For one simple reason Suddenly all Swiss people want an electric car
Expensive fuel is changing purchasing behavior: In Switzerland, significantly more people are interested in electric cars. Demand has risen sharply, especially since the start of the Iran war.
27.04.2026, 10:26
29.04.2026, 14:58
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- Demand for electric cars in Switzerland rose significantly in spring.
- The main drivers are rising petrol prices as a result of the war in Iran.
- Falling purchase costs are also making electric cars more attractive for many.
Demand for electric cars in Switzerland rose significantly in spring 2026. In addition to falling acquisition costs, it is primarily the rise in petrol prices following the outbreak of the Iran war that is boosting interest in e-cars.
The Swiss Marketplace Group (SMG), which operates the car platform, announced on Monday that search queries for electric vehicles on the Autoscout24 advertising portal had increased by 48% in spring compared to the previous year, concrete contact inquiries by 69% and completed sales by 40%.
The trend that was already apparent beforehand has thus accelerated, it said. Rising costs at the pumps are prompting many car buyers to look more closely at electromobility. At the same time, the average purchase costs for electric cars are falling, which is also encouraging the switch.
Outbreak of war as a turning point
The war in the Middle East is having a decisive influence. According to SMG, search queries for electric cars increased by 8% year-on-year from January to mid-February 2026, with growth accelerating to 48% from mid-March to mid-April. The pattern was similar for specific customer inquiries, known as "leads".
The number of deleted advertisements - an indication of a successful sale - also increased significantly from mid-March compared to the previous months. The increase in sales transactions is also supported by a growing supply. Dealers are responding to the rising demand by placing more advertisements.
