Norway has set a new world record for the proportion of electric car sales following another increase in plug-in popularity in 2018.
According to the Norwegian Road Federation, electric cars made up 31.2 per cent of all sales in 2018 – with this figure placing Norway as the leading country for electric car sales per head.
This has been boosted by the country offering drivers tax exemptions if they drive a battery-powered vehicle, as well as other incentives – such as free parking and access to charging points.
The Scandinavian country is western Europe’s largest producer of gas and oil, but is hoping to become one of the world’s greenest economies – with more environmentally friendly vehicles included in that plan.
The Norwegian government has set a target of 2025 of eradicating petrol and diesel car sales – 15 years before the UK – but two-thirds of all sales from 2018 were still powered by fossil fuels.
Norway’s car market also fell by 6.8 per cent in 2018 to 147,929 units – but electric car sales equated to 46,092.
The Nissan Leaf was the leading option in the Norwegian electric car market – with 2018 seeing the battery-powered hatchback get a much-awaited upgrade in range, design and safety technology.
However, Norway’s Institute of Transport Economics is sceptical of the current target to end all fossil fuel-powered vehicle sales by 2025.
ITE economist Lasse Fridstroem told the Reuters news agency: “Strictly speaking I don’t think it’s possible, primarily because too many people don’t have a private parking space and won’t want to buy a plug-in car if they can’t establish a charging point at home.
“We may be able to get to a 75 percent (market share), provided that the tax breaks are maintained.”
