An electric car consumes three times less energy than an internal combustion engine vehicle for the same performance.

Omissions

• The claim does not specify whether it refers to tank-to-wheel efficiency (which yields the ~3x ratio) or well-to-wheel efficiency (which accounts for electricity generation and fuel production losses and yields a somewhat lower, though still favorable, ratio for EVs).
• The ratio varies by vehicle type: diesel engines are somewhat more efficient than gasoline engines, and EV efficiency can vary with battery chemistry, motor design, and regenerative braking performance.
• At highway speeds the efficiency gap narrows somewhat because ICE engines operate closer to their optimal range while EVs face higher aerodynamic drag relative to their efficiency curve.
• The MEP did not cite any source for the figure; the Carbone4 analysis explicitly states '3 to 4 times more energy efficient', and EPA data on EV efficiency (87–91%) combined with typical ICE efficiency (20–35%) independently yields a ratio of approximately 2.5–4.5x.

Sources

• PrimaryUS Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)EVs use approximately 87%–91% of the energy from the battery to power the wheels. By comparison, conventional gasoline vehicles only convert about 17%–21% of the energy stored in gasoline to power at the wheels.
• SecondaryCarbone4Simply because electric motors are 3 to 4 times more energy efficient than internal combustion engines.
• SecondaryRenault GroupFor an electric vehicle, energy efficiency is estimated at 90%, meaning that 10% of the electricity consumed by the electric motor has not been used to power the vehicle.