EU Petrol Prices Jumped 12% in Three Weeks. Used EV Sales in France Nearly Doubled.

The Iran conflict disrupted a shipping route carrying roughly 20% of global oil supplies, pushing average EU petrol prices up 12% between February 23 and March 16. French used car platform Aramis Auto, majority owned by Stellantis, saw its share of EV sales nearly double from mid-February over that period. Petrol models fell from 34% to 28% of sales; diesel dropped from 14% to 10%. The company saw a similar surge when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. Used EVs react fast to fuel price spikes, partly because they run around 40% cheaper than new models.