Is the Iran War Driving a Surge of Interest in Electric Cars? (time.com)
- Reference: 0181760140
- News link: https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/26/04/19/1836219/is-the-iran-war-driving-a-surge-of-interest-in-electric-cars
- Source link: https://time.com/article/2026/04/08/how-the-iran-war-is-pushing-more-people-to-buy-evs/
"One factor likely helping push buyers toward these cars is high gas prices, which recently topped $4.00 a gallon for the first time in four years," they write — but it's not just in the U.S. Instead, they argue the conflict "is driving a global surge of interest in electric vehicles..."
> In the U.K., electric car sales reached a record high, with 86,120 vehicles [2]sold in March... The French online used-car retailer Aramisauto reported its share of EV sales nearly [3]doubled from February 16 to March 9, rising to 12.7% from 6.5%, while sales of fueled models dropped to 28% of sales from 34%, and sales of diesel models dropped to 10% from 14%. Germany's largest online car market, [4]mobile.de , told [5]Reuters that the share of EV searches on its website has tripled since the start of March — from 12% to 36%, with car dealers receiving 66% more enquiries for used EVs than in February.
>
> South Korea reported that registrations for electric vehicles more than doubled in March compared to the prior year, due in part to rising fuel prices and government subsidies... In New Zealand, more than 1,000 EVs were registered in the week that ended on March 22, close to double the week before, making it the country's biggest week for electric vehicle registrations since the end of 2023, according to the country's [6]Transport Minister , Chris Bishop.
In America, Bloomberg also reports 605 high-speed EV charging stations switched on in just the first three months of 2025, "a [7]34% increase over the year-earlier period ," according to their analysis of federal data. A data platform focused on EV infrastructure tells Bloomberg that speedier and more reliable chargers are convincing more drivers to go electric and use public plugs.
[1] https://electrek.co/2026/04/07/used-evs-just-hit-a-sales-record-a-much-bigger-wave-is-coming/
[2] https://www.smmt.co.uk/vehicle-data/car-registrations/
[3] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/used-ev-sales-jump-europe-iran-war-drives-up-petrol-prices-2026-03-26/
[4] http://mobile.de/
[5] https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/used-ev-sales-jump-europe-iran-war-drives-up-petrol-prices-2026-03-26/
[6] https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWXYjqnGobj/
[7] https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-04-08/us-ev-fast-charging-network-grows-amid-high-gas-prices
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Is there enough refining capacity to produce fuel Venezuela's heavy and sour crude in sufficient quantity to make up for loss of gulf sources?
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Your daddy Putin won't like that.
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Iranian and Venezuelan oil was on the market before the conflicts started by Trump. We still had $5/gallon gas back then due to Trump's shitty economic policies.
Not sure, we've been all electric over 2 years (Score:5, Interesting)
There is zero chance I'd go back to an ICE car. The maintenance, reliability, and fuel costs are not even comparable. The math behind driving an ICE car today only makes sense if you need to tow large loads for significant distances. The caveat is that you need a place to charge them for it to be stress-free. We calculated not long ago that it would take $0.25/gallon gas to make an ICE car break even with what we're spending on EVs.
Re:Not sure, we've been all electric over 2 years (Score:4, Informative)
I've been driving a Model Y since 2019 and I also will never go back as well. The cost calculation for me does not seem to work out quite as well as what you are reporting, but it is an improvement over ICE, mostly over maintenance issues. Not ever having to go to the gas station is a big plus all by itself.
Even if there were no economic advantage I will still go the EV route. They are just better cars. Five years in it is hard to tell my car from a new one, they are so easy to drive, no vibration and never any hassle accelerating when it is convenient to do so.
That said, if you are looking at $5-10/gal of gas you have to be thinking about it. In some parts of Europe the cost is as much as twice that.
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> The math behind driving an ICE car today only makes sense if you need to tow large loads for significant distances.
I would add to that "on a regular basis." For example, if you're towing a boat to/from that marina twice a year for launching/storage, then a EV still makes sense; rent a big pickup for those few times per year that you need the capacity. If there is a need for the capacity on a frequent, regular basis, then the math certainly changes.
