Electric Cars Dominate Norway's Market with 96% Share in January
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Loading... - Masika Khaled
- 03 Feb 2025
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Almost 96% of new cars registered in Norway in January 2025 were electric, bringing the Scandinavian country closer to its ambitious goal of transitioning to 100% zero-emission vehicles.
According to the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV), electric vehicles accounted for 95.8% of new car registrations last month. When including rechargeable hybrid models, the share of electric cars rose to 96.8%. In total, 9,343 new cars were sold in January, with 8,954 of those being all-electric.
Oyvind Solberg Thorsen, director of the OFV, noted the significance of this trend, stating, "We've never seen this before... If the rest of the year continues like this, we will very soon be close to the 2025 goal." However, he emphasized the need to maintain incentives that make electric cars financially attractive compared to traditional internal combustion models to achieve a complete transition.
Among the 50 most-sold car models in Norway, only two were non-electric, with the first non-electric model ranking at 33rd place. The dominance of electric vehicles is largely attributed to various incentives, including tax exemptions, toll exemptions, free parking in public car parks, and access to public transport traffic lanes. While some of these incentives have been reduced over the years, electric cars have become a common sight on Norwegian roads.
In stark contrast, diesel cars accounted for just 1.5% of new registrations, while petrol cars made up only 0.4%. The most popular electric model in January was the Toyota bZ4X, followed by the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Nissan Ariya.
While Norway leads the way in electric vehicle adoption, the broader European market lags significantly behind. In 2024, the share of electric cars across Europe was only 13.6%, marking a decline for the first time since 2020. For December alone, the share was reported at 15.9%, according to the carmaking lobby ACEA.
Norway's impressive statistic of 96% electric vehicle registrations in January highlights the country's commitment to sustainable transportation and its effective incentive programs. As the nation moves closer to its goal of 100% zero-emission vehicles, continued support for electric cars will be crucial in maintaining this momentum. The contrast with the rest of Europe underscores Norway's leadership in the transition to electric mobility, setting a benchmark for other countries to follow.
