Norway Leads The Charge With 89% EV Sales In 2024
With Tesla In The Lead And Chinese Automakers Gaining Ground, Norway Accelerates Toward Its 100% EV Goal
Norway has further cemented its position as the world leader in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, with an unprecedented 89% of new cars sold in 2024 being fully electric. This outstanding accomplishment symbolizes a noteworthy jump from 2023’s already exceptional 82.4% market share, indicating the country’s continued progress toward its goal of reaching 100% EV sales by 2025.
The Norwegian Road Information Authority (OFV) reported that out of 128,691 new car registrations in 2024, 114,409 were EVs, marking a 9.4% increase from the previous year. This transformation becomes even more striking when viewed through a historical lens – just 12 years ago, in 2012, EVs accounted for merely 2.8% of new car sales in Norway.
Tesla Leads Norwegian EV Market
Tesla maintained its dominance in the Norwegian market, with the Model Y leading all vehicle sales. The electric SUV secured 16,858 new registrations, claiming a 13.1% market share – exceeding the combined sales of all non-EVs. The Tesla Model 3, following its Highland facelift, captured second place with 7,264 registrations, closely followed by Volvo’s new EX30 with 7,229 units.
Moreover, the shift away from traditional powertrains has been dramatic. Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), which held a 7.9% market share in 2023, dropped to just 2.7% in 2024. Conventional hybrids maintained a modest presence with 5.3% of the market, while traditional petrol and diesel vehicles have become increasingly rare, accounting for less than 3% of total sales combined.
Chinese EV Manufacturers Gain Ground
The market is also seeing increasing diversity in available models and manufacturers. While Tesla and Volkswagen Group lead the pack, Chinese manufacturers like MG, BYD, and Xpeng are gaining ground, having surpassed their 2023 results. MG notably broke into Norway’s top ten manufacturers for the first time, signaling the growing influence of Chinese EV makers in this market.
Government Incentives Drive EV Growth
This transformation did not happen by chance. Norway’s success in EV adoption has been driven by a comprehensive incentive system that makes EVs economically attractive compared to their fossil-fuel counterparts. EVs benefit from VAT exemptions and, historically, have enjoyed advantages such as toll-free driving, free parking in public areas, and access to public transport lanes. While some of these incentives have been scaled back over time, they have successfully established EVs as the new normal in Norwegian automotive culture.
Moving forward, the country faces both opportunities and challenges. OFV Director Øyvind Solberg Thorsen notes that reaching the final 11% needed to achieve the 2025 goal may prove challenging, emphasizing the importance of maintaining supportive policies. The government plans to increase taxes on new combustion engine vehicles from April 2025, further encouraging the transition to electric mobility.
Norway’s EV Revolution as a Global Model
This Nordic nation’s journey from minimal EV adoption in 2012 to near-complete market dominance in 2024 serves as a powerful example for other countries pursuing similar transitions, proving that with the right combination of policy support and market incentives, the transformation of the automotive sector to electric mobility is not just possible, but achievable.
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