> coal emissions are many times worse than tailpipe emissions

The CO2 output of a coal powered EV and a gasoline car are roughly equivalent. If you add in the CO2 used when refining the gasoline and when transporting the fuel to gas stations, gasoline cars are about 50% worse.

> and pollution is exactly what we should be worried about, not CO₂,

For most pollutions, especially for PM2.5, locality is super important. Gasoline engines run in populated areas, power plants aren't.