Like my brother-in-law always says, "it's all about energy storage." Or at least partially it is. It's a good thing electric motors are so efficient. Could you imagine if they were about 15% efficient on average with 50% efficiency being the maximum theoretical efficiency, just like gasoline engines are?
The thing to about electricity is that 1) it can be produced from non-fuel sources (i.e. wind, water and sunlight) and even when made from a fuel it's easier to make one large 50% efficient engine than several million 50% efficient engines. Plus, with an electric generation plant being stationary, the waste heat could perhaps be better utilized, making the whole plant more than 50% efficient.
If only power transmission losses could be reduced and electric storage increased... By that, i meant on my car.
