Norway makes history: more electrified cars than gasoline cars

Electric vehicle fleet on the rise

Although diesel cars are still the largest group in Norway – with nearly a million units – it is clear that the transition to electric driving in Norway is unstoppable.
In fact, the pace is so fast that EVs will probably overtake diesel vehicles in terms of numbers within a few years.
According to Øyvind Solberg Thorsen, director of the Norwegian Road Authority, Norway is fast becoming the first country in the world to have a fleet where electric vehicles dominate.
“This change was unthinkable ten years ago, but we are now seeing a completely different reality,” Thorsen said.

Government subsidies encourage electric driving

The meteoric rise of EVs in Norway is no accident.
For years, the country has been pursuing progressive policies to make electric driving attractive.
Among other things, Norway offers tax exemptions and lower toll and parking costs for electric cars.
EV drivers can also often use bus lanes.
Incidentally, the measures are funded by revenues from Norway’s oil and gas industry.

Norway wants to stay ahead

The Norwegian government’s ambition is to completely stop selling new gasoline and diesel cars as early as 2025.
With more than 90 percent of new cars sold electrified, that goal seems within reach.
Currently, 26.3 percent of the total fleet of 2.8 million vehicles are electric vehicles.

No loading stress in Norway

In many countries, the transition to electric driving is hampered by a shortage of charging stations, but in Norway that problem is hardly an issue.
The country has an extensive network of charging stations, with thousands of charging points in cities such as Oslo. AutoRAI.nl traveled to Norway last winter to investigate how easy it really is to travel there with an electric car.
In the video below you can see how that went: