Norwegians are ahead of us: one third of the cars sold in Norway are electric

While in Spain electric vehicles are barely a curiosity, in other European countries this type of car is taking firm root, showing that there is a market for this kind of vehicle. In 2018, 11,845 100% electric cars were registered in Spain, a figure that is growing little by little but is still far from what we can find in countries like Norway. In Spain, electric cars have experienced an increase of 63.29% compared with 2017, which is good news.

In Norway, however, one in every three registered vehicles is 100% electric. This figure hides a lot of data, which helps us better understand how the market share of electric cars has grown in Norway. Currently, this type of vehicle represents 31.2% of the new car market. The previous year this percentage was 20.8%, and if we go back to 2013, they accounted for only 5.5% of registrations.

But we are only talking about 100% electric vehicles. If we add to this percentage the hybrid vehicles registered during 2018, the market share rises to 49.1%, almost half of the cars registered in Norway last year. That is quite something. The number of electric cars registered reached 46,092 units. Meanwhile, diesel cars have fallen by 28%, while petrol cars have dropped by 17%.

Hybrids also enjoy good acceptance in Norway, although they have also been one of the vehicle types that lost sales. Specifically, sales fell by 20% compared with the previous year. The progress of electric vehicles is remarkable and it may well be the showcase in which we can see ourselves.

As for model preferences, Norwegians have opted for the second generation of the Nissan LEAF, although Tesla has entered this promising market with force. Specifically, the American manufacturer delivered 8,623 units. And with the arrival of the Tesla Model 3 during 2019, many more electric cars are expected to add to vehicle registrations in Norway.

To achieve these figures, the Norwegian government has had to make its move. Electric vehicles are exempt from almost all taxes and fees, so their price is offset by the tax exemption. In addition, there is an extensive charging network, which makes it very easy to recharge the car. But it is not all as rosy as it may seem, since many people do not have a private parking space where they can conveniently charge the car.

This circumstance may slow down the expansion of electric vehicles, since many prefer to charge the battery at home rather than at public charging points. Even so, it is good news that a European country is doing its homework to eliminate the circulation of fossil-fuel vehicles by 2025, although it will probably not manage it.