The surge in fuel prices caused by the conflict in Iran is reshuffling the deck in the automobile market. At Citroën, orders for electric vehicles reportedly jumped 40% in April. This remarkable figure is driven by an economic context pushing motorists to reconsider their choices.
When Xavier Chardon, Citroën’s CEO, stated on BFM Business that the demand for electric vehicles is “accelerating,” he highlighted a phenomenon that few analysts had anticipated with such intensity. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Iran at the end of February and the ensuing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, fuel prices at the pump have significantly increased in France: around +15% for gasoline, and a much steeper 35% rise for diesel. This Monday, the average price was €2.33 per liter for diesel, €2 for E10 gasoline, and €2.10 for SP98.
Driving 100 kilometers on a thermal engine costs on average €11 with diesel, compared to €2-3 with electric vehicles according to government estimates. The difference is significant enough for hesitant motorists to finally make the switch.
Encouraging Numbers, but to be Qualified
Citroën’s CEO claims that “40% of orders from individual customers in the first fifteen days of April are for electric vehicles.” This figure should be put into context: these are orders, not deliveries, and Citroën remains a brand particularly committed to this segment with a range tailored accordingly. Nonetheless, the trend appears real.
On the French market scale, new electric car sales reached 112,000 units in the first quarter of 2026, representing 28% of total sales. In 2025, the country sold 327,000 electric vehicles. The momentum is there, even though the path to widespread adoption remains littered with obstacles: purchase cost, charging infrastructure, and geographic disparities at the forefront.
Social Leasing as an Accelerator
The government, closely monitoring electrification progress, announced a new wave of social leasing on Sunday: at least 50,000 additional vehicles will be offered in June, targeting “heavy users” directly affected by fuel price hikes: nurses, home care workers, and nursing assistants. A targeted boost, following the 2024 and 2025 editions which had already placed 50,000 cars on the market each time.
This initiative clearly helped boost the numbers. It would be oversimplifying to attribute the entire increase to a sudden ecological awareness. It is as much, if not more, a pragmatic response to wallet pain.
