Oil Crises? We've Been Here Before - And So Have EVs

As many scholars will attest, we humans must either learn from the lessons of history — or be doomed to repeat them. And right here, right now, in 2026, the U.S. is certainly repeating a well-worn path: engaging in a conflict in the Middle East that will undoubtedly leave thousands injured or killed, millions displaced, and any semblance of who is 'right' and who is 'wrong' buried in the chaos that follows. And whenever a conflict wages in one of the world's most oil-rich regions, the knock-on effects are immediate and severe: oil prices go up, entire economies are threatened, and regardless of who started the war, or why, everyone on the planet suffers. As the U.S./Israeli war against Iran enters its third month, oil prices around the world remain high — and more and more people are considering going electric. But while history can teach us what not to repeat, it can also show us what to expect. And while a ceasefire is currently in effect, there appears to be little urgency — in some quarters, at least — to negotiate a lasting peace deal, return the Strait of Hormuz to its usual operational state, and stop pushing oil prices unnecessarily higher. So today, Nikki is delving back into history to see what happened with EVs the last time oil prices were severely affected by foreign war — and examining why this brutal, bloody, and unnecessary conflict could yet end up promoting EV growth from the ashes. *⏱️ Chapter Breakdown:* 00:00 - Introduction 03:54 - Things are changing... quickly 05:03 - It's already being felt 05:57 - There are many events to choose from historically 06:59 - Some examples of early EVs built in response to Oil Crises 08:37 - US attempts 10:13 - The mid-1970s 11:19 - Enfield in the UK 12:29 - Sebring-Vanguard 13:15 - European Drive To Electric 16:03 - In the past, Oil Crises Have Been Good For EVs 17:46 - The effects on startups 18:53 - The impact on Mainstream Automakers? 20:35 - China Will Benefit 22:05 - Who Will Lose Out 23:41 - Thanks, and Goodbye! 📊 SOURCES & FURTHER READING Casualty & conflict tracking: 🔗 WarCosts.org Iran War Tracker: https://www.warcosts.org/iran-war-2026 🔗 WarCosts.org Casualty Tracker: https://www.warcosts.org/analysis/iran-war-casualties Fuel price data: 🔗 EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook (April 2026): https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/ European EV sales data: 🔗 E-Mobility Europe / New Automotive (via The Driven): https://thedriven.io/2026/04/23/european-ev-sales-jump-51-pct-in-march-as-fuel-prices-surge-due-to-gulf-war/ 🔗 ACEA Q1 2026 data (via Euronews): https://www.euronews.com/business/2026/04/23/ev-sales-spike-nearly-50-in-the-eu-in-march-amid-iran-war-energy-fears Canada/China EV trade deal: 🔗 Prime Minister's Office announcement: https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2026/01/16/prime-minister-carney-forges-new-strategic-partnership-peoples ---- *👥 Today’s Sponsors* 🌱 Electric Vehicle Association - https://www.myeva.org ⚡ EnergySage - https://www.kqzyfj.com/click-101290941-16952262 — ✊ Get Involved 🗳️ https://indivisible.org/town-hall-resources ❤️ Support the Show 📰 https://www.transportevolved.com 🔥 https://www.patreon.com/transportevolved ☕ https://ko-fi.com/transportevolved 📺 https://www.youtube.com/transportevolved 👕 https://www.redbubble.com/people/TransportEVd/ 🛍️ https://amzn.to/40xOyjm ₿ 1QRZRGCCXUKPDZ2DZ9KX9JYJXMZDYHYGFZ0MN4WH *💬 Join the Conversation* 🐘 https://mastodon.transportevolved.com/@show 💬 https://discord.gg/9WAjfQn 💬 https://fluxer.gg/mcj8aehg 🌀 https://bsky.app/profile/transportevolved.bsky.social 🔁 Subscribe to our 2nd channel - https://www.youtube.com/transportevolvedtake2 --- *🎙️ Credits:* Host, Script, Editor: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Color: Vi Horton Art & Animation : Erin Carlie Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield Music: via Artlist.io