Why Norway has embraced Tesla and other EVs

CleanTechnica

Norway-EV-market-share

We published last week on the fact that the Tesla Model S was the top-selling car (of any type) in Norway in March, and that it actually broke an all-time monthly registrations record in Norway. However, I dug in a little bit to track down a Norwegian article on this news, and I found a bunch of interesting facts on Tesla’s success in Norway. Here are 7 awesome facts regarding Tesla in Norway:

  1. Starting with perhaps the biggest, Tesla set a new Norway monthly record for any individual car model last month. Its 1493 Model S registrations beat the 1454 registrations that the Ford Sierra logged back in May 1986.
  2. There have been more Tesla Model S’s registered in the first three months of 2014 than all of Ford’s models combined. 2056 vs 1825.
  3. The Tesla Model S accounted for 10.8% of car registrations in Norway in March (and 12.9% of registrations in the last week of March).
  4. So far this year, the Model S has accounted for 5.6% of car registrations (2056), more than any other model. (Next in line is the Volkswagen golf at 4.3%, or 1577 registrations.)
  5. Tesla’s March 2014 registrations were more than double the #2 VW Golf’s registrations. 1493 vs 624.
  6. There are already more Tesla Model S’s registered in 2014 than were registered in all of 2013 — 2056 vs 1983. (Granted, Model S deliveries began in Norway in August.)
  7. Despite having just one model for sale, Tesla is currently the #6 manufacturer in Norway in 2014 in terms of registrations.

While we’re at it, let’s give Nissan some love, too. Its fully electric LEAF has also taken the top sales spot a few times in Norway. So far this year, it is #3, just barely behind the VW Golf (1559 vs 1577). In March, it was #5 in new registrations (425), behind the Golf (624) and the fully electric VW e-Up! (444).

 

 

 

 

Comments

2 responses to “Why Norway has embraced Tesla and other EVs”

  1. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    So does Norway have government incentives available for electric car buyers?

    1. Malcolm Scott Avatar
      Malcolm Scott

      Yes and No. For up to the first 50,000 EV sales prior to 2018 their purchases are not dis-incentivised like ICE cars are.

      ‘all-electric cars are exempt in Norway from all non-recurring vehicle fees, including purchase taxes, which are extremely high for ordinary cars, and 25% VAT on purchase, together making electric car purchase price competitive with conventional cars.’ – Wikipedia
      Whilst Norway’s electricity generation is largely hydro with an increasing amount of wind from a low base, owing to the North Sea oil exports there is about 450 Mt CO2 pollution emissions as a result of this trade.
      Giving a green light to EVs in both not penalising them and having a substantial EV charging network of both level 2 and fast charge seems like a wise risk mitigating strategy. Some messages there for fossil fuel rich Australia

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