Norway’s roads are gradually being dominated by electric cars, with the number of all-electric cars soon expected to surpass gasoline cars by the end of 2024. With close to 700,000 all-electric cars currently registered in the country, that number is expected to reach 800,000 within the next year or two. While there are still more diesel cars on the road than electric ones, with over one million diesel vehicles, the number of all-electric cars is steadily increasing while the number of internal combustion engine vehicles is decreasing.
The high sales of electric cars in Norway over the past decade have led to a significant increase in the share of all-electric cars on the road. Currently, electric cars make up around 24.3% of the total car fleet in Norway. The share of all-electric cars in Norway is stable at around 90%, and even higher when including plug-in hybrids. However, recent data shows a decrease in both total car registrations and all-electric car registrations in Norway, with a nearly 50% drop in new registrations in March 2024.
In the first quarter of 2024, over 20,500 new passenger plug-in electric cars were registered in Norway, representing about 92% of total car sales. The decline in registrations for both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) compared to the previous year indicates a shift in consumer preferences and potential challenges facing the PHEV segment in the coming year. In 2023, a total of 114,759 new plug-in electric cars were registered in Norway, accounting for 90% of the total volume.
The share of passenger car registrations in Norway is now heavily dominated by all-electric cars, with non-rechargeable hybrids also making up a significant portion of the market. The lack of incentives for plug-in hybrids may lead to further marginalization of the PHEV segment in 2024. The best-selling cars in Norway in the first quarter of 2024 include the Tesla Model Y, followed by the Toyota bZ4X and the Volkswagen ID.4, reflecting the popularity of electric SUVs in the country.
Overall, the data suggests that Norway is on track to have more all-electric cars on the road than gasoline cars by the end of 2024. While diesel vehicles still outnumber electric cars in the country, with over one million diesel cars registered, the growing demand for electric vehicles and the decline in petrol cars indicate a shift towards a more sustainable transportation system. With the continued push for electric mobility and the decline in traditional internal combustion engine vehicles, Norway is leading the way towards a cleaner and more environmentally friendly transportation future.
