Norway on course to 100% new electric car sales with September record

Norway continues to break records in the shift toward electric mobility. In September, 96.4% of all new car registrations in the country were fully electric vehicles.

This new record comes just a month after the previous peak in August 2024, where 94.3% of new cars were electric. The surge in electric vehicle adoption reinforces Norway’s ambitious goal of 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2025, which now seems more attainable than ever.

The Norwegian Road Authority, OFV, attributed the sharp increase in electric car sales to several factors, including a slight economic recovery and the arrival of a large shipment of Teslas.

OFV Director Øyvind Solberg Thorsen commented on the situation, stating, “New car sales in 2024 have fluctuated significantly, with relatively low figures earlier in the year. However, we now see signs of economic improvement, which could encourage more consumers to visit dealerships.”

Additionally, he noted that a significant portion of the September sales spike could be attributed to Tesla, with many vehicles from the shipment mentioned above filling long-standing customer orders.

Hardly a choice for anything else

The increase in electric vehicle sales is logical, as Norwegians hardly have access to ICE passenger cars anymore. Many brands no longer offer them. Thorsen added, “Despite some changes in incentives, dealerships are almost exclusively selling electric cars.”

But it remains remarkable, considering the current market conditions. The introduction of VAT on EVs priced over half a million Norwegian krona and changes in benefits, such as access to public transport lanes and toll discounts, haven’t stalled the adoption.

In total, 12,495 electric vehicles were registered in September, out of 12,966 new cars sold—leaving only 471 non-electric vehicles. This trend marks a 25.4% increase in EV sales compared to last year, when just under 9,000 electric cars were sold. Also, the zero-emission share in the leasing market has surged from 70 to 90% after the government provided targeted incentives to the sector.

In September, 146 plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) were sold in addition to pure electric vehicles, 142 gasoline hybrids, 135 diesel cars, and just 48 gasoline cars, representing a minuscule 0.4% of the market share.

The sharp decline in gasoline and diesel sales illustrates how Norway’s market rapidly moves away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles. According to the European Environment Agency, Norway’s fleet’s average CO2 emissions are 14.5 grams, compared to 85.3 grams for Belgium, and well below the EU target of 94 grams for 2025.

The Tesla surge

Unsurprisingly, Tesla dominated the top of the sales charts in September. The Tesla Model Y led the way with 2,107 units sold, while the Model 3 secured second place with 2,067 units—a significant leap for a model that typically doesn’t make it into the top ten.

Following the Tesla duo, the Volvo EX30 came in third, with 803 units, while the Skoda Enyaq and Toyota bZ4X rounded out the top five with 702 and 659 units sold, respectively.

Other notable entries in the top ten included the Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5, Nissan Ariya, VW ID.3, BMW i4, and Hyundai Kona. With 265 units sold, the tenth-placed Kona still achieved a higher market share (2.0%) than all combustion engine cars combined.

With the average share of electric vehicles reaching 88% for the year, Norway is on track to meet its 2025 goal of 100% zero-emission new car sales. “We can achieve 100 percent next year if we do everything right in the state budget that will soon be presented,” says Christina Bu, president of the Norwegian Association of Electric Vehicle Owners.

However, Thorsen cautioned that a small portion of the market still opts for non-electric vehicles. “It will be interesting to see how the market develops in the coming months,” he said, as Norway continues its rapid transition toward an all-electric future.