Fuel price hikes, West Asia tensions push Indian businesses towards EV transition
New Delhi, May 23
Rising crude oil prices amid the ongoing West Asia crisis have brought in another round of petrol and diesel increases, which in turn is accelerating India's shift towards electric vehicles, particularly in the commercial and fleet mobility segment, industry leaders said.
Petrol and diesel prices have been increased three times in the last ten days, putting additional pressure on businesses dependent on transportation and logistics. Industry stakeholders believe the volatility in fuel markets is strengthening the case for electric mobility as companies seek stability in operational costs.
According to industry estimates, global EV registrations crossed 1.6 million units in April 2026, marking the second consecutive month of growth in demand.
Experts said the EV transition is increasingly being driven by economic necessity rather than environmental concerns.
Alpna Jain, Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer of Drivn, said fluctuating oil prices are creating uncertainty for businesses.
"Oil prices have stopped behaving like a manageable variable; they have become a genuine threat to how businesses plan, price, and operate. A single price spike is enough to reopen contracts, shrink margins, and throw off budgets that were locked in well in advance," Jain said.
She added that businesses are now focused on how quickly they can shift to EVs without disrupting operations.
"EV leasing makes that possible. No heavy capital outlay, no ownership headaches, no exposure to resale risk. Just a clear, fixed cost that stays consistent whether fuel prices rise or fall," she said.
Talking about how EV registrations are seeing a decline in North America and China after expiry of certain inventives, she added, "While North America saw EV registrations fall 28% following the end of tax credit schemes, and China dipped 8% after trade-in incentives expired, India's trajectory looks markedly different driven by a growing policy push, rising diesel costs, and a B2B segment hungry for operational cost savings."
Industry leaders also pointed to geopolitical instability in West Asia as a major factor behind growing EV adoption globally.
Mukesh Gupta, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of MaxVolt Energy Industries, said consumers and businesses are increasingly turning to electric mobility due to concerns around fossil fuel dependence.
"With fuel prices climbing and geopolitical tensions showing no signs of easing, more people are turning to electric vehicles than ever before," Gupta said.
"The geopolitical instability we're seeing today has made one thing very clear -- depending heavily on fossil fuels for transportation carries real risk," he added.
Gupta said, "In Europe, Chinese brands now account for 22% of EVs and plug-in hybrids sold up from 19% a year ago underscoring that technology supply chains are rapidly globalising. For Indian battery makers, that competitive pressure is also an opportunity: fleet operators increasingly prefer locally supported, certified solutions over imported alternatives."
— ANI
Reader Comments
My family runs a small logistics firm in Pune, and last week our diesel bill went up by ₹8,000. We're seriously considering switching to electric three-wheelers. But I wish the article also talked about how the electricity for charging these EVs is still largely coal-based. Is it really that green?
What I find interesting is that businesses are now seeing EVs as an economic necessity, not just an environmental choice. That's a more practical angle for India. The cost savings from avoiding petrol pumps every week will be huge for fleet owners. However, the resale value of EVs still worries many people.
As someone living in Bangalore, I appreciate the push towards EVs, but the article missed a key challenge: traffic jams that drain EV batteries faster. Also, the upfront cost is still too high for many middle-class families despite the leasing options. More incentives for smaller personal vehicles would help.
We run a food delivery service in Mumbai, and fuel costs are eating into our margins. I completely agree with Alpna Jain ji that EV leasing removes the headache of ownership. But the government should also focus on standardizing charging protocols. We tried installing a charger last month and had compatibility issues with two different brands.
It's encouraging to see India's EV adoption being driven by economic realities rather than just policy subsidies. The West Asia crisis has made everyone realize how fragile our fuel supply chain is. However, I'm skeptical about the 1.6 million figure—how many of those are in India vs. China? Let's not get ahead of ourselves.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.