In Norway, for the first time, the count of licensed electric vehicles surpasses the tally of conventional gasoline-powered engines.
"For the first time in Norway, there are more registered electric vehicles than those with gasoline engines. As per the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA), out of the country's 2.8 million vehicles, 754,303 are strictly electric, while 753,905 rely on gasoline. Although diesel engines still command close to a million vehicles, their numbers are dwindling rapidly."
NPRA Director Øyvind Solberg Thorsen remarked, "This is an impressive achievement," adding that it was something that few would have envisioned a decade ago. Norway appears set to secure the title of "the first nation worldwide with an automotive fleet primarily composed of electric cars."
The trajectory of Norway suggests it will achieve its ambition of only registering 100% electric vehicles next year. In August, an astounding 94.3% of new car registrations were entirely electric models. The popularity of electric vehicles in Norway can be attributed to exceptionally beneficial taxation that makes these models highly competitive against gasoline and hybrid vehicles.
In the European Union, electric vehicles account for only 12.5% of new vehicle registrations in 2023, and that figure has actually decreased since the end of the year. Mainly due to sluggish electric vehicle sales in Germany, this is the primary reason behind this decline.**
This achievement of having more registered electric vehicles than gasoline ones in Norway is something that NPRA Director Øyvind Solberg Thorsen finds impressive. Norway is on track to become the first nation with a predominantly electric automotive fleet.
