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Soaring petrol prices: an unexpected boost for electric cars

Auteur: Ivoirematin

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Flambée de l'essence : le coup de boost inattendu pour la voiture électrique

The verdict from the spring Open House events is clear: when the price of a liter of gas skyrockets, the French abandon the pump for the plug. Boosted by the volatility of fuel prices, electric vehicles saw a significant increase in orders this weekend.

Stellantis and Ford at the front of the pack

The Stellantis group (Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat...) perfectly illustrates this trend with an explosion of +45% in electric orders compared to January.

  1. Internal market share: Electric vehicles now represent 24% of their sales (compared to only 7.2% in March 2025).
  2. The triggering factor: The increase of 10 to 20 cents per litre of petrol since the end of February weighs heavily in the balance when signing the order form.

At Ford , the shift is even more dramatic: the share of electric vehicles has jumped to 42% . The electric Ford Puma is now nipping at the heels of its combustion engine counterpart, despite a purchase price increase of around €6,000.

A widespread but nuanced interest

While not all manufacturers are experiencing the same acceleration, the trend remains positive:

Manufacturer Observed trend
Volkswagen Marked renewed interest; preparations for the launch of the electric Polo.
MG (SAIC) Strong momentum with over 1,700 orders (+31% vs January).
Hyundai Stable volume (25%) but explosion in inquiries.
Renault Stability at already high levels thanks to the success of the R5.

Why are these days crucial?

Open House events are more than just exhibitions. With massive discounts ranging from €5,000 to €10,000 , these five annual events often account for a third of manufacturers' monthly sales . In a context of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, the economic argument of running costs is becoming the main driver of the energy transition.

Auteur: Ivoirematin
Publié le: Mercredi 18 Mars 2026

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