Americans want electric cars – they just can’t find them

Sales reveal how many cars people actually bought, but not how many they actually wanted. Prices, on the other hand, show how demand is changing.

By: John Paul Helveston, George Washington University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 16, 2026

Words: 1,328

Last Updated: 13 hours, 41 minutes ago

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By John Paul Helveston, George Washington University

Within three months of the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, the average price of gasoline for American drivers climbed from US$2.94 to $4.35 a gallon. If there was ever a moment for Americans to switch to electric vehicles, this was it.

From March to May 2026, in fact, sales of hybrid electric vehicles were 18% higher than over the same months in …

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