EV sales in Norway outstrip demand for petrol, diesel cars

Demand for electric vehicles (EVs) in Norway is growing fast. EV sales in June 2017 saw a record 3,948 new vehicles being registered in the Scandinavian country, up 107 percent year on year. This information is as per data released by Road Traffic Information Council (OFV).

With every passing month Norway, which is a leader in adaptation of EVs with the highest per capita number of all-electric cars in the world, is further strengthening its push towards reducing emissions. In June 2017, EVs accounted for 27.7 percent of total sales in the passenger car segment. In June 2016, the market share for EVs stood at 13.9 percent, which means demand has doubled over a 12-month period.

"There have never been so many electric cars in a single month in Norway before. For the first time, the electric cars have a market share that is higher than both diesel and petrol cars. Together with the new hybrid cars, cars with alternative power sources received a total market share of 52.7 percent in June. This shows that new car buyers are taking ever more environmentally conscious choices," said Solberg Thorsen, CEO, OFV. 

So far this year, 14,805 new zero-emission passenger cars have been sold in Norway, which is 3,053 units more (+26%) than in the January-June 2016 period. This gives zero-emission cars a market share of 19.0 percent in the first half of 2017, while the share for the same period in 2016 stood at 15.1 percent.

As is known, Norway wants to phase out sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2025 using a ‘polluter pays’ tax system, designed to incentivise the purchase of low and zero emission vehicles.

Leased EV models are already tax exempt in Norway and electric cars are allowed to use the country's bus lanes, as well as toll roads and ferries free of charge. Conversely, fossil fuel cars will be subject to charges to use these depending on their CO2 and NOX outputs.

Norway has set ambitious targets to meet the European Clean Power for Transport directive, which recommends that there should be one public available charging point for every 10 electric cars by 2020. 

Also read : Norway to phase out petrol, diesel cars by 2025 with ‘polluter pays’ tax