Key Takeaways
- European petrol costs have climbed 12% since late February due to the Iran conflict, averaging €1.84 per litre
- Dramatic increase in used electric vehicle sales reported across European markets, with some regions experiencing enquiry spikes exceeding 50%
- French platform Aramisauto saw EV sales share jump from 6.5% to 12.7% within three weeks
- German automotive site mobile.de witnessed EV search volume triple in March, rising from 12% to 36% of total searches
- MarketBeat identifies seven prominent EV stocks for investors: Tesla, Rivian, NIO, XPENG, Lucid, QuantumScape, and Li Auto
The military conflict in Iran that commenced on February 28 has triggered a sharp escalation in gasoline prices throughout Europe. This dramatic cost increase is accelerating consumer migration toward second-hand electric vehicles — simultaneously reigniting investor interest in EV-related equities.
Data from the European Commission reveals that average EU petrol prices surged 12% during the period spanning February 23 to March 16, climbing to €1.84 per litre. The ongoing conflict has significantly disrupted a critical shipping corridor responsible for approximately 20% of worldwide oil transport.
French consumers have experienced particularly steep increases, with daily petrol prices escalating from approximately €1.70 per litre in early 2026 to roughly €2.03 per litre by mid-March.
Petrol-Diesel price hike:
(After 28 days of war)🇦🇺 Australia: 42%
🇺🇸 USA: 30%
🇨🇦 Canada: 25%
🇨🇳 China: 23%
🇰🇷 South Korea: 20%
🇯🇵 Japan: 19%
🇫🇷 France: 17%
🇩🇪 Germany: 16%
🇬🇧 UK: 9.5%🇱🇰 Sri Lanka: 33%
🇵🇰 Pakistan: 25%
🇲🇻 Maldives: 24%🇮🇳 India: 0%
110/185 nations hiked…
— Stock Market India 🇮🇳 (@Stock_marketIND) March 27, 2026
Second-hand vehicle marketplaces throughout Europe are documenting rapidly increasing interest in electric vehicles. French automotive platform Aramisauto reported that EVs’ proportion of total sales nearly doubled — climbing from 6.5% to 12.7% — during the period between the week of February 16 and the week of March 9.
During this identical timeframe, gasoline-powered vehicle sales on the platform declined from 34% to 28%, while diesel vehicle sales dropped from 14% to 10%.
Amsterdam-headquartered OLX documented dramatic surges in EV enquiries: 50% in France, 54% in Portugal, 40% in Romania, and 39% in Poland, with momentum building each successive week.
Northern European Markets Show Dramatic EV Interest Growth
German automotive marketplace mobile.de indicated that EV-related searches tripled from 12% to 36% of overall vehicle searches beginning in early March. Vehicle dealerships simultaneously experienced a 66% increase in used EV enquiries compared to February levels.
Swedish platform Blocket documented an 11% rise in EV sales during the initial two weeks of March versus the preceding fortnight. Page views for EV advertisements climbed 17% during the comparable timeframe.
Norwegian marketplace Finn.no revealed that electric vehicles have surpassed diesel as the platform’s top-selling fuel category. Danish site Bilbasen similarly reported climbing EV search activity, with elevated petrol costs identified as the primary catalyst.
Second-hand electric vehicles typically respond rapidly to fuel cost fluctuations because they’re priced up to 40% below new models and offer immediate availability, contrasting with new vehicles that often require months-long delivery windows.
Electric Vehicle Stocks Capturing Investor Interest
With European EV demand accelerating, MarketBeat’s equity screening tool has identified seven EV-sector stocks demonstrating the highest recent dollar trading volumes within the category.
Tesla engineers and markets electric vehicles and energy solutions throughout the United States, China, and additional global markets. The company additionally operates its proprietary Supercharger infrastructure and generates revenue from automotive regulatory credits.
Rivian Automotive manufactures electric trucks and sport utility vehicles, featuring the R1T pickup truck and the seven-passenger R1S SUV.
NIO produces and distributes electric vehicles throughout China, alongside battery packs, electric powertrain components, and innovative battery-swapping infrastructure.
XPENG develops intelligent electric vehicles in China, featuring the G3 and G9 sport utility vehicles and the P7 sedan, while providing charging infrastructure, financing options, and proprietary software solutions.
Lucid Group engineers and markets electric vehicles together with proprietary EV powertrains, advanced battery systems, and internally-developed software platforms for its vehicle lineup.
