Fuel Crisis Jolts Electric Two-, Three-Wheeler Uptake
Two- and three-wheel vehicles, the hidden workhorses of private travel across much of the Global South, were already moving steadily toward electrification before the latest Mideast conflict, but their popularity is surging as that crisis makes access to conventional fuel difficult or expensive. An expansion of battery-swapping stations and government support in recent years is also spurring adoption of electric two- and three-wheelers, often abbreviated as 2W/3Ws. Electric models are already displacing some oil consumption, although estimates vary. China leads the market by sales volume, but India and other countries in Asia and Africa are seeing larger surges.