What Europe was missing, while it pursues additional measures to curb the entry of electric cars “made in China,” was a war that would push gasoline prices to sky-high levels. The Middle East conflict started by the United States and Israel has indeed sparked a rebound in electric vehicle sales.
Experts are clear: “In the main EU markets, electric vehicle sales are growing at rates above 40%, which represents a radical shift, not merely a statistical fluctuation.”
In the first two months of the year, Chinese-made electric vehicles accounted for 16% of the EU market
According to data published jointly on Monday by the research firm New Automotive and the industrial consortium E-Mobility Europe, registrations of electric vehicles rose 51% in March compared with the previous month, surpassing 224,000 units across 15 key European Union markets.
For Chris Heron, secretary-general of E-Mobility, this is not a mere rebound, but a shift in trend. The oil market has, throughout its history, shown its complete volatility and dependence on geopolitical stability, something that rarely occurs. According to Heron’s forecasts, more than 500,000 electric vehicles delivered in the EU during the first quarter could reduce oil demand by about two million barrels per year.
And China has a lot to do with this because in the first two months of 2026, Chinese-made electric vehicles represented 16% of the EU market, up from 12.2% in 2025. And this is not happening only because drivers want to flee fossil fuels, but because the Chinese market is so saturated that its only escape route is exports to Europe.
“Chinese companies, particularly emerging electric vehicle manufacturers such as Leapmotor and Xpeng, have demonstrated their technological strength in markets like Norway and the Netherlands, increasing their export volumes,” explained Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Passenger Car Association. Experts believe that China will be the main beneficiary of the war by offering products that European manufacturers cannot compete with on price.
Find Your Ideal Electric Car
If you’ve considered buying an electric car, this will be of interest. We have created the Personalized Electric Car Recommender, where in addition to seeing models that fit your needs you’ll also get answers to the questions that tend to worry you most, such as price, range, or nearby charging points.
