Norway leads the class in electric cars. The land of the midnight sun has just broken its record for new electric vehicle sales in 2022. Nearly 80% (79.3%) of new vehicles marketed last year did not have a combustion engine, according to the latest report from the Norwegian Road Federation relayed by Electrek.
The heat engine, past archetype
The new registrations reflect the shift to all-electric. In 2016, the country made a commitment to reduce its CO2 emissions and is aiming for the end of the commercialization of thermal engine vehicles by 2025. An objective which should be easily achieved in view of the latest data. The transition does not date from today, Norway having been engaged in the electrification of its car fleet for many years. The country has gone from 2.9% electric vehicles ten years ago to 65% in 2021.
“Eight out of ten people are choosing all-electric over the combustion engine, a huge step towards Norway’s climate target of 100% battery electric vehicle sales by 2025. It proves no doubt that affordable battery electric vehicles are the first choice of new car owners“, welcomed Christina Bu, general secretary of the Norwegian Association of electric vehicles.
And to add:There is no longer any excuse for unnecessary pollution from internal combustion engines when solving the climate crisis is so urgently needed.“
A tax under discussion
In 2022, buyers favored Tesla-branded cars. The Model Y sold over 17,356 units. In second place is the Volkswagen ID.4, the Skoda Enyaq (3rd), the BMW iX (4th), the Volvo XC40 (5th), the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (6th), the Audi Q4 e-tron (7th), the Audi e-tron (8th), the Polestar Polestar 2 (9th) and finally the Ford Mustang Mach-E (10th).
High-end vehicles that could soon be taxed by the country’s authorities, who are looking to cut spending. Tax exemptions on electric cars in the country would have cost the Norwegian state more than $4 billion in 2022, according to the Ministry of Finance quoted by Reuters. The center-left coalition could thus tax vehicles according to their weight (mass). Battery-powered cars could thus be at a disadvantage on the market and cost much more to buy.
“The electric car has become the new normal car for Norwegians, and that means we need to look at how we use society funds. We are confident the electric car is here to stay“, tried to reassure Johan Vasara, State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Transport.