Europe EV Sales Surge 29% in Q1 2026 Amid Fuel Crisis

Electric vehicle sales across Europe surged in the first quarter of 2026, driven by spiking fuel prices triggered by the ongoing conflict in Iran. New registrations of battery-electric vehicles rose 29.4 percent year-over-year to nearly 560,000 units in 15 key markets, which account for 94 percent of pure EV sales in the European Union and European Free Trade Association, according to data from trade association EMobility Europe and research firm New Automotive.

The increase accelerated in March, with registrations jumping 51.3 percent from the previous year to over 240,000 units. That month, electric vehicles made up 21.2 percent of all new car registrations in those markets. The five largest EV markets, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and Poland, each saw growth exceeding 40 percent in the quarter. Officials attribute the boom to the war's disruption of oil supplies, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz blockade that began on February 28, which pushed petrol prices up more than 19 percent to an average of 158.27 pence per liter and diesel prices up 30 percent to 191.50 pence.

"March's surge in electric car sales is one of Europe's biggest recent gains in energy security,...