Trump: The EV’s Unlikely Top Ambassador
Every Monday, a writer for Gocar.be offers an offbeat take on everything mobility. Today: how Trump’s war against Iran is sparking U.S. interest in electric vehicles.
No novelist could have ever imagined such a scenario: A U.S. president doing everything in his power to kill off the electric car inadvertently becomes its biggest ambassador on account of his geopolitical choices.
Granted, Donald Trump had already done some publicity for Elon Musk’s electric car when they posed with a Tesla in front of the White House. But that public relations stunt did nothing to mask the reality — Trump’s aversion to electric cars. The proof? He eliminated the $7,500 federal tax credits for EV buyers, rolled back fuel economy standards, and has once again stated that cheap gas and large pickup trucks are part of his redevelopment plans for the country. Put simply, everything must be done for the sake of oil.
Prices on the Rise
That’s precisely why Washington’s strongman decided to wage war against Iran. And, needless to say, the conflict has caused gas prices to surge. The Strait of Hormuz has become a real choke point, sending prices at the pump skyrocketing. We’ve seen it here. But it’s also happening in the United States, a country that is self-sufficient in oil. The price per gallon (3.78 French liters) has shot up from $2.90 to $3.80. That’s a 30% increase. And it has had a bombshell effect.
But this price rise has had an unexpected result: a revival of American interest in electric cars. During the first week of March, Edmunds market researchers recorded a 20% increase in consumer interest in electric and electrified vehicles. No government campaign or subsidy had managed to do as much in recent years. The irony writes itself. Trump thought he was getting the upper hand but wound up catching everyone in a trap. Detroit’s major manufacturers were forced into massive divestment from electric technologies, and now they find themselves with their backs against the wall.
Irony of the Year?
China’s BYD is one of the biggest winners in this regard. In Manila, for instance, one dealership received as many orders in two weeks as it normally would in a whole month. This was also the case in Europe. The carmaker is raking in profit from the Middle East crisis, with sales already triple those of the previous year. The argument seems compelling: “Better to settle the issue once and for all than to worry about oil prices every day," said one of the car manufacturer’s representatives. It's difficult to argue with him.
The Bill
The think tank Ember calculated that, in 2025, the global electric vehicle fleet saved nearly 70% daily of what Iran usually exports through the Strait of Hormuz. The verdict is clear: The greatest weapon against Trump’s warfare and oil-driven geopolitics is the electric car.
But Trump knows this too, and it’s why he now wants to put an end to the war as quickly as possible. The situation is turning against him. And so are voters. But in the meantime, it’s surprising to see that the person who is doing the most to promote electric vehicles is the same person who once despised them. With used EVs being very affordable, it should encourage consumers to reconsider their options.
As the Chinese executive put it, we might as well settle the issue once and for all.
No novelist could have ever imagined such a scenario: A U.S. president doing everything in his power to kill off the electric car inadvertently becomes its biggest ambassador on account of his geopolitical choices.
Granted, Donald Trump had already done some publicity for Elon Musk’s electric car when they posed with a Tesla in front of the White House. But that public relations stunt did nothing to mask the reality — Trump’s aversion to electric cars. The proof? He eliminated the $7,500 federal tax credits for EV buyers, rolled back fuel economy standards, and has once again stated that cheap gas and large pickup trucks are part of his redevelopment plans for the country. Put simply, everything must be done for the sake of oil.
Prices on the Rise
That’s precisely why Washington’s strongman decided to wage war against Iran. And, needless to say, the conflict has caused gas prices to surge. The Strait of Hormuz has become a real choke point, sending prices at the pump skyrocketing. We’ve seen it here. But it’s also happening in the United States, a country that is self-sufficient in oil. The price per gallon (3.78 French liters) has shot up from $2.90 to $3.80. That’s a 30% increase. And it has had a bombshell effect.
But this price rise has had an unexpected result: a revival of American interest in electric cars. During the first week of March, Edmunds market researchers recorded a 20% increase in consumer interest in electric and electrified vehicles. No government campaign or subsidy had managed to do as much in recent years. The irony writes itself. Trump thought he was getting the upper hand but wound up catching everyone in a trap. Detroit’s major manufacturers were forced into massive divestment from electric technologies, and now they find themselves with their backs against the wall.
Irony of the Year?
China’s BYD is one of the biggest winners in this regard. In Manila, for instance, one dealership received as many orders in two weeks as it normally would in a whole month. This was also the case in Europe. The carmaker is raking in profit from the Middle East crisis, with sales already triple those of the previous year. The argument seems compelling: “Better to settle the issue once and for all than to worry about oil prices every day," said one of the car manufacturer’s representatives. It's difficult to argue with him.
The Bill
The think tank Ember calculated that, in 2025, the global electric vehicle fleet saved nearly 70% daily of what Iran usually exports through the Strait of Hormuz. The verdict is clear: The greatest weapon against Trump’s warfare and oil-driven geopolitics is the electric car.
But Trump knows this too, and it’s why he now wants to put an end to the war as quickly as possible. The situation is turning against him. And so are voters. But in the meantime, it’s surprising to see that the person who is doing the most to promote electric vehicles is the same person who once despised them. With used EVs being very affordable, it should encourage consumers to reconsider their options.
As the Chinese executive put it, we might as well settle the issue once and for all.
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