Norway continues to lead electric vehicle adoption in Europe, with battery electric cars (BEVs) accounting for 98.3% of all new car sales in September – the highest share so far in a single month.
The share of petrol and diesel cars – including hybrids – was just 1.7% during the month, according to the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV). A total of 14,084 BEVs were registered last month, while plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) took a 0.6% share after 85 registrations.
The country has also set another record, after EVs made up 95% of new car sales for the first nine months of this year, Kallanish notes. So far, 107,608 new BEVs and 2,198 new PHEVs have been registered in Norway.
Tesla Model Y was the top-selling model in September, with a 28.8% market share. Overall, Tesla models accounted for 34% of total sales in the month, while Volvo and Volkswagen followed with market shares of 8.7% and 7.9%, respectively.
“This shows that we are almost on target with the zero vision that all new passenger cars in 2025 should be zero-emission cars,” comments OFV director Geir Inge Stokke. “Clean petrol and diesel cars are being phased out.”
The Nordic country benefits from the government’s consistent policy support, including tax exemptions for EVs. Norway’s EV incentives have been in place since the 1990s, much ahead of other countries. Now, competition is mounting, says the OFV director.
“Many dealers report that they are now being pressured on margins and prices, especially on electric cars in the affordable segments,” Stokke adds. “There is no doubt that there is fierce competition among dealers and importers. It is now a buyer’s market, and the prices of many electric cars have decreased.”