Norway boosts electrics to 58 percent of car sales
April 1, 2019
Norway's Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) announced on Monday that 58.4 percent of new cars sold in March were battery-powered.
The country, which is one of the world's largest oil and gas producers, actively encourages drivers to buy electric cars as part of an effort to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change.
In order to boost sales of electric vehicles (EVs), the Scandinavian nation has waived registration and sales taxes for buyers, who do not pay road tolls and can use bus lanes.
Read more: Oslo: Europe's eco capital 2019
Key points in the figures are:
- Last year, EV sales rose to 31.2 percent of Norway's car market share.
- The 2018 figure was up from the previous year's 20.8 percent.
- March 2019's "historically high" figure was driven by new EV models.
- Deliveries of Tesla's Model 3 and Audi's e-tron SUV increased sales.
Nissan's Leaf electric car was the top-selling car in Norway last year. The Tesla Model 3 was the biggest seller in March. Tesla sold 5,822 cars, corresponding to a 31.7 percent market share.
Read more: Every third new car in Norway powered entirely by battery
Green credentials
March's EV sales follow a trend set by Oslo. DW Norway correspondent Lars Bevanger reported more than half of all new cars sold there are electric.
"There are trams, electric buses and ferries, all running on renewable hydro-electric power. During the very cold winters much of the housing here is kept warm from heat generated at a waste incinerator plant. The city has set itself ambitious goals: to cut emissions by 36 percent by the end of next year, and 95 percent by 2030."
Norway wants to have all new cars in the Scandinavian country be electric by 2025.
Read more: Could oil nation Norway help save the climate?
kw/jm (AP, AFP, Reuters)