Electric cars are pretty clean, and that is good, too. However, if we are after CO2 emissions, as opposed to cleaner urban air from auto exhaust, and resultant health benefits, which is the basis for most of our historic local "air pollution" control efforts, then it is important to understand, that they are different goals. EV's are becoming per mile cost competitive and offer a solution to both problems, but the impacts on total CO2 will be very small, relative to the amount of manmade CO2 we are making.

CA also imports a good deal of gas and hydro. But, you're right about the coal electricity "import" issue. As a resident of "progressive" and supposedly environmentally "PC" Pasadena CA, I'm still "hooked" on "imported" coal fired Utah electricity, thanks to 16 years of lame excuses from our former supposedly "liberal" "pro-environment" mayor and our former utility manager. Meanwhile our biggest customer Cal Tech went rogue on our utility and cut the cord completely with 100% green, with various solar and other innovative energy efficiency measures..... But then, they actually are "rocket" scientists....aren't they?

The fact is, that with to natural gas at record low prices, largely due, ironically, to fracking, the US is one of the only countries that came close to a net zero increase in manmade CO2 since Kyoto.... Which is a fact that many so-called environmental types seem to ignore, since it's not PC to admit that actual "fact" in many of those circles......

And, China, is likely to be buying more "clean" western US coal, which, in the short run is "cleaner" relative to very dirty high sulfur low BTU producing Chinese coal, improving their foul air for health purposes, but with only a small reduction in their CO2 output.... This is why you already see some of the fringier "hair shirt" "true believer" enviro elements lining up to oppose coal by rail out of the west coast ports.

Yes, we probably are wrecking the planet, and we will need to do difficult things, but policy by "guilt" over our past "mistakes", or policies that advocate simplistic "magic wand" or "hair shirt" lifestyles, are mostly simple minded PC nonsense. And, that mentality does a disservice to the seriousness of the science we are seeing, regarding the future impacts of global warming from manmade CO2 that we will face...

As HL Mencken observed a century ago: "To every complex problem, there is always a simple solution, and it is invariably wrong......" I don't agree with all the things he's said, but this one still applies, at least on this subject.