STORY: :: Stellantis
Electric vehicle demand in Europe has surged due to high fuel prices linked to the Iran war.
Data shared with Reuters showed a hike in sales of new and second-hand EVs, providing a much-needed boost to the industry.
This shift was triggered by an upsurge in international oil prices to well above $100 a barrel.
That's as U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in February unleashed a wider conflict and led to unprecedented energy supply disruption.
:: Stellantis
Across Europe, data showed registrations of new EVs rose 34%, year-on-year, in April.
And the UK-based Octopus Electric Vehicles told Reuters they'd registered a 95% year-on-year increase in demand for new EVs - and a 160% rise for used EVs in April.
EV sales in Europe grew 30% in 2025; despite this, EV adoption in the region has lagged industry expectations.
Carmakers from Volkswagen to Jeep-maker Stellantis have invested heavily in expectation of much higher EV demand.
Over the last year, they've booked multi-billion-dollar charges to cover asset writedowns after scaling back EV ambitions.
:: Stellantis
During past spikes in fuel prices, consumers also switched to more fuel-efficient cars - but then switched back.
But, as several European car brands reported a hike in EV orders since the war began, Europe's senior auto correspondent Nick Carey said this time could be different
"In markets where EV penetration has already reached a high level, and where charging infrastructure is already quite mature, this is seen as a seismic shift where people are unlikely to go back."
