Itchysan/Getty Images
Plug-in battery electric vehicles and hybrids have really only been viable as daily-driven mainstream automobiles for about 16 years, since the Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt first launched. The technology has rapidly advanced in the time since those early models, and a BEV today is arguably a better driving experience than its gasoline or diesel competitors, with many plug-in hybrids potentially offering the best driving experience in any given segment. With the price of a gallon of gasoline exploding in 2026, the people already riding the EV hype train are saving almost as much money on their commutes as someone who rides on a real train.
EV sales were gaining ground in the U.S. market for several years until President Donald Trump killed federal incentives and rebates. Every year it becomes easier to drive an EV every day in the United States, and yet adoption rates have flatlined, even in the face of extremely expensive fuel and massive cost-of-living inflation. Under 10% of U.S. consumers are purchasing EVs, compared to around 60% of Chinese consumers, and Europe hit 23.2% in the first three quarters of this year. And despite the relatively low adoption rate of plug-in cars for the U.S., non-plug-equipped hybrids are selling like proverbial hotcakes.
Pollsters recently found that some 57% of American drivers connected high gas prices to an increased interest in EVs, though that interest hasn't really translated to sales yet. I'm a little bit surprised it's not higher than that. Especially with the comparatively low cost of buying a used electric car, I don't think there has been a more accessible time in history to convert to an electric daily driver. So, I want to know if Iran War-era gasoline prices have pushed you to consider an EV or PHEV, and why or why not.
Sound off in the comments below with your thoughts, and we'll discuss it. Then I'll pick a few of my favorite responses to recap for everyone else on Monday. So, let's hear it. Are you more EV curious than you were last year?
I might jump back on the EV train
Boogich/Getty Images
I have been an EV owner for several years now, starting with an extremely cheap used Leaf that I purchased on Facebook Marketplace in the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic. I loved that Leaf, but its limited range meant it wasn't very useful, so I eventually sold it. Right now I own an Audi A3 e-Tron plug-in hybrid, and a fully-electric Harley-Davidson Livewire motorcycle. It's nice to be able to ride or drive either around town, but I'm still burning gasoline or diesel on long-distance routes to visit family or take a vacation. Paying eight dollars a gallon for diesel in California on a recent road trip has me rethinking my strategy. Every time my fill-up tips into the triple digits, my desire for a used Chevrolet Bolt intensifies.
With the seemingly endless war in Iran continuing to result in exploded oil pipelines and refineries, and impassable nautical routes, I'm not sure we'll see fuel prices "return to normal" any time soon. Many states are scrambling to lower prices by slashing their fuel taxes, or allowing red diesel to be pumped into road-going vehicles, only to see prices remain basically the same or continue to climb. With holiday travel on the horizon to pump demand, it seems to me that things will get worse before they get better. I think I might save some money and stay home for the holidays.
It's a very American solution to a situation to buy something in an effort to alleviate yourself of its ramifications. That being said, we've collectively made this car-dependent infrastructure bed through decades of downplaying the importance of public transit, so I guess we have to lie in it. I'm off to go test-drive another cheap Leaf. How about you?