Imagine a lossless conversion from electricity to making hydrocarbons from atmospheric co2. Car engines are very very inefficient (about 35% of chemical energy converted to mechanical, out of a theoretical max of 46% or so iiuc.) comparatively, electric motors are like 80% efficient.

Now it’s true that bev have transmission and battery losses, but synthetic gasoline is going to have inefficiencies and cost to transport, too.

The case wher e it makes sense is where the weight of batteries matter, ie: jet packs and airplanes.