EVs Continue to Shine in Norway, Account for Nearly Half of Automobile Sales

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Norway has it figured out when it comes to electric cars. By offering consumers with an excellent mix of subsidies, perks, and access to chargers and electric cars, Norway has given consumers numerous reasons to make the switch to a battery-powered machine. With all of the available perks, electric vehicles are continuing to do well in the country, as Reuters reports that more than half of the new cars sold in the country for the first half of 2019 were fully-electric cars.

Model 3 Leads EV Sales

The Norwegian Road Federation (NRF) made the sales announcement at the beginning of the month. And at the same time of the announcement, the NRF stated that the Tesla Model 3 was the top-selling vehicle in the country. Clearly, that's good news for Tesla, as the brand has reportedly been struggling recently.

The outlet claims that 48.4 percent of all new vehicles sold from January to June – the first six months of the year – were electric. That's an impressive amount of growth, as electric vehicles accounted for just 31.2 percent of new car sales for the entire 2018 year. It's even more impressive when you consider the fact that Norway is an oil-producing country. With the sales figures, Norway is now the global leader in per-capita electric car sales, reports the outlet.

In the month of June alone, Tesla sold a total of 3,760 electric vehicles in Norway. The American automaker accounted for 24.5 percent of new cars sold during the month. Tesla was also one of the top-selling brands in the country for the first half of 2019, claims Reuters. While the Model 3 was the most popular vehicle from Tesla's lineup, consumers still purchased the Model S and Model X, just at lower numbers than before.

Why Norway Leads The Way For EV Sales

Norway has come out and announced plans to end the sale of diesel-and gasoline-powered vehicles in the country by the middle of the next decade. To help consumers make the switch, Norway has given owners of battery-powered vehicles some benefits . One of the major ones is the exemption from large taxes that are imposed on diesel-and gas-powered vehicles. Another discount comes in the form of better prices on toll roads. Other perks include cheaper parking and the ability to travel in bus lanes during rush hour. Unlike in other countries, Norway has an extensive network of charging stations for EV owners to use.

The idea behind giving EV owners more perks and unique benefits has worked. As automakers with electric offerings, have seen their sales grow. Automakers like Tesla, Hyundai, Nissan, and BMW, which all have fully-electric cars in Norway. Brands like Ford and Mercedes-Benz don't have fully-electric cars in the country, and have seen sales drop, claims the outlet. Sales of EVs are so strong in the country that brands without battery-powered options are looking to start offering versions in the near future.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods