How can electric basses be so much smaller than Double Basses but have the same musical range?

The actual size of a double bass does not affect its musical range, but rather the darkness of its tone. What does affect its range is the scale length(the distance between the nut and the bridge). The standard scale length for a double bass is around 43", and an electric is 34". In order for the strings to be tuned to the same pitches, the double bass's strings are much more taught than an electric's to accommodate for the scale length.