But automotive experts say the record interest also extends to new vehicles and could cause delays as motorists buy electric cars still en route to Australia.
Pickles released details of the trend on Wednesday, revealing searches for electric vehicles on its site had risen by 111 per cent in the three weeks to March 21.
The growth follows widespread fuel shortages, and price rises that have seen some regional service stations charge more than $4 a litre for diesel.
Interest in battery-powered vehicles spiked in the second week of March, Pickles automotive solutions general manager Brendon Green said, with 98 per cent more customers adding an electric car to their wish list.
"Interest has been steadily growing but this has certainly been more of a hockey-stick acceleration in EV interest overall," he told AAP.
"We didn't see it coming, that's for sure."
Whether the rise signalled a permanent change may depend on fuel prices, Mr Green said, although sales had been climbing over time.
"There seems to be a direct line between the petrol spike and people looking into EVs but I think this is going to accelerate their interest," he said.
Rising interest in electric vehicles comes one month after they set a new record to represent 11.8 per cent of new car sales.
But the full impact their rising popularity may not be known for months, Australian Electric Vehicle Association national president James Pickering said, as some manufacturers had begun to accept pre-orders.
"We're hearing a lot of dealers are not just running down stock in the country but some of them are running down stock in transit," he said.
"The true (representation) of what's going on now will not just be in the March sales figures but also the April figures."
Mr Pickering said increased demand for EVs could also free up fuel for other sectors that were harder to decarbonise.
"EVs are critical for energy security," he said.
"What we are seeing right now is a response to the energy security concerns that Australia has had for quite some time."
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