Norway Leads Globally in Electric Vehicle Sales

Recent statistics reveal that Norway has achieved a world record in electric vehicle (EV) sales, with electric cars capturing 94% of the market in August.

This remarkable figure contrasts sharply with the slowing EV sales in the rest of Europe.

Fueled by the popularity of the Tesla Model Y, which accounted for 18.8% of the sales, and to a lesser extent the Hyundai Kona and Nissan Leaf, electric vehicles constituted 94.3% of new car registrations in Norway, according to the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV).

In August alone, Norwegians purchased 10,480 new electric cars, bringing the total number of electric vehicles sold this year to 68,435.

In other parts of Europe, high prices and insufficient infrastructure have hampered EV sales, while hybrid vehicles, which combine fossil fuel engines with electric batteries, have seen increased sales.

Norway, a major oil and gas producer, has set a goal to sell only zero-emission vehicles by 2025, a decade ahead of the European Union's target.

Generous tax incentives in Norway make electric models competitively priced.

In contrast, electric vehicles accounted for just 12.1% of new car sales in the European Union in July, trailing behind gasoline cars at 33.4%, full hybrids at 32%, and diesel vehicles at 12.6%, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.