How Water Makes Norway the World’s Leader in Electric Vehicles

Last month, three out of four new cars sold in Norway were either fully electric or hybrids, making the nation well on its way to achieving its goal of ending the sale of all new fossil-fuel based cars and light commercial vehicles by 2025.

One aspect that has made Norway a global leader in electric cars is that almost the entire nation’s domestic energy comes from hydropower, making electric vehicles a much greener choice for Norway than for countries who generate power through coal. For Norway to considerably reduce its emission levels, it is essential to have a green transport sector.

Christina Bu of the Norwegian EV Electric Vehicle Association explains that another major incentive that has led many of the country’s population to switch to electric vehicles is the “combination of a big one-off saving when you buy the car, plus the substantially lower costs … of actually driving it”, which “adds up to a very powerful financial argument”.

The government, with its intention to go green, has introduced many incentives to buy and run electric cars in the past three decades – including exemption from Norway’s vehicle purchase tax and road tax, free parking in some municipal car parks, ability to drive in bus lanes and take ferries without a ticket, and drive toll-free.

“Over its lifetime, you really save a lot of money with an electric car in Norway,” says Bu.