Major car brand sees 'seismic shift' in demand for electric vehicles as drivers panic over fuel costs

The jump in sales is stark, especially when considering that only one in 10 vehicles sold by Renault two years ago was zero emission.

Adam Wood, MD of Renault UK, explained that drivers were looking at electric as a result of the economic benefits, which have become more prominent in recent months.

He highlighted a "seismic uptick" of 42 per cent in electric vehicle interest since the start of the war in Iran at the end of February.

Drivers have seen fuel costs soar to their highest levels in more than three years amid the conflict in the Middle East, as oil prices continue to soar.

So far this year, Renault has seen an impressive uptick in total sales, registering 18,844 new vehicles, capturing a 3.06 per cent share of the market.

This is an impressive 6.5 per cent increase compared to the same time last year, while also securing more than 7,000 sales in March alone.

Mr Wood told PA: "The short-term situation is really proving a catalyst to increasing the level of demand that was growing for electric vehicles.

"Customers, understandably, are looking at ways to mitigate the rises in fuel prices and to reduce their exposure to the volatility that we're seeing in supply and pricing (of fuel)."

He noted that the Renault 5 was the brand's best-selling new vehicle last month, thanks to its purchase price starting from just £21,495.

The 40kWh powertrain will provide an electric range of 309km (192 miles) for below £22,000, or £229 a month.

Drivers opting for the larger 52kWh Renault 5 can choose from the techno+, iconic five+ and Roland Garros+ variants.

Prices start from £23,945 for the techno+ model, with an impressive range of 252 miles and 150 horsepower.

Drivers can also make huge savings on some Renault models, including the 4 and 5 (52kWh), which are both included in the £3,750 tier of the Electric Car Grant.

Two other models are included in the second tier of the ECG, namely the Renault 5 (40kWh) and the Renault Megane, which offers savings of £1,500.

These savings are available as Renault adheres to the Government's environmental and sustainability targets involving the manufacturing of the EV.

Mr Wood explained that the Government had "lowered the glass ceiling of EV adoption" through the Electric Car Grant, which was officially unveiled in July last year.

Fresh research from the Department for Transport shows that more than two million electric vehicles have been registered across the UK.

More than 100,000 drivers have also made use of the ECG, with March 2026 seeing the highest demand for the incentive scheme ever recorded.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said this was a "key moment in the UK's transition to electric", which has been backed by £7.5billion in funding.