Arabic version: الصراع الإيراني يؤدي إلى زيادة مبيعات السيارات الكهربائية عالميًا
The ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel and Iran has significantly increased demand for electric vehicles (EVs) across various countries, including Australia and Vietnam. According to Al Jazeera, Rosco Jewell, who operates an online marketplace for used EVs in Sydney, noted a shift in sales from one vehicle every two months to roughly one every two weeks since the war began. He reported a price increase of 10 to 20 percent for used EVs in the $20,000 to $50,000 range.
As fuel prices rise globally due to the conflict, countries are seeing a notable increase in EV adoption. In the United States, EV sales reached over 82,000 units last month, marking a more than 20 percent increase from February, despite being down year-over-year. Meanwhile, in China, EV sales surged by 82.6 percent month-on-month in March, according to the China Automotive Dealers Association.
Vietnam’s local EV brand, VinFast, recorded a 127 percent increase in year-on-year sales in March. Euan Graham, an analyst at the energy think tank Ember, indicated that the war on Iran is accelerating a trend of growing EV adoption in emerging markets, driven by previous energy shocks, including the war in Ukraine.
In Japan, EV sales nearly tripled year-on-year last month, and South Korea experienced a 172 percent surge in domestic purchases. In Europe, countries like France and Norway reported significant increases in Tesla registrations, reflecting a broader trend.
In Australia, battery EVs accounted for 14.6 percent of total vehicle sales in March, nearly doubling from the previous year. Local dealers reported increased inquiries and sales. Kevin Alberica from Evolve Motors noted a recent sale of seven Teslas in one day, highlighting a growing customer interest.
The Australian government is responding to this demand with initiatives such as a $71 million plan to install EV chargers in regional areas. However, there are concerns regarding potential changes to tax breaks for EV purchases, which may be reviewed in the upcoming federal budget. Despite these uncertainties, experts believe that sustained high petrol prices will continue to drive consumers toward electric vehicles.
