Norway's electric cars zip to new record: almost a third of all sales

[turbinetree]

Source: Reuters

JANUARY 2, 2019 / 8:36 AM / UPDATED 32 MINUTES AGO

Camilla Knudsen, Alister Doyle

In a bid to cut carbon emissions and air pollution, Norway exempts battery-driven cars from most taxes and offers benefits such as free parking and charging points to hasten a shift from diesel and petrol engines.

The independent Norwegian Road Federation (NRF) said on Wednesday that electric cars rose to 31.2 percent of all sales last year, from 20.8 percent in 2017 and just 5.5 percent in 2013, while sales of petrol and diesel cars plunged.

“It was a small step closer to the 2025 goal,” by which time Norway’s parliament wants all new cars to be emissions-free, Oeyvind Solberg Thorsen, head of the NRF, told a conference.

Still, he cautioned that there was a long way to go since two-thirds of almost 148,000 cars sold in 2018 in Norway were powered by fossil fuel or were hybrids, which have both battery power and an internal combustion engine.



Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-norway-autos/norways-electric-cars-zip-to-new-record-almost-a-third-of-all-sales-idUSKCN1OW0YP

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“We may be able to get to a 75 percent (market share), provided that the tax breaks are maintained,” he added.

The Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association (NEVA), a lobby group, predicted a 100 percent market share was feasible.

“We know that charging access is a real barrier ... and there’s also a risk that not enough cars become available,” NEVA head Christina Bu said, adding that some customers must wait for a year or more before their electric vehicle is delivered.

South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Group predicted on Wednesday another year of tepid car sales growth in 2019 on the back of a slow 2018, saying trade protectionism adds uncertainty and major markets such as the United States and China remained sluggish. [nL3N1YV22K]

Reporting by Alister Doyle, editing by Terje Solsvik/Adrian Croft/Susan Fenton

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.



While in this country, and I realize that Norway has less people, this country is doing what...................having a sexual predator attack green energy.............and trying to gut the tax incentive to buy full electric cars...............

[LakeSuperiorView]

1. Less people and less land... But we do have areas with the same density.

I'm going to Norway in June, can't wait. My siblings and I are taking our mother to see the country where her Grandparents lived.

[mitch96]

2. I wonder what is the most popular electric car in Norway.. nt

[ZeroSomeBrains]

3. That's a good news story for sure

I own a Chevy Volt and am looking at different fully electric cars as well. I would buy a Nissan Leaf or a Chevy Bolt if there was a better charging network and more charging stations in my area. I feel like that is a big issue here in the US at least for non-Teslas. It seems like if there's money for a stupid useless wall there should be money to add more charging stations throughout the US.

[ffr]

5. +1. Lots of money asked for a stupid useless wall

Yet no thought going into the citizenry future.

That's not leadership. That's disgusting!

[ZeroSomeBrains]

7. This administration doesn't plan for the future

I would hate to be working with no pay or be furlowed over that stupid wall. This country and the Earth needs to transition to a green economy now like these Scandinavian countries are.

[Zorro]

8. Volkswagon's subsidiary Electrify America is building a nationwide charging station network

It's related to their diesel gate settlement.

Unfortunately they have indicated that electricity prices will be comparable to gasoline prices on a cost per mileage basis.

[ZeroSomeBrains]

9. I guess that's better than nothing

And if it's a super charger network than that might be ok if your in a bind and need to charge. I still want to see the federal government install a bunch of charging stations at rest stops accross the highway throughout the country.

[ffr]

4. This holiday weekend Tesla owners where out in force

I passed by a charging station four times this holiday weekend and the charger was at capacity three of those four times. I've never seen so many before in my life.

[Aristus]

6. Meanwhile, in the USA,

we have pickup truck drivers parking in front of electric-car chargers in order to block access, thereby proving......something?...

[SunSeeker]

10. K & R

[MichMan]

11. Norway has taxes on cars that are often more than the cost of a car.

A car essentially has the price more than doubled once the 24% sales tax and other excise taxes are added making a Volvo SUV that sells for $47,000 USD the equivalent of over $100K USD. Norway is waiving the tax on electric cars essentially making then half price.

Do you think the US should adopt this strategy by mandating a 100% tax on all gas , diesel, and hybrid cars in order to encourage electric plug in vehicles like Norway does?

Would any politicians be brave enough to campaign on doing this?