The IEA, a club of rich-country energy users, noted that EV sales were already up 25 per cent so far this year compared with the same period in 2023.
And it estimated that sales would reach about 17 million by the end of the year compared with 14 million for the 12 months to the end of December.
Dr Birol said the world's fleet of EVs was growing strongly and the projections, at least from the IEA's point of view, were clear.
"The continued momentum behind electric cars is clear in our data, although it is stronger in some markets than others," Dr Birol said.
"Rather than tapering off, the global EV revolution appears to be gearing up for a new phase of growth."
According to the IEA, the growth in EV sales needed to be seen against the backdrop of a bigger electric fleet in the first place.
It said global sales of electric vehicles amounted to 18 per cent of all cars sold in 2023, up from 14 per cent in 2022 and seemingly on a one-way path.
This, the IEA wrote, suggested that demand for EVs was shifting from early adopters to the mass market, which it argued was a major turning point for the industry.
Driving that shift was falling prices that were being pushed lower by intense competition among car makers across the United States, Europe and, increasingly, China.
