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Norway celebrates record-breaking year for electric vehicles

Published: January 11, 2023

RECORD BREAKING YEAR: Eight out of ten new cars sold in Norway in 2022 were battery-electric vehicles. The Tesla Model Y tops the sales lists as a family favorite for the Norwegians. All photographs: Jamieson Pothecary/elbil.no

In 2022, 79.3 percent of all new cars sold in Norway were 100 percent battery-electric powered vehicles.

– Eight out of ten people choosing fully electric instead of combustion engines is a considerable step towards Norway reaching its climate goal of 100 percent BEV sales in 2025. This proves beyond doubt that affordable BEVs are the number one choice for new car owners, says Christina Bu, Secretary General of The Norwegian EV Association.

Norway has long since established itself as a global leader in the electric car revolution.

For over a decade, the innovative Scandinavian country with a population of only five million has destroyed electric car myths and set new sales records for battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

2022 was unsurprisingly no exception, and the EV market share rose from 64.5 percent in 2021 to 79.3 percent in 2022.

NATIONWIDE INFRASTRUCTURE: More than 5600 fast chargers are now established in Norway, ensuring electric mobility for all in urban and rural areas.

Substantial changes in incentives in 2023

The Norwegian success story is first and foremost due to a substantial package of government incentives developed to stimulate zero-emission vehicle sales.

The most significant is the exemption of purchase taxes, making BEVs considerably more attractive and affordable than ICEs.

From 2023, Norway will implement a 25 percent VAT on the purchase price from 500 000 Norwegian Kroner and over. Additionally for all EVs, a new weight tax will come into play.

– We cannot foresee how these new EV taxations will affect EV sales. We are campaigning hard to remind the Norwegian government just how important these incentives are to succeed and continue to show the world that a cold climate and remote infrastructure are no excuse not to go 100 percent electric, says Christina Bu.

– If Norway can do it, anyone can, Bu claims.

**A GLOBAL INSPIRATION: Christina Bu, Secretary General of The Norwegian EV Association, is convinced that the Norway’s electric car success is something every country can aspire to and achieve.**

National fast charging network

BEVs now total 20.9 percent of all passenger cars in Norway, and the charging infrastructure is following suit. One thousand five hundred new fast chargers were established in 2022 alone, with more than 5600 fast chargers nationwide.

A nationwide fast-charging infrastructure is now in place, stretching over 1700 kilometres from the north of the arctic circle to the southern tip of Norway.