Norway has the highest EV adoption rate in the world. According to the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV), by 2023, about 82% of new car sales in Norway will be electric vehicles. By comparison, Kelley Blue Book estimates that 7.6% of U.S. new car sales last year were electric. In China, the world’s largest auto market, electric vehicles will account for 24% of new car sales by 2023, according to the China Passenger Car Association.
Ragnhild Syrstad, Norway’s state secretary at the Ministry of Climate and Environment, said: “Our goal is that all new cars will be zero-emission vehicles by 2025, and we think we will achieve that goal.”
The Norwegian government began encouraging the purchase of electric vehicles as early as the 1990s, including free parking, use of bus lanes, no tolls and, most importantly, no tax on zero-emission vehicles.But until Tesla Syrstad said other electric vehicle models came on the market about 10 years ago and sales began to take off.
The Norwegian capital Oslo is also electrifying its ferries, buses, semi-trailers and even construction equipment. Gas stations and parking meters are being replaced by chargers. This is the electric utopia of the future. Norway’s grid has so far been able to cope with the influx of electric vehicles thanks to abundant hydropower.
“The price of an electric car is probably a third of the price of gasoline because we have close to 100% hydropower. It’s cheap. It’s available and it’s renewable. So that’s a big advantage,” said Assistant to the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association Secretary General Petter Haugneland said.
CNBC flew around the world to meet with experts, government officials and locals to find out how the Scandinavian country has achieved such high adoption of electric vehicles.
Watch the documentary for the full story.
Svlook
