Norway has reached a remarkable milestone in Norway Electric Car Sales, as confirmed by the latest analysis from the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council (Opplysningsrådet for Veitrafikken, OFV), published by Bilbransje24, a prominent Norwegian automotive publication. By the end of August, Norway recorded 751,450 electric vehicles (EVs) on its roads, surpassing the 755,244 petrol-only cars.
In August alone, 95% of new car sales in Norway were electric, setting a new world record and reinforcing the country’s status as a global leader in electric vehicle market share. This high rate of electric car sales underscores Norway’s dedication to transitioning away from fossil fuels. Norway’s ambitious target to halt the sale of new petrol cars by 2025 has been effectively met ahead of schedule, with non-electrified vehicles contributing to a minimal percentage of new car sales by 2021.
This proactive approach has enabled Norway to shift to a predominantly electric vehicle market much sooner than many other regions, which have set more distant targets for reducing fossil fuel vehicles. For instance, California’s 2035 ban on new gas cars still allows up to 20% of sales to be plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that contain combustion engines.
Despite this significant shift towards electric car sales, diesel vehicles continue to maintain a notable presence on Norwegian roads. Diesel cars overtook petrol-only cars in late 2014 and have remained more common since. However, the number of diesel vehicles is declining, with just over one million currently in service. This figure is expected to fall below one million by the end of this month, reflecting a broader trend of decreasing diesel car usage.
The Role of Hybrids
In addition to electric and diesel vehicles, hybrid models are also influential in Norway’s automotive landscape. Currently, there are approximately 208,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles and 156,000 non-plug-in hybrids on Norwegian roads. Since 2019, the number of plug-in hybrids has surpassed non-plug-in hybrids, indicating a shift towards more flexible, eco-friendly vehicle options.
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The decline in diesel and petrol car registrations has notably impacted motor fuel sales in Norway. With fewer fossil fuel vehicles on the road and newer electric vehicles being driven more frequently, the demand for petrol and diesel has significantly decreased. Norway, a Scandinavian country about half the size of Pakistan, boasts a population of under six million and is rich in natural resources, including oil, gas, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals.