That last paragraph is likely unrelated (Score:3)
> In America, Bloomberg also reports 605 high-speed EV charging stations switched on in just the first three months of 2025, "a 34% increase over the year-earlier period," according to their analysis of federal data. A data platform focused on EV infrastructure tells Bloomberg that speedier and more reliable chargers are convincing more drivers to go electric and use public plugs.
This almost certainly has more to do with the recent closure of numerous court cases which were brought by various states against the Trump administration after Trump arbitrarily blocked the disbursement of allocated funds that Congress had previously approved for the purchase of those chargers. Unsuprisingly, Trump has lost just about all of those cases since his behavior is clearly unconstitutional.
I think that, despite the undeniable pain and suffering Trump has caused, we should thank our lucky stars that he's prioritized toady-ism over subject matter competence when filling roles during Trump 2. As bad as it's been, it could've been much worse. And it seems increasingly likely he's going to lose both the House AND the Senate this fall.
Personally speaking, yes. (Score:3)
I've been thinking about a new car for a couple of years and I was very tempted by some of the sub-£10k used EVs at a nearby dealership. Diesel hitting £2/litre made me look into the charging costs but without being able to charge at home, or more public charging facilities in my area the savings on 'fuel' are marginal. Still, despite Diesel dropping slightly, I'm still considering a newer car and it will probably be an EV.
Of course not (Score:2)
I love paying $5 a gallon for high test and $7 for diesel. Although dear leader is telling me prices are lower than ever.
Electricity is already throught the roof, thank (Score:2)
... you very much, and a new wave of notices about price increases are on the way, despite the European (and North American) summer being really easy on the providers with all the solar installed (and not that much A/C use in large parts of Europe).
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> Electricity is already throught the roof, thank you very much
I did the maths last week, comparing my ten year old diesel vehicle with a Hyundai EV. If I had an EV I'd have to rely on public charging and there are two such locations near me. One costs 55 pence per kWh, the other 60p after 8pm and 90p before 8pm. Based on the stated efficiency figures and what I know about the mileage my ICE car gets I would need to pay about 88 pence per kWh to spend as much on charging as I do on diesel.
Domestic electricity costs vary, naturally, but the average unit cost in the UK i
Watch out for taxation (Score:2)
1. California is experimenting with a mileage tax. The per mile rate, and whether your location remains private is yet to be determined. Watch out if this requires a device on the CAN bus. Also watch out if you have to take your electric car to a smog check station just to have its mileage recorded a few months before your registration is due. Whether this applies to electric and ICE vehicles at the same rate remains to be seen.
2. At the federal level there is talk about taxing electric vehicles and additi
Same as it ever was (Score:1)
Short sighted idiots and people trying to justify "I want a new car" that they clearly can't afford will "justify" it with fuel savings or lower operating costs. It almost never works out.
Nothing to see here. The same thing happens literally every time fuel costs spike.
We keep 60 to 70% of our population (Score:3)
Living paycheck to paycheck. Yeah you're going to think short term when you spend decades living like that.
When you grow up poor you learn to take what you can get the moment you can get it because you know in advance something horrible is going to happen and wipe out any attempt at savings or long-term thinking you do.
This is extremely well documented behavior among poor children and it's one of the few social studies you can consistently reproduce.
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You have no business postulating about what neurotypical people might do in any given situation.
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There are more electric vehicles on the second hand market nowadays. so it's only natural that more will get bought. the rest is propaganda.
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Are there? And is it? Does that explain a 17% increase in a quarter? Are more vehicles available increasing the number of buyers? Or is that just propaganda?
Re:Same as it ever was (Score:5, Informative)
I've driven EVs since 2016. I've only plugged my car into the wall with no special charger. I plug in when I get home. My car completely charges overnight. When I leave in the morning, it's completely charged. My office is only about 10 miles away. So, I never use a full charge during the day driving to work.
It's clear you've never owned an EV and simply want to demonize a technology it's obvious you know little about.
Re:Same as it ever was (Score:4, Interesting)
> It's clear you've never owned an EV and simply want to demonize a technology it's obvious you know little about.
