As war spikes gas prices, drivers wonder how long it will last and if they should go electric

Experts say prolonged high gas prices may drive some EV interest and sales, but electricity prices are less volatile.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 11:24am

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When the Iran war spiked gas prices, Detroit resident Kevin Ketels was glad he had bought an electric 2026 Chevrolet Blazer the previous year. Experts say high gas prices may boost EV interest, but electricity prices are less volatile and regulated, sheltering EV owners from oil price shocks. However, electricity prices have been rising for other reasons, and the war could affect them in the future, underscoring the need for a transition to clean power.

Why it matters

The Iran war's impact on gas prices highlights the vulnerability of drivers of gas-powered vehicles to global conflicts and oil price fluctuations, compared to EV owners who are largely insulated from such volatility. This could spur more consumers to consider EVs, but the upfront cost of EVs and concerns over China's dominance in the EV supply chain remain barriers.

The details

Experts say that while residential electricity prices have been increasing nationally for reasons like surging power demand from new data centers, they are much less volatile than gasoline prices. The energy component of electricity bills varies depending on the energy sources used to generate the electricity, with natural gas prices not rising as quickly or as much as oil prices recently. However, persistent war could affect electricity bills in the future, underscoring the need for a transition to clean power.

  • The national average for a gallon of regular gas this week was $3.57, up from $2.94 a month ago.

The players

Kevin Ketels

A 55-year-old Detroit resident and assistant professor of global supply chain management at Wayne State University who bought an electric 2026 Chevrolet Blazer last year.

Erich Muehlegger

An economics professor at the University of California, Davis who said residential electricity prices are regulated and much less volatile than gasoline prices.

Holt Edwards

The principal in Bracewell's Policy Resolution Group who said the war is an inflationary event that is contributing to increases in electricity prices.

Pierpaolo Cazzola

An energy expert at Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy who said the variation in the price of the energy component of electricity bills is smaller in the U.S. than elsewhere.

Euan Graham

An analyst at energy think tank Ember who said clean power and electrification combined provide the most energy security.

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What they’re saying

“Electricity can go up, but it won't go up nearly as much as gas will and it won't go up nearly as fast, either.”

— Kevin Ketels, Assistant professor of global supply chain management at Wayne State University

“As a result, EV owners are largely unaffected by oil price shocks.”

— Erich Muehlegger, Economics professor at the University of California, Davis

“Clean power and electrification combined is what provides the most security.”

— Euan Graham, Analyst at energy think tank Ember

What’s next

Experts say persistent war could affect electricity bills in the future, underscoring the need for countries to transition to clean power.

The takeaway

The Iran war's impact on gas prices highlights the vulnerability of drivers of gas-powered vehicles to global conflicts and oil price fluctuations, compared to EV owners who are largely insulated from such volatility. This could spur more consumers to consider EVs, but the upfront cost of EVs and concerns over China's dominance in the EV supply chain remain barriers.