re: #116 wrenchwench

If you have an electric car, and you charge it with electricity generated in a coal-burning plant, you have a coal-powered car.

I plan to freak out some electric bike owners by referring to them as “coal-powered”.

Please don’t do that.

You are correct that their bike or car is ultimately coal powered, but even in the case of coal powered, the electric car still has a smaller carbon footprint than a gasoline motor. Just as important, the electric grid need not be coal powered forever and the electric car will still work.