Oil-importing countries replaced crude consumption worth about $20 billion over six months as the global rollout of electric vehicles expanded, analysis showed. With energy supply uncertainty rising due to conflict in the Middle East, EVs are drawing attention as a way to reduce reliance on oil imports.

Electrek reported on Oct. 13 that energy think tank Ember analysed that EVs running in oil-importing countries replaced demand for about 200 million barrels of crude from March to August this year. That is worth about $20 billion at international oil prices. Battery electric vehicles contributed $16.5 billion, and the rest came from plug-in hybrids.

By country, China had the biggest crude replacement effect at $14 billion. The European Union recorded $3.1 billion, with Germany and France accounting for major shares.

The pace of the shift to EVs in the United States was relatively slower. From January to August this year, battery electric vehicles accounted for 6 percent of new light-vehicle sales in the United States.

In 49 of the 56 countries Ember surveyed, the share of battery electric vehicle sales was higher than in the United States. In 15 countries, including India, Brazil, Italy, Malaysia and New Zealand, the share overtook the United States for the first time this year.

In the United States, market growth was judged to have slowed after a federal tax credit for EV purchases ended in September last year. In India and Brazil, rising oil prices and expanding local production are helping accelerate EV adoption.

The global EV market kept growing. Battery electric vehicle sales in January to August rose 11 percent from a year earlier, and their share of total new-car sales increased to 18 percent from 16 percent.

Over the same period, plug-in hybrid sales fell 12 percent and internal combustion engine vehicle sales declined 6 percent. In markets excluding China and the United States, battery electric vehicle sales jumped 45 percent.

Ember said EV expansion is becoming a national energy security strategy that addresses surges in international oil prices and disruptions in oil supply, as well as cutting carbon emissions.