To be fair the comic said nothing of batteries. Case in point: there are "gas engines" that are basically a generator connected to an electric motor because it's more efficient than just using an ICE. The generator is optimized for small constant torque and the electric motor delivers as much torque as the system demands.
xkcd #2948: Electric vs Gas ( xkcd.com )
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xkcd #2940: Modes of Transportation ( sh.itjust.works )
xkcd #2940: Modes of Transportation...