Demand for electric vehicles (EVs) globally had been on a steady ascent even before the war in the Mideast Gulf started driving up fuel prices. Despite recent weakness in Chinese and US sales, due largely to policy headwinds, global EV sales pushed higher in March and April, led by Europe, Latin America and non-China countries in the Asia-Pacific region. While elevated gasoline and diesel prices have provided a boost, EVs continue to gain market share globally, with increasing impacts on oil demand. Global EV sales, comprising battery-electrics and plug-in hybrids, rose 3% in March and 6% in April year on year, according to research group Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI). Europe was a key driver, with sales rising 37% and 27% in those two months, respectively. Registration data in other markets showed significant growth as well: New Zealand's battery EV sales were up 263% year on year in March, versus a 20% rise in January–February; Brazil rose from 62% growth in January and February to 125% growth in March. "The EV market is more mature, with broader consumer acceptance creating ideal conditions for battery EVs to be a clearer choice," George Whitcombe, BMI senior analyst, told Energy Intelligence. In its Global EV Outlook 2026, released this week, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said EV sales "set new records in close to 100 countries last year." This marks "a major shift for car markets and the energy system as a whole — and it is providing some relief now amid the largest oil supply shock in history," IEA executive director Fatih Birol said. The IEA counted some 75 million electrified vehicles in 2025, which together avoided the consumption of around 1.7 million barrels per day of oil last year. Under the IEA's Current Policies Scenario, global oil displacement from EVs could hit 5 million b/d by 2030, with China's electrified fleet alone accounting for 2.7 million b/d of that. The total global displacement could rise to 9 million b/d by 2035, the IEA says.