Norway on track to be first to go all-electric

Norway is a world leader when it comes to pick up electric cars, which was responsible for nine out of 10 new vehicles sold in the country last year. Can other nations learn from this?

The car dealership at Oslo for over 75 years is importing the Harilda -e -Mooller Volkswagnes, but in the beginning of 2024 it bid farewell to fossil fuel cars.

Now its showroom has all passenger vehicles electric (EV) for sale.

“We think it is wrong to advise the customer coming here to buy ice (internal combustion engine) car today, because the Chief Executive Officer Ulf Tor Hekebi says,” we think it is wrong, because the future is electric. ” “Long distance, high charging speed. It is difficult to return.”

On the streets of Norway’s capital, Oslo, battery -powered cars are not a novelty, they are ideal. Take a look around and you will soon see that almost every other car has “E” for “electric” on your license plate.

The Nordic Nation of 5.5 million people has adopted EVS faster than any other country, and is the first person to phase the sale of new fossil fuel cars.

Last year, the number of electric cars on Norway roads defeated people operated by petrol For the first time. When diesel vehicles are included, electric cars have about one third of the Norwegian roads.

And 88.9% of new cars sold in the country last year There were EVs, In 2023, above 82.4%, the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) data was revealed.

In a few months the sales of full electric cars were as high as 98%, as new petrol or diesel cars were almost fried.

In contrast, UK made in electric cars Only 20% New car registration in 2024. However it was a record high, and above 16.5% in 2023.

In America, the figure was Only 8% Last year, from 7.6%.

Norway is undoubtedly an EV leading, but it has been three decades to create this lightning revolution.

Christina BU, general secretary of the Norwegian EV Association, says, “It already begun in the early 1990s,”

“Petrol and diesel engines are slightly more than reducing cars, so they have become much more expensive to buy, while electric cars are exempted from taxes.”

Support for electric vehicles first EVS, The Buddy (First Kewt) and Th! Two Norwegian manufacturers of NK City were introduced to help. When they went out of business, they remained incentive for greenery vehicles.

“It is our goal to see that it is always a good and viable option, to choose zero emissions,” says Norway Deputy Corporation Minister, Sesili Naibe Kogland. “

Even though it is a major oil and gas producer, Norway is aimed at all new cars sold to be “zero emissions”, starting at some point in 2025. In 2017, a non-negotiable target was set back, and that the milestone is now within access.

“We are shutting down on the target, and I think we will reach that goal,” says Croglund. “I think we have already infected for the cars of the passengers.”

The key to Norway’s success has been long -term and predicted policies, she explains.

Instead of banning combustion engine vehicles, the government has carried forward consumer options. In addition to punishing fuel fossil vehicles with high taxes and registration fees, VAT and import duties were scattered for low-fasting cars.

A string of allowances, such as free parking, accessible road toll and bus lane, followed.

Comparatively, the European Union plans to ban the sale of new fossil-fuel cars by 2035, and the current government of the UK wants Ban their sales in 2030.

The sale of petrol and diesel cars is still allowed in Norway. But some are choosing to buy them.

Electric made an economic understanding for many local people, such as Stale Fan, who bought his first EV 15 months ago.

“With all the incentives, we have no tax on EV in Norway, it was quite important for us,” he says plugging in his car at a charging station in the capital.

“In the cold, the border is probably 20% small, but still, with the charging networks we have in Norway, this is not really a big issue,” says Mr. Fan. “You just have to change your mindset and when you can, you will have to charge, not when you need.”

Another driver, Merit Eggsbo, says that in 2014 she was one of the first people of Norway, who was the owner of Tesla. “I really wanted a car that was not polluted. It gave me a better conscience driving.”

Many fuel pumps at Norwegian petrol stations have been replaced by fast-charging points, and Norway now has more than 27,000 public chargers.

Compare with it 73,699 in UK – 12 times larger country in terms of population.

This means that, per 100,000 people, Norway has 447 charger while the UK has only 89, According to a recent report.

Tesla, VW and Toyota were the top-bound EV brands of Norway last year. Meanwhile, Chinese -owned marks – such as MG, BWD, Polstar and Exg – Now according to the Norwegian Road Federation, create a combined 10% of the market.

Unlike the US and the European Union, Norway has not imposed tariffs on Chinese EV imports.

Ms. Boo says that “there is no reason that other countries cannot copy Norway”. However, she says that it is “all about doing in a way that can work in every country or market”.

Norwegians do not have more environmentally brain than people, she believes. “I don’t think a green mentality has to be done with it. It has to be done with strong policies, and people gradually understand that it is possible to drive an electric car.”

Yet Norway is also a very rich nation, thanks to its huge oil and gas exports, a sovereign money fund that costs more than $ 1.7tn (£ 1.3tn). This means that it can easily bear large infrastructure-old projects, and absorb the loss of tax revenue from the sale of petrol and diesel cars and their fuel sale.

There is also abundance of renewable hydroelectric electricity in the country, which eats 88%of its production capacity.

“One -third of cars are now electric, and it will pass 50% in a few years,” says Kejel Wiren Johanssen of Norwegian Center for Transport Research, says. “I think the government admits that some new petrol or hybrid cars will still be in the market, but I do not know anyone who wants to buy a diesel car these days.”