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I say this as someone who owns two EV cars, zero ICE cars, and loves everything about owning and driving EVs: it baffles me how quickly and noticeably consumers

I say this as someone who owns two EV cars, zero ICE cars, and loves everything about owning and driving EVs: it baffles me how quickly and noticeably consumers shift their preferences; I think I read something along the lines of „for the average German commuter, the petrol price spike means 6 euros plus per week in spending“ — and that is enough for so many people to go „okay screw it I’m switching to new technology for my planned purchase“? I mean, great that it happens, but yeah, I‘m baffled.

bamboozled 6mo ago
It’s the stress around it, not the current price. That’s what people are replacing. If I’m trying to plan for the future in a world where conflicts this destructive are permanently on the menu, I’m not going to ever buy an ICE car again. No one wants to be at the mercy of anyone else where possible and as someone who only owns ICE cars, it’s been very stressful few weeks.
- ManuelKiessling 6mo ago
  I think you are on to something here. But it would mean that sentiment could change on a whim: a serious blackout somewhere in Europe that makes continent-wide headlines, and EV demand might crash.
  - ben_w 6mo ago
    Could be, but depends on the behaviour of PV. Given the lack of blackouts around here, I've not bothered to investigate if home PV systems can still charge batteries, or if the inverter dependence on the grid for phase-locking the AC prevents that. There's already been news stories about people powering their homes from their EV during blackouts, the oldest example I know of this from 2012 albeit with a hybrid and it was burning petrol: https://cleantechnica.com/2012/11/10/man-lights-house-with-toyota-prius/ https://cleantechnica.com/2012/11/10/man-lights-house-with-t... More recently, this: https://electrek.co/2026/03/13/yes-an-ev-really-can-power-your-home-if-its-one-of-these/ https://electrek.co/2026/03/13/yes-an-ev-really-can-power-yo...
    - fhdkweig 6mo ago
      > Given the lack of blackouts around here, I've not bothered to investigate if home PV systems can still charge batteries, or if the inverter dependence on the grid for phase-locking the AC prevents that. The technology is called "islanding mode". It adds a little extra cost to the inverters, and you have to specifically request it, but the tech exists.
izacus 6mo ago
The second part is the fact that domestic brands all came out with good EVs and many people are installing home solar which makes savings even more drastic.
rsynnott 6mo ago
I mean, realistically it's only going one direction.

bamboozled 6mo ago

It’s the stress around it, not the current price. That’s what people are replacing. If I’m trying to plan for the future in a world where conflicts this destructive are permanently on the menu, I’m not going to ever buy an ICE car again. No one wants to be at the mercy of anyone else where possible and as someone who only owns ICE cars, it’s been very stressful few weeks.

ManuelKiessling 6mo ago
I think you are on to something here. But it would mean that sentiment could change on a whim: a serious blackout somewhere in Europe that makes continent-wide headlines, and EV demand might crash.
- ben_w 6mo ago
  Could be, but depends on the behaviour of PV. Given the lack of blackouts around here, I've not bothered to investigate if home PV systems can still charge batteries, or if the inverter dependence on the grid for phase-locking the AC prevents that. There's already been news stories about people powering their homes from their EV during blackouts, the oldest example I know of this from 2012 albeit with a hybrid and it was burning petrol: https://cleantechnica.com/2012/11/10/man-lights-house-with-toyota-prius/ https://cleantechnica.com/2012/11/10/man-lights-house-with-t... More recently, this: https://electrek.co/2026/03/13/yes-an-ev-really-can-power-your-home-if-its-one-of-these/ https://electrek.co/2026/03/13/yes-an-ev-really-can-power-yo...
  - fhdkweig 6mo ago
    > Given the lack of blackouts around here, I've not bothered to investigate if home PV systems can still charge batteries, or if the inverter dependence on the grid for phase-locking the AC prevents that. The technology is called "islanding mode". It adds a little extra cost to the inverters, and you have to specifically request it, but the tech exists.

izacus 6mo ago

The second part is the fact that domestic brands all came out with good EVs and many people are installing home solar which makes savings even more drastic.

rsynnott 6mo ago

I mean, realistically it's only going one direction.