Could the Middle East oil crisis sticker shock boost EV sales?

EV owners say avoiding the fluctuating price of gas at the pumps is one of the benefits of driving an electric car. Genevieve Beauchemin reports.

MONTREAL -- Gas stations across Montreal posted prices of around $1.88 a litre as Carl Bromwich drove by in his Hyundai Ioniq electric vehicle. He puts in tens of thousands of kilometres on his car every year and is now enjoying avoiding the sticker shock delivered by the crisis in the Middle East.

“I am aware of the increase in the price of gas,” says Bromwich. “But I haven’t been watching closely because I don’t have to.”

Electric Mobility Canada, an industry association, says the latest spike should serve as a reminder to drivers that volatility should come as no surprise.

“The message is that it is time for people to realize that their choices have an impact,” says Electric Mobility Canada President and CEO Daniel Breton. “The price of oil is very volatile and it’s always been volatile, while the price of electricity is very predictable and it’s very reasonable. But also, more than 70 per cent of the oil sands are owned by foreign companies, and the vast majority of electricity production is owned by Canadian utilities.”

He said those looking to buy Canadian should consider what they put in the tank.

But that argument may not seal the deal for many shopping for a new vehicle.

Critics say the high price of oil is cascading throughout the economy and could drive up the already high price of EVs.

“Even if you don’t drive a car, even if you drive an EV, you are going to feel it,” says gas price analyst Dan McTeague of the Mideast conflict leading to increased fuel costs. “It is going to impact the cost of pretty much everything, including the building of those EVs.”

In Quebec, a debate has been swirling over whether the government should provide a gas rebate to cushion the blow.

“The federal and provincial governments in Quebec are picking up 14.975 per cent of the additional costs that we’ve seen in the past couple of weeks,” says McTeague. “That is what I call ill-gotten gains given that this could go on for some time.”

Advocates of electrification are focusing on federal government rebates for EVs that made a return last month.

Prior to the return of the program, Statistics Canada reported sales of EVs had slowed 36 per cent from December 2024 to December 2025.

“That message from the federal government has made a difference,” says Electric Mobility Canada’s Breton. “A colleague of mine who installs EV chargers told me that it didn’t take weeks for business to start picking up again (after the return of the rebate), it took hours.”

For EV owner Gilbert Bourque, feeling no pain at the pump could simply be an added benefit.

“At one point, I wasn’t really sure whether it was worth it or not,” he says of his decision to go electric. “But for the price of gas now, I guess it could be worth it.”

Whether the volatility in the oil market could further nudge that trend is likely to depend on how long prices continue to rise.