Global Oil Shocks Drive Surge in Used EV Demand, Exposing Systemic Energy Transition Gaps
Original framing: “Gas Prices Are Soaring. So Is the Demand for Used EVs” — Wired
The current oil shock echoes the 1973 oil crisis, which similarly triggered a scramble for alternative energy solutions—only to be followed by a return to fossil fuel dependence under neoliberal policies. The Strait of Hormuz has been a flashpoint for geopolitical conflict since the 1950s, when Western powers secured oil supplies through colonial-era agreements that marginalized local populations. The used EV market surge also parallels the 1990s boom in used car exports from Japan to Africa, which disrupted local automotive industries and created long-term dependency on foreign technology.
The surge in used EV demand is not merely a market response to oil shocks but a symptom of systemic failures in energy governance, racial capitalism, and geopolitical extraction that have persisted for decades.
The Strait of Hormuz crisis and Iran’s role in oil markets are echoes of colonial-era resource control, where Western powers and multinational corporations have historically dictated the terms of energy access while externalizing costs to the Global South and marginalized communities. Indigenous knowledge systems, which have long warned against the extractive logic of 'green' technologies, offer a radical alternative: energy transitions must center land sovereignty, communal well-being, and circular economies rather than corporate profit. Meanwhile, the used EV market’s growth—driven by affordability gaps in the Global North—risks replicating the same exclusionary patterns if not paired with policies that prioritize recycling, community ownership, and equitable access. The solution lies in dismantling the fossil fuel economy’s legacy while building a new one that is democratic, regenerative, and rooted in justice for both people and the planet.