washington state in USA & Tasmania in Australia with largely hydro grids are obviously better than Victoria in Australia with lots of brown coal.
My solution: rooftop PV generates most of the electricity used by my EV, plus, I pay for "green energy". I.e., for a fee, my electricity provider undertakes to generate power from renewable sources &/or provide offsets for all of my power consumption, including my EV. All of the people I know who own EVs are doing at least one of these. / technological advance government consumer groups company companies sell innovative products electric vehicle Nissan Ford Chevrolet Honda Toyota Audi BMW Tesla EVs tiny fraction car cars road United States of America General Motors GM infamous electric cars car EV1 California in 1996 major issue electric vehicle complex complexity answer simple question better environment gasoline-powered cars gasoline powered petrol petroleum instinctively believe electric electricity electrical grid coal natural gas American utilities coal natural gas renewable energy sources Union of Concerned Scientists nonprofit supports scientifically sound cleaner energy policies question around emissions generated charge electric vehicles versus emissions petrol petroleum gas vehicles EV produces less greenhouse gas emissions average compact gasoline car Don Anair research deputy director UCS’s USC clean vehicles program Singularity Hub issue particulate pollution complicated overall EV electric vehicles clean cleaner track record reduce U.S. global warming pollution by four-fifths 2050 solar wind power continue become cheaper better represented electrical supply chain EVs advantage expert experts cost competitiveness solar wind geothermal biomass mix of sources Todd Foley senior vice president policy government relations American Council on Renewable Energy ACORE mix of energy sources charging your car fuel mix portfolio approach lower fueling prices better lifetime cost comparison equivalent of $1 per gallon of gasolene gasoline petrol saving fuel costs sticker price distance range charge recharge Mike Brace technical editor EVWorld niche market second household vehicle commuting workhorse Tesla charging stations inductive charging /
