Used EV sales surge to record levels following Iran war commencement

BETWEEN the start of the Iran war at the end of February and the end of May, used RV sales have seen a dramatic and steady increase, says MarketCheck.

During the first five months of 2026, a total of 142,671 used EVs were sold across the UK, compared with 92,748 during the same period in 2025.

The strongest growth occurred after the end of February. While used EV sales were already ahead of 2025 levels in January and February, volumes accelerated sharply during March and April.

March 2026 saw 32,880 used EVs sold, compared with 20,882 in March 2025. April followed with a new monthly record of 34,932 sales, almost double the 18,114 recorded in April 2025.

The figures suggest that concerns around fuel prices and wider energy market uncertainty may have accelerated interest in electric vehicles during the spring.

“Used EV sales were already growing strongly at the start of 2026, but the pace of growth increased significantly from March onwards. Events in Iran have clearly played a large role.”

Alastair Campbell, MarketCheck UK Tweet

MarketCheck says that the timing coincides with growing instability in the Middle East and renewed concerns about global energy markets. While there are multiple factors driving EV growth, including improving affordability and greater vehicle availability, periods of uncertainty around fuel costs have historically encouraged more motorists to consider electric vehicles.

Campbell added: “What is clear from the data is that demand for used EVs accelerated sharply during the spring, resulting in consecutive record-breaking months for the market.”

	Used EV sales		Used EV sales
January 25	16,227	January 26	22,111
February 25	17,689	February 26	22,381
March 25	20,882	March 26	32,880
April 25	18,114	April 26	34,932
May 25	19,836	May 26	30,367