Electric cars avoided oil use in 2025 equal to 70% of Iran's exports
Electric vehicles avoided 1.7 million barrels a day of oil consumption in 2025, equivalent to 70% of Iran's exports. An Ember analysis and the debate around it.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Electric cars saved in 2025 the equivalent of 70% of Iran's oil exports
A report by the energy think tank Ember puts at 1.7 million barrels a day the oil the global electric vehicle fleet avoided consuming in 2025. That amount equals 70% of what Iran exports through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the analysis. Asia's energy vulnerability is thus laid bare, but the figure does not hide the many sides of the debate.
Oil savings: a geopolitical weapon
Supporters of electrification point out that reducing oil dependence is key given instability in the Middle East. The International Energy Agency expects oil demand to peak in 2029, which reinforces the need for alternatives. However, electricity generation remains tied to fossil fuels: in Spain, in November 2025, a blackout forced gas combined-cycle plants to be brought in, according to news reports at the time.
The dark side of electrification
Criticism is plentiful. Lithium extraction in the Andes requires 2,000 liters of desalinated water per kilo of metal, an energy-intensive process. In addition, electric vehicle fires, such as the one in a garage in Alcorcón, Spain, in 2024 that killed firefighters, breed distrust. Repsol's fast chargers cost up to €0.55/kWh, while petrol has hovered around €1.20/liter in recent years, which narrows the economic advantage. On the other hand, the lifespan of lithium batteries remains limited and their recycling is problematic.
Displacement or real savings?
The Ember report does not count the emissions and energy consumed before the vehicle hits the road: mining, manufacturing and shipping from China. Nor the electricity that charges the batteries, which in many countries comes from gas or coal. Skeptics argue the savings are a mirage, while optimists see a necessary step toward energy independence. The question that remains: is electrification a real solution or just a displacement of emissions and risks to other stages of the chain?
Related discussions in the forum
A report by the energy think tank Ember puts at 1.7 million barrels a day the oil the global electric vehicle fleet avoided consuming in 2025. That amount equals 70% of what Iran exports through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the analysis. Asia's energy vulnerability is thus laid bare, but the figure does not hide the many sides of the debate.
Oil savings: a geopolitical weapon
Supporters of electrification point out that reducing oil dependence is key given instability in the Middle East. The International Energy Agency expects oil demand to peak in 2029, which reinforces the need for alternatives. However, electricity generation remains tied to fossil fuels: in Spain, in November 2025, a blackout forced gas combined-cycle plants to be brought in, according to news reports at the time.
The dark side of electrification
Criticism is plentiful. Lithium extraction in the Andes requires 2,000 liters of desalinated water per kilo of metal, an energy-intensive process. In addition, electric vehicle fires, such as the one in a garage in Alcorcón, Spain, in 2024 that killed firefighters, breed distrust. Repsol's fast chargers cost up to €0.55/kWh, while petrol has hovered around €1.20/liter in recent years, which narrows the economic advantage. On the other hand, the lifespan of lithium batteries remains limited and their recycling is problematic.
Displacement or real savings?
The Ember report does not count the emissions and energy consumed before the vehicle hits the road: mining, manufacturing and shipping from China. Nor the electricity that charges the batteries, which in many countries comes from gas or coal. Skeptics argue the savings are a mirage, while optimists see a necessary step toward energy independence. The question that remains: is electrification a real solution or just a displacement of emissions and risks to other stages of the chain?
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (45 replies).
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