Norway’s relatively mainstream adoption of electric vehicles is continuing along at a respectable rate, according to recent reports. Altogether, and rather impressively, 14.3% of all the cars sold in Norway during the month of September were electric ones.
Worth noting, though, is that while 14.3% is rather high when compared to pretty much any other country in the world, the figure does actually represent a small drop from the previous month (August) — when the market share for EVs was 14.5%. So this isn’t even the country’s best. And electric vehicles have been selling well for over a year.
Sustainnovate provides more: “Within the electric car market, the Nissan LEAF was #1 in September (25% EV market share) and barely rose above the Tesla Model S to claim #1 for the year to date (24% EV market share). However, it looks like the relatively new VW e-Golf is going to give Nissan a good run for its money. The VW e-Golf was #1 two months in a row before conceding the title to the Nissan LEAF in September. Its sister vehicle, the VW e-Up!, has also done quite well in Norway. It is #3 for the year to date (15% EV market share) and was #4 in September (12% EV market share). The Model S, at #6 in September (7% EV market share) was far below its #2 year-to-date ranking (23% EV market share), perhaps a sign of long-held reservations finally being filled.
“The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV does quite well for a plug-in hybrid, sitting at #5 for the year to date (8% EV market share) and #3 in September (13% EV market share). The only other top contender is the BMW i3, which ranks #4 for the year to date (11% EV market share) and ranked #5 in September (10% EV market share).”
Altogether, the market share held by EVs in the country is quite impressive, but I think it speaks far more to the wealth of the Northern European country than it does to most other factors.
It’s an easy thing to be “green” when your country is loaded with oil money… The wider adoption of EVs — in less wealthy markets in particular — is more of an issue. And one that won’t be as easily solved.
That said, a long-held government focus on advancing the growth of electric vehicles, and now a broad awareness of electric vehicle benefits, have been key factors in the growth of electric cars in Norway.
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