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An oil-rich country surprises by adopting electric cars as a national preference, with 90% of vehicles sold being powered by electricity.
In a world where sustainable mobility is gaining more and more prominence, an oil-rich Nordic country is standing out by transforming its automotive fleet.
With nearly 90% of new car sales in 2024 expected to be all-electric models, the nation shows how consistent policies and tax incentives can drive historic change.
Norway has once again demonstrated its global leadership in transition for sustainable mobility.
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Data released by Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) confirm that 88,9% of new cars sold in the country in 2024 were fully electric. This number brings the Nordic country closer to achieving the goal of eliminating electric vehicles internal combustion from the market.
While other European Union countries face major challenges in meeting electric vehicle sales targets, Norway is poised to become the first country in the world to operate exclusively with zero-emissions cars.
The head of the Norwegian Road Federation, Christina Bu, predicts that the country will virtually eliminate gasoline and diesel-powered cars in the near future.
Oil is Abundant – Is Fuel Price High?
Interestingly, despite being one of the largest exporters of oil in the world, the price of gasoline there is high, often exceeding the European average, as part of a strategy to discourage the use of fossil fuels.
Over the past few years, the average price of gasoline in Norway has fluctuated between 2,3 and 2,5 euros per liter, one of the highest in Europe.
For comparison purposes, in Germany the average price is around 1,8 euros per liter, while in France it is around 1,9 euros.
This significant difference is a direct result of the application of taxes that penalize the consumption of fossil fuels, redirecting resources to initiatives that favor electric mobility.
Tesla dominates, but other brands also shine
Tesla has established itself as the best-selling brand in Norway in 2024, with 24.259 registered units.
O Tesla Model Y led the overall ranking, with an impressive 16.858 units sold, followed by the Tesla Model 3, with 7.264 units.
Other popular models also stood out, such as the Volvo EX30 (7.229 units), the Volkswagen ID.4 (7.222 units) and the Toyota bZ4X (6.007 units).
Among the ten best-selling cars, nine were 100% electric. The only exception was the Toyota Yaris, a hybrid that ranked 9th due to its very low fuel consumption.
Success strategies
The increase in sales of electric cars in Norway is the result of consistent public policies.
The country has imposed high tax rates on combustion-powered vehicles, while offering generous tax incentives for electric models.
Benefits such as exemption from import taxes and VAT have made electric cars more accessible to the population.
Paradoxically, these policies were funded by profits generated by the oil and gas industry. In 2023, Norway produced 2 million barrels of crude oil per day, ranking it the 12th largest producer in the world.
Exports of oil, natural gas and derivatives accounted for 62% of the total value exported by the country in 2023, reaching approximately 1,2 trillion Norwegian kroner, around 111,6 billion US dollars.
Electric fleet surpasses gasoline
Another significant milestone was reached in September 2024, when the electric vehicle fleet surpassed that of gasoline cars.
According to the OFV, of the 2,8 million cars registered in the country, 754.303 were electric, while 753.905 were gasoline-powered.
Although diesel cars still make up the majority, with 999.715 registered units, their sales are declining rapidly. The Norwegian market reflects a consistent and accelerating shift towards cleaner mobility.
Political continuity
OFV chief Christina Bu highlighted that one of the main factors for Norway's success was the continuity of public policies aimed at electric mobility.
Regardless of the party in power, the country has maintained consistent efforts to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles.
"In other countries, we see incentives being introduced and then quickly withdrawn. In Norway, we have avoided this kind of instability, and this has been key to the progress we have made.”, Bu said.
It's easy: export pollution and act environmentally friendly!
This is because solid-state batteries have not yet entered the market in a big way. With solid-state batteries, the only people who won't have an electric car are those who like to pollute the environment...