Paris, July 30 (SANA)Global electric vehicle sales rose 35% in the second quarter of this year, reaching record levels in 50 countries amid a sharp increase in fuel prices linked to the repercussions of thewar in the Middle East,theInternational Energy Agency (IEA)said in a report cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP).The IEA said electric vehicle sales grew despite challenging conditions in the global automotive market, as energy-security concerns and fuel-price volatility increased interest in electric mobility. It saidoil-importing countries could use electric vehicles to strengthen energy security and protect consumers and businesses from fluctuations in fuel prices.

Several Southeast Asian countries have introduced temporary tax exemptions to encourageelectric vehiclepurchases.The agency forecast electric vehicle sales to grow 10% this year and account for about 29% of total vehicle sales, while the global automotive market is expected to contract in 2026. Europe recorded the strongest growth in electric vehicle sales in the first half of the year, with sales increasing by more than 30%.Crude oil prices rose from about $60 a barrel at the beginning of the year to nearly $120 following the outbreak of the war in the Middle East on Feb.

28, the report said. It added that continued tensions and renewed exchanges of strikes between Washington and Tehran have deepened supply disruptions and made energy security a priority, particularly as road transport alone accounts for nearly half of global oil consumption.