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Record high set for Chinese EV sales in Australia
Kim (left), Tiffany and Angela test drove an electric car. (ABC News: Lachlan Bennett)
As fuel prices soar amid the Iran war and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, electric vehicle makers are reporting a surge in interest.
Angela, from Melbourne's east, is among three generations of her family keen to make the switch.
"It is always something we were interested in, but lately high fuel prices have really pushed us to seriously consider it," she said.
"I'm old and don't want to drive much, but I encourage them to buy one," her grandmother, Kim, said.
Nigel is among those looking to save on the costs of running a vehicle. (ABC News: Lachlan Bennett)
US interest in electric vehicles surges as gas prices jump amid Iran war
Online searches for electric and hybrid cars increase as war-linked fuel prices hit highest levels in nearly three years
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US car buyers are showing a surge in interest in electric vehicles after Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran helped cause a major jump in gasoline prices.
The cost to refuel a vehicle in the US is at its highest level in nearly three years, with the average national price of gas standing at $3.90 a gallon on Friday.
This increase has been driven by the rising global cost of oil in the wake of the US and Israel’s bombing of Iran, a major oil producer. The conflict has resulted in the strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway that conveys around a fifth of the world’s oil, being shut off by Iran.
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War, rates and $2.50 petrol: Is it time to switch to an electric vehicle?
The conflict in Iran, initiated by the Donald Trump administration and Israel, has triggered a global economic crisis being felt acutely in Tasmania. Brent crude is surging past US$100 per barrel amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. With the Reserve Bank of Australia raising interest rates, the war has delivered a direct hit to the cost of living.
This is not abstract economics. Attacks on energy infrastructure and reduced tanker traffic have choked global supply, reinforcing fears of prolonged disruption. For Tasmania, which is distant, import-reliant, and exposed, the consequences are immediate.
In northern parts of the state, petrol prices hovering above $2.20 a litre are not a temporary spike but an early warning. Analysts are already pointing to $2.50 as a realistic near-term ceiling if instability persists. At the same time, the recent rise in interest rates is compounding pressure on households already stretched by mortgage repayments and everyday costs.
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