He German physicist Johannes Kückens was quoted in the automotive media stating that “with the same energy An electric vehicle can travel up to six times more than a combustion engine using electronic fuels“. This statement generated technical and comparative debates about what “same energy» and how the vehicle efficiency.
Before getting into percentages and raw numbers, it should be established that efficiency The conversion of primary energy into movement on the wheel is not an absolute figure: it depends on the type of energy engine, drive cyclethe type of energy and losses in each process.
How do you measure the real efficiency of a car?
THE energy efficiency In the automotive sector, this is the percentage of available energy what really translates into strength driving wheel. Everything else is lost: heat, internal friction, auxiliary pumps, aerodynamic drag, etc.
Real efficiency of an electric vehicle (EV)
- A modern electric car usually converts between 70% and 90% energy stored in the battery efficient movement wheels. This means that only a small fraction is wasted on heat, transmission or electronic control.
- This information is not an opinion: it is the result of adding the losses of inverter, motor and transmission under real test conditions. Battery energy is transformed very directly into useful couple.
Efficiency of a combustion engine
- In conventional heat engines (gasoline, diesel), only around 25% to 35% of the chemical energy of the fuel is converted into useful work to move the vehicle.
- The rest is lost mainly due to heat in exhaust gases and in the engine block, with internal friction or in the auxiliary systems (cooling, alternator, pumps).
What do e-fuels say?
- THE synthetic fuels original fuels are produced from electricity to extract hydrogen and combine it with CO₂. The entire process results in significant losses before even filling a tank.
- According to German physicist Johannes Kückens, when e-fuels are used in a heat engine, “only about 10% of the original energy actually reaches the wheels.
With these numbers on the table, let’s understand what “six times more“. If we compare a high efficiency electrical system (~80%) against one with e-fuels and a thermal engine (~10%), THE theoretical relationship of useful energy can exceed a factor ×6. This is a general estimate and not an absolute physical law, because depends on operating conditions, vehicle type, driving cycle and fuel quality.
Debunking the myth: 6× always?
The claim that an electric vehicle is six times more effective This is not “official data” from an organization like the International Energy Agency (IEA) or manufacturers. It’s a estimate this results from the comparison of two extremes: high efficiencies of electric vehicles facing low net returns when the production of electronic fuels and their subsequent thermal combustion will be integrated.
In fact, organizations like the IEA or various studies on energy efficiency prefer to talk about more conservative ratios In typical scenarios:
- Directly compare an electric motor with a thermal engine using gasoline: this generally gives an advantage of 2× to 4× in real effectiveness.
- If the production of e-fuels from renewable electricity is integrated, the losses increase and the efficiency rate can further increase, but this depends on the efficiency of each step.
For this reason, many technicians prefer not to define a single multiplier (for example six) without nuances. Instead of an absolute number, it is more useful to understand the gregarious physics efficiency: the more direct the energy conversion is (electricity → movement), the lower the losses and the more efficient the vehicle.
What this means for you behind the wheel
– A electric car You can travel more miles with the “same primary energy» simply because you lose less with each conversion.
– Combustion cars, even with synthetic fuelsare limited by the thermodynamics of the heat engine: Heat and friction are inevitable.
– If your goal is maximize every kWh of energy produced (especially if it is renewable), electricity remains the most direct and efficient means.
In summary: yes, an electric vehicle can use energy much more efficient than that of combustion, and in extreme scenarios, this ratio can approach ×6 when the production of e-fuels is included. But this figure should not be considered as a universal law without technical context and is based on theoretical comparisons rather than a single experiment published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
THE the physics behind it is clearthe figures depend on each case, and understand them helps you make smarter decisions about mobility, emissions and real consumption in your daily life.
About The Author
