The conflict in the Middle East is not only driving up fuel prices, but also boosting interest in electric cars. It is estimated that running a petrol-powered car will cost around €140 per month, compared with about €65 for an electric vehicle.
According to data from online car sales platforms consulted by Reuters, volatility in the crude market is lifting sales of used electric vehicles across Europe.
Seeing gasoline at two euros is a turning point for buyers
“There is currently a real boom of electric cars on the used market,” explains Terje Dahlgren to Reuters, an analyst at Finn.no, Norway’s largest used-car marketplace. This expert notes that electric vehicles have recently overtaken diesel models as the best-selling fuel type on the platform.
Meanwhile, the French used-car retailer Aramisauto said its share of electric-vehicle sales nearly doubled since the start of the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran, rising from 6.5% to 12.7%. Olx, based in Amsterdam, has stated that inquiries from customers about electric vehicles have risen substantially on its platforms in France (50%), Romania (40%), Portugal (54%) and Poland (39%), and that the growth “is accelerating steadily week after week across all markets.”
In fact, it is considered a smart purchase: the University of Michigan recently published a study indicating that used electric cars have a lower total cost of ownership than gasoline-powered, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid used cars:
“With a 7-year ownership period, buying a mid-size used SUV (3 years old) compared to a new mid-size SUV yields about $3,000 in ownership-cost savings for a gasoline car, $1,000 for a HEV or PHEV, and $13,000 for a BEV”.
En el análisis también se tienen en cuenta los costes recurrentes: “Los costos recurrentes pagados durante el período de propiedad del vehículo incluyen el repostaje (gas o electricidad), seguro, mantenimiento, reparaciones y tarifas anuales”. En el caso de los coches eléctricos, el estudio asume que propietario del vehículo carga el 80% de las veces en casa y el 20% en cargadores públicos.
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