Sales share of cars in Norway 2017-2018, by fuel type

In 2018, close to one in three cars sold in Norway was electric. This was an increase of more than ten percent when compared to the previous year. In contrast, cars that used other fuel types all declined in sales during this period. Indeed, electric vehicles are popular in Norway. When compared to other European countries, Norway has by far most electric vehicles with nearly half of all car registrations in 2018 being electric.

Green ambitions

The increased popularity with electric vehicles in Norway does not stem from nowhere. To the contrary, several political incentives have led the way for the rise in sales. Most importantly, there are no taxes when purchasing an electric vehicle. In addition to this, electric car owners are granted different subsidies when purchasing an electric car. These incentives are further supported by a political aim to have zero emissions from sold passenger cars as of 2025. As a result, the electric car model – Nissan Leaf – was the most sold passenger car in 2018.

A nation of renewable energy

Apart from being pioneers when it comes to driving electric vehicles, Norway is also a nation which has a long tradition of using renewable energy sources. As of 2017, the entire electricity production in the country derived from sustainable sources with more than 95 percent stemming from hydro energy. However, driving electric cars and using renewable energy sources is not everything. According to the 2019 Climate Change Performance Index, Norway placed nine when ranking countries with the highest achievements in climate protection, while the neighboring country, Sweden, placed first.