More than half of the vehicles sold in Norway last year were battery electric vehicles, making it a worldwide leader in moving away from gasoline-powered cars. Norway has set a goal of only having electric vehicles by 2025 to reduce air pollution.

“We’re definitely on track to reach the 2025 target,” Norwegian Road Federation CEO Oyvind Solberg Thorsen told a news conference.

To that end, Norway created enticing tax incentives for zero-emission vehicles. That puts Norway ahead of schedule for its goals, according to Thorsen.

Tesla certainly has made its imprint on the Norwegian market, but Volkswagen’s luxury brand, Audi, passed Tesla for electric-vehicle sales last year. Audi’s e-tron sports utility and sportback vehicles outpaced Tesla’s mid-size Model 3, which was the 2019 top electric-vehicle seller.

Car buyers can pay less for electric vehicles and receive other perks, including the use of bus lanes and reduced ferry and toll road fees. There are 10,000 charging ports in Norway.

“Our preliminary forecast is for electric cars to surpass 65% of the market in 2021,” Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association Secretary General Christina (need full name) said. “If we manage that, the goal of selling only zero-emission cars in 2025 will be within reach.”

Electric vehicles accounted for 42% of Norway’s sales in 2019, but that number jumped to 54% last year (67% in December alone), according to data that the Norwegian Road Federation released Tuesday. Combined, electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for 83% of 2020 sales in Norway. Gas-powered car sales have dropped from 71% in 2015 to 17%.

What western European country would be hurt most by the reduction in crude oil? Norway, the area’s largest crude oil producer.

Add comment