EVs Claim Nearly One-Third of Norway’s Car Market

Sales of pure-electric cars in Norway captured 31% of the country’s entire passenger vehicle market last year, says the Norwegian Road Federation (NRF).

The ratio has soared from just 6% EVs in 2013, thanks to aggressive government incentives. EV deliveries in the country last year jumped 40% to 46,100 units.

Norway waives most vehicle taxes and tolls for EVs, allows them to travel in bus lanes and park free and offers owners free parking and battery charging. The country aims to end all sales of new vehicles that burn fossil fuels by 2025.

The Paris-based International Energy Agency, which includes plug-in hybrids in its calculations, says electrified vehicles hiked their market share in Norway to 39% in 2017. That penetration compares with 12% for Iceland (the world’s second-strongest EV market in terms of share), 2% in China and 1% in the U.S.

Nissan Motor Co.’s next-generation Leaf electric sedan was the best-selling EV in Norway last year, according to the country’s vehicle importers group. Sales of plug-in hybrids rose last year, but demand for traditional hybrids plunged 20%.

Experts say Norway’s goal of electric-only sales by 2025 isn’t likely to be reached unless access to charging facilities becomes dramatically easier. The Institute of Transport Economics tells Reuters that a 75% market share for EVs might be possible, but only if the government maintains incentives on EV sales.