The same people usually don't want to learn either. I know of people for whom an EV would be a perfect fit; local driving only, low annual miles (I'm talking maybe 5k/year)...but claim that "there are too many unknowns" with EVs. The only "unknowns" are the ones you don't want to learn about.
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> My office is only about 10 miles away.....It's clear you've never owned an EV
It's clear you have no concept of what an average commute looks like for most people and simply want to demonoze someone who you little about.
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> It's clear you have no concept of what an average commute looks like for most people and simply want to demonoze someone who you little about.
The average commute distance in the USA is 15-20miles, something that is trivially easy to support by plugging your car into a standard 110V power outlet you already have in your garage.
In your effort to criticise the parent you've just again demonstrated ignorance to the point that you haven't actually countered what they said in any way. A longer than average commute can be supported without any wiring changes in your house with you only ever charging at your house, even if you work 6 days a week.
Please s
Re: Same as it ever was (Score:2)
What if you need your car overnight, like someone you know who is in poor health needs help?
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> Order of operations: buy new EV car and get rid of gas-fueled car, get someone to install a decent charger at home, drive to the office on lowish battery, find out the office doesn't have a single charger, after work, limp home as fast as the EV will let you.
Any person not mentally-impaired would check that beforehand, but you seem to insist on a less than clever pattern of behaviour ...
> In a few years (or however long), have to replace the battery (or is it batteries?), and realize that it's a third of the price of a new car, and it's gonna be a month for the next shipment of batteries to get to the shop (after you take the car to the dealer because no small shop will work on it (tools and software)), and pay a premium for the dealer to work on it.
Yes, you obviously do.
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Do you really live somewhere far from any charger stations? This sounds unlikely.
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Your entire post assumes the intelligence and foresight of a potato on the part of the buyer.
Get someone to install a decent charger at home: View it as part of the purchase price of the car, if one even needs it. Many can actually charge enough using a standard outlet, and in some areas the dryer and/or electric panel is right in the garage, so a bigger charger isn't hard. Most home chargers are just fancy cables anyways, the car's on board charger does the heavy lifting.
Drive to the office on lowish ba
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That's an interesting fantasy you have. Far more exciting and with more drama than the reality.
The reality being you plug your EV into a normal wall outlet, drive to work on a full battery, drive home, plug in again. Rinse and repeat for 10 years and then sell the car second hand.
The percentage of people who replace their battery is about similar to those who do complete engine replacements on their cars. Also my last "maintenance" for my EV was cheaper than for my last gas car, turns out you don't pay a pr
Re:Same as it ever was (Score:4, Informative)
> Short sighted idiots and people trying to justify "I want a new car" that they clearly can't afford will "justify" it with fuel savings or lower operating costs. It almost never works out. Nothing to see here. The same thing happens literally every time fuel costs spike.
There's nothing in the summary that supports that holier-than-thou take.
That enquiries and sales of EVs have increased does not imply or require that people are buying cars when they weren't otherwise going to, and doesn't imply or require that they cannot afford those cars.
You are just painting these buyers as "short-sighted idiots" to make yourself feel superior but there's nothing presented to support that. What I'm saying is that there were already X people looking to buy new cars. There's nothing - nothing - here that says overall sales are greater than X, only that the number EV sales, searches, and enquiries are up.
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> Short sighted idiots ... The same thing happens literally every time fuel costs spike.
in the current situation 3 developements are not only possible but becoming increasingly likely:
- fuel shortages (not merely a price spike)
- inflation going through the roof
- combined with a recession if not depression, which also means high interest rates
so considering an electric vehicle if you currently drive a a combustion vehicle is not at all uncalled for, specially if you were considering a photovoltaic installation aswell. it means you might remain functional during these developments, and you might
Don't need to be idiots (Score:2)
Consider that there are going to be people who less "want" a new car than "need" a new car, due to things like accidents, family changes, wear and tear rendering a car unreliable, etc...
Then there are people who have the disposable funds who have decided it is time.
Basically, people buying new cars is continuous. What the war on Iran and subsequent oil price increase has done is make more of them look at the cost of the gasoline chugging vehicles against EVs and decide to go with the EV, because we don't k