Brammo should open a factory in China....

[Gavin]

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/21/hyundai-plant-one-of-100-factories-shutting-down-in-wake-of-beij/


And the Beijing government should buy a million Empulse and Enertia Plus bikes a year for the next 8 years...

Gavin

[protomech]

China fuels almost all of their grid power from coal and oil.
http://www.eia.gov/countries/cab.cfm?fips=CH

In the short term, swapping oil combustion for a mixture of oil + coal combustion is not a net win.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2100936/Study-shows-impact-electric-cars-worse-petrol-powered-vehicles.html

Electric can win here in the US because nationally we get a fair bit of our energy from natural gas, nuclear, and a small but growing amount of renewables. Even in a  coal-heavy state (AL) we only get 50-60% of our grid inputs from coal.

China, much like the US, has to decide how long they're willing to operate on energy with low initial cost but significant long-term costs.

[Gavin]

well....in addition to buying a million electric bikes a year, China buys 10,000 Telsa solar charging stations.



I'm quite good at spending China's money...

Gavin

[00049 (AKA SopFu)]

In the short term, swapping oil combustion for a mixture of oil + coal combustion is not a net win.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2100936/Study-shows-impact-electric-cars-worse-petrol-powered-vehicles.html

Electric can win here in the US because nationally we get a fair bit of our energy from natural gas, nuclear, and a small but growing amount of renewables. Even in a  coal-heavy state (AL) we only get 50-60% of our grid inputs from coal.

China, much like the US, has to decide how long they're willing to operate on energy with low initial cost but significant long-term costs.

From an absolute standpoint, coal might* produce more harmful byproducts. But in a heavily populous area, going electric lets you control where the emissions are emitted.

I also question whether coal is truly more harmful than an ICE vehicle per distance, especially in China where they have week long traffic jams. It would take an extremely inefficient plant and distribution network to overcome the great efficiency of e-vehicles.