The war with Iran launches the search for electric vehicles in Europe to record levels

The war between the United States and Iran, which is entering its seventh week, has launched fuel prices across Europe and sharply accelerated the transition to electric vehicles. According to industry analysts, this sudden turnaround could permanently change the continent's automotive market.

Since the beginning of the fighting on February 28, the price of Brent crude has risen sharply – from about $70 a barrel to peak values above $119, or a rise of over 60%. In Switzerland, gasoline prices reached around 1.85 Swiss francs per liter, and diesel rose to over 2.06 francs per liter in early April – far above long-term average levels. In the UK, a full tank of gasoline now costs £13.86 more than before the start of the conflict, according to RAC data cited by the BBC.

Interest in electric vehicles is soaring across Europe

Expensive fuel directly fuels the demand for electric cars. In the UK, the number of electric vehicle registrations reached a record in March – 86,120 cars were sold. Germany's largest online car market, mobile.de, told Reuters that the share of searches for electric vehicles on the platform has tripled – from 12% to 36% since the beginning of March, and inquiries to dealers for used electric vehicles have jumped by 66% compared to February.

In France, online retailer Aramisauto registered a nearly twofold increase in the share of electric vehicles in sales in the weeks after the start of the war – from 6.5% to 12.7%. According to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, the share of all-electric cars among new registrations in the EU reached 18.8% in the first two months of 2026, compared to 15.2% a year earlier. The analytical group "Autovista Group" predicts that this year sales of electric vehicles in Europe will increase by 16.7% to 4.7 million units, reaching a market share of 31.3% of all new car deliveries.

Switzerland follows the general course

Switzerland welcomed 2026 on the crest of growing interest in electric vehicles. Official statistics show that registered electric vehicles increased by 16% in 2025, despite an overall drop of 2% in new car sales. According to Swiss Marketplace Group, in the first quarter of 2026, new all-electric cars were on average 4.2% cheaper compared to a year earlier – making the transition to electric propulsion even more attractive against the backdrop of expensive fuels.

The pan-European trend is clearly outlined. As CNBC reports, analysts expect that the energy shock caused by the conflict with Iran will encourage a deeper transition to electric vehicles compared to previous crises around fossil fuels. "It's really disappointing that we're talking about electric vehicles again and again, as if we don't realize that they are the structural solution to freeing the transport system from oil dependence," commented a senior analyst at the "Transport & Environment" organization.

Uncertain future

Whether this trend will intensify further largely depends on the development of events in the Middle East. Oil prices temporarily fell after the ceasefire announced on April 7, but then they started to rise sharply again, as doubts about the sustainability of the ceasefire intensified, and the Strait of Hormuz – through which about 20% of the world's oil supplies normally pass – practically remained closed.

According to CNBC, analysts predict a noticeable shortage of crude oil by mid-April, when strategic reserves begin to run out. By then, the crisis has already exposed the vulnerability of owners of internal combustion engine cars to the turmoil in the Middle East – and has given the electric vehicle industry an unexpected but powerful boost forward.