Car maker reports ‘seismic uptick’ in EV sales amid fuel price surge

A car manufacturer is reporting a “seismic uptick” in demand for electric vehicles (EVs) amid the surge in fuel prices caused by the Iran oil crisis.

Renault said almost half of its sales in April were EVs, compared with one in three a year ago and one in 10 two years ago.

Views of the EV sections of its website are up 42% since the war in the Middle East began on February 28 compared with from the start of 2026 to that point.

Iran’s continued stranglehold on tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz means the average price of a litre of petrol and diesel at UK forecourts is 24p and 47p respectively more expensive than before the conflict started.

Adam Wood, Renault’s UK managing direction, told the Press Association: “We’re seeing a seismic uptick in demand for electric vehicles in the UK.

“The short-term situation is really proving a catalyst to increasing the level of demand that was growing for electric vehicles.

“Customers, understandably, are looking at ways to mitigate the rises in fuel prices and to reduce their exposure to the volatility that we’re seeing in supply and pricing (of fuel).”

Mr Wood said Renault has been “committed to electrification” since 2012 and cited the pure electric Renault 5 – the UK’s best-selling new car last month – having a purchase price below £22,000 after Government incentives as an example of “lowering the glass ceiling of EV adoption”.

He stressed the need for the automotive industry and the Government to “talk about changes” to the zero-emissions vehicle (Zev) mandate, which sets headline targets for the proportion of new cars and vans sold by each manufacturer that are zero-emission, which generally means pure battery electric.

This year the levels are 33% for cars and 24% for vans, although manufacturers are able to comply using flexibilities such as selling high volumes of plug-in hybrids.

By 2030, the targets will rise to 80% for cars and 70% for vans.

Statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show the market share of pure electrics registered during the first three months of this year was 22.4% for cars and 9.0% for vans.

Mr Wood said: “The UK has some of the most ambitious targets for electrification in the world.

“We need to make sure that the level of demand matches the trajectory required to meet those targets.

“More incentives are necessary to stimulate the level of demand needed, because it’s fair to say that the level of market demand has been below that mandate trajectory.”

In July last year, the Government launched the Electric Car Grant, which provides discounts off the purchase price of certain EVs costing up to £37,000.

The grants are worth £1,500 or £3,750, with the amounts determined using sustainability criteria.

Ben Nelmes, chief executive of transport think tank New AutoMotive, said: “Nearly half of Renault’s registrations being electric in a single month is not a fluke.

“It reflects a structural shift in buying behaviour that has accelerated sharply since fuel prices spiked in late February.

“The industry now needs to ensure that momentum is met with the right policy conditions to sustain it.”