Norway is Set to Be the First Country in the World to Fully Transition to Electric Vehicles

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by Emma Taggart: Scandinavia is known for its eco-friendly efforts, but Norway is really taking the lead when it comes to cutting motor emissions.

According to recent data collected by the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV), almost nine out of 10 new cars sold in 2024 were fully electric. That’s 88.9%, up from 82.4% in 2023, showing how committed Norway is to going green on the roads.

With a population of just 5.5 million, Norway has embraced electric vehicles (EVs) faster than any other country. EVs now account for almost a third of all on Norwegian roads, and in Oslo, nearly every other car on the road is electric, setting the global standard for a sustainable future.

According to OFV, the top electric passenger cars of 2024 include Tesla Model Y, Volvo EX30, and Volkswagen ID.4. Christina Bu, head of the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association says, “Norway will be the first country in the world to pretty much erase petrol and diesel engine cars from the new car market.”

Norway hasn’t banned petrol and diesel cars, but the country does impose high taxes on their purchase. Meanwhile, electric cars are exempt from VAT and import taxes, making “zero emissions” even more appealing. Making the decision to switch is also more convenient, since many Norwegian car dealerships only offer electric vehicles and most fuel stations have replaced petrol pumps with charging stalls.

Norway is ahead of the curve with plans for all new cars sold to be electric by 2025. Impressively, this goal will likely be reached well before the European Union’s target to ban the sale of new fossil-fuel cars by 2035.

Find out more about the data collected by the Norwegian Road Federation.