Photo: Renault
Norway has surprised the world again with their successful implementation of electric vehicles.
This time, the Scandinavian country has achieved a world-first, as two out of three cars sold last month in Norway were electric cars and plug-in hybrids.
If you look at the numbers, the result is not as impressive. Truth be told, the automotive market in Norway is not a game-changer, but their incentives could become a role-model for other countries.
According to Green Car Reports, which quotes a Norwegian website called Dinside Motor, 60% of all new cars registered last month in that country were electric or plug-in hybrids and hybrids. Time for the numbers: 2,595 battery-electric vehicles, 2,042 plug-in hybrid autos, and 3,396 hybrids registered in Norway.
These eco-friendly cars added up to 8,033 new car registrations in Norway last month, a solid figure when compared to all 13,875 new car filings. Furthermore, 465 used electric vehicles switched owners last month, so there is interest in the second-hand electric car market as well.
The third best-selling car in Norway last month was the Nissan Leaf, a fully electric vehicle developed from scratch in this form. According to registration data, 676 Norwegians bought a new Nissan Leaf last month. The number is included in the 5,102 customers from Norway who purchased a plug-in vehicle in March 2016 and will have to charge their cars somewhere.
How did Norway, a country rich in oil resources, achieve this level of popularity for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids? Easy - the solution was the introduction of generous incentives.
The Norwegian government excused electric cars of road tax, registration fees, sales tax, and value-added tax. Furthermore, public parking is free for EVs, as well as public charging, ferry transport, and open access to all toll roads, bridges, and tunnels.
Did we mention that they get access to restricted bus lanes? The latter feature might be rolled back, as it is slowing down public transport, and this is a big no-go for the authorities. Together, these incentives add up to an exciting fiscal bundle of savings, and the instant torque of electric motors quickly makes the package attractive.
This is not the first time Norway surprises the whole world with their EV accomplishments, as the Tesla Model S and the Nissan Leaf were, for a few months, the best-selling cars in the entire Norwegian car market.
We realize that total sales figures are not impressive or groundbreaking, but they show something more important: the fact that a country can switch to zero emission vehicles with the aid of incentives. Moreover, the Scandinavian country has courageous plans for 2025: they dream that almost 100% of cars traveling on their roads will be emission-free.
If you look at the numbers, the result is not as impressive. Truth be told, the automotive market in Norway is not a game-changer, but their incentives could become a role-model for other countries.
According to Green Car Reports, which quotes a Norwegian website called Dinside Motor, 60% of all new cars registered last month in that country were electric or plug-in hybrids and hybrids. Time for the numbers: 2,595 battery-electric vehicles, 2,042 plug-in hybrid autos, and 3,396 hybrids registered in Norway.
These eco-friendly cars added up to 8,033 new car registrations in Norway last month, a solid figure when compared to all 13,875 new car filings. Furthermore, 465 used electric vehicles switched owners last month, so there is interest in the second-hand electric car market as well.
The third best-selling car in Norway last month was the Nissan Leaf, a fully electric vehicle developed from scratch in this form. According to registration data, 676 Norwegians bought a new Nissan Leaf last month. The number is included in the 5,102 customers from Norway who purchased a plug-in vehicle in March 2016 and will have to charge their cars somewhere.
How did Norway, a country rich in oil resources, achieve this level of popularity for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids? Easy - the solution was the introduction of generous incentives.
The Norwegian government excused electric cars of road tax, registration fees, sales tax, and value-added tax. Furthermore, public parking is free for EVs, as well as public charging, ferry transport, and open access to all toll roads, bridges, and tunnels.
Did we mention that they get access to restricted bus lanes? The latter feature might be rolled back, as it is slowing down public transport, and this is a big no-go for the authorities. Together, these incentives add up to an exciting fiscal bundle of savings, and the instant torque of electric motors quickly makes the package attractive.
This is not the first time Norway surprises the whole world with their EV accomplishments, as the Tesla Model S and the Nissan Leaf were, for a few months, the best-selling cars in the entire Norwegian car market.
We realize that total sales figures are not impressive or groundbreaking, but they show something more important: the fact that a country can switch to zero emission vehicles with the aid of incentives. Moreover, the Scandinavian country has courageous plans for 2025: they dream that almost 100% of cars traveling on their roads will be emission-free.
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