IEA says electrification is aligning energy cost, security and cleanliness

The International Energy Agency says the global shift toward electrification is increasingly bringing together three energy priorities: affordability, supply security and environmental cleanliness.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol presented the report’s ideas at the United Nations the day after its release. He linked part of the change to the war in Iran, which has pushed up fuel prices and intensified energy-security concerns.

Electric vehicles widen the cost gap

Using the IEA’s 2025 global averages, $100 of electricity powered an electric vehicle for 2,310 miles, compared with 862 miles for a gasoline-powered internal-combustion vehicle.

Heat pumps deliver longer coverage

For home heating, $100 of fuel supplied a gas boiler for 30 days. The same amount spent on electricity supplied a heat pump for 42 days, a 40% advantage.

Birol framed the shift through the “energy trilemma,” the research concept that weighs cost, security and environmental impact. He said those objectives had traditionally required trade-offs but were now increasingly aligning.

The report’s figures may understate the current gap, the source says, because gasoline and natural-gas prices have risen more sharply than electricity costs. The calculations are global averages for 2025 from the IEA report.