A customer looks at used electric cars inside the showroom of the Ever dealership in San Francisco, on March 25.
Photographer: Manuel Orbegozo/BloombergIran War Is Pushing Consumers to Break Up With Fossil Fuels
EVs, solar panels, induction stoves and heat pumps, now cheaper than ever, are becoming more attractive as the conflict upends oil and gas markets.
Just weeks ago, the US electric car market looked moribund. Amid plummeting EV sales, dealers were offering discounts as Detroit automakers scrapped electric lineups to make more gas-guzzling SUVs.
Then oil prices surged after the US and Israel attacked Iran.
Now, a used electric car showroom in San Francisco suggests the tide is turning again. As gasoline prices climb — hitting $6.81 a gallon at a nearby station on Wednesday — a flurry of drivers are making appointments to check out Ever’s lightly used EVs, many priced under $30,000.
“Gas prices are coming up in almost every customer conversation,” said Maximilian Quertermous, Ever’s co-founder and chief operating officer. “The momentum of the last few weeks is among the strongest we’ve seen.”