Norway is set to become the first country in the world to effectively erase gasoline and diesel cars from its new car market. Despite its vast oil and gas reserves, the Nordic country has long been recognized as a global leader in sustainable transportation. Its electric vehicle sales have increased from less than 1% of total auto sales in 2010 to a whopping 88.9% last year, and the trend shows no signs of slowing. Electric vehicles accounted for more than 96% of new cars sold in the first few weeks of this year. That puts Norway within touching distance of going fully electric, a goal that was first established by lawmakers back in 2017. Rather than imposing a ban, the country has offered incentives to move people from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles. Incentives include a sales tax exemption, discounts on road and parking taxes, and access to bus lanes. The government has also heavily invested in public charging stations, and many Norwegian households are able to charge their cars at home. While new car sales in Norway are close to 100% electric, there are still plenty of vehicles with internal combustion engines on the road. Harald Nils Røstvik, a professor at Norway’s University of Stavanger, said he doesn't expect Norway to backslide on its EV transition. “The advantages of an electric car versus a noisy diesel car are so many. It’s quiet, it’s more economical, they look good, it’s a kind of status symbol for many, it’s clean, you don’t need to change your oil filter, you don’t even have to open the hood."
Norway is Set to Become the First Country to Fully Transition to Electric Vehicles
Norway is set to become the first country in the world to effectively erase gasoline and diesel cars from its new car market. Despite its vast oil and gas reserves, the Nordic country has long been recognized as a global leader in sustainable transportation. Its electric vehicle sales have increased from less than 1% of total auto sales in 2010 to a whopping 88.9% last year, and the trend shows no signs of slowing. Electric vehicles accounted for more than 96% of new cars sold in the first few weeks of this year. That puts Norway within touching distance of going fully electric, a goal that was first established by lawmakers back in 2017. Rather than imposing a ban, the country has offered incentives to move people from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles. Incentives include a sales tax exemption, discounts on road and parking taxes, and access to bus lanes. The government has also heavily invested in public charging stations, and many Norwegian households are able to charge their cars at home. While new car sales in Norway are close to 100% electric, there are still plenty of vehicles with internal combustion engines on the road. Harald Nils Røstvik, a professor at Norway’s University of Stavanger, said he doesn't expect Norway to backslide on its EV transition. “The advantages of an electric car versus a noisy diesel car are so many. It’s quiet, it’s more economical, they look good, it’s a kind of status symbol for many, it’s clean, you don’t need to change your oil filter, you don’t even have to open the hood."