Norway has set a new world record for the proportion of electric car sales following another increase in plug-in popularity in 2018.
In an article by Car Keys, electric cars made up 31.2% of all sales in 2018 – the figures places Norway as the leading country for electric car sales per head, according to the Norwegian Road Federation.
This has been boosted by the country offering drivers tax exemptions if they drive a battery-powered vehicle, among other incentives like free parking and access to charging points.
The Scandinavian country is western Europe’s largest produced of gas and oil. Norway is hoping to become one of the world’s greenest economies – with more environmentally friendly vehicles involved in the change.
The Norwegian government has set a target of 2025 eradicating diesel and petrol car sales – 15 years ahead of the UK – but two-thirds of all sales from 2018 were still being powered by fossil fuels.
Although Norway’s car market fell by 6.8% in 2018 to 147,929 units, electric car sales equated to 46,902.
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% (market share), provided that the tax breaks are maintained.”
