Norway hits record 98.6 pct EV share in April, led by VW and Toyota

Norway has set a new record for electric vehicle (EV) registrations, with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounting for 98.6 per cent of new passenger car sales in April. This figure surpasses the previous record of 98.4 per cent established just a month earlier, underscoring the country's rapid transition to electric mobility. Out of 11,103 new cars registered, only 87 were diesel and 31 petrol models, while hybrids made up a small fraction, with the vast majority being fully electric. The dominance of EVs was consistent across all regions, with the eastern county of Østfold recording an impressive 99.3 per cent electric share, and even the lowest-performing county, Finnmark, achieving 95.1 per cent. Geir Inge Stokke, director of Norway’s Road Federation (OFV), highlighted that this is the first time the nation has seen consecutive monthly records for electric car market share. He attributed the trend to factors such as competitive pricing, technological advancements, and vehicle availability, emphasising the positive impact on both climate goals and road safety. Volkswagen led the market with 1,735 new registrations, driven primarily by the Volkswagen ID.4, which alone accounted for 781 units. Toyota also performed strongly, with 1,419 new vehicles sold, led by its all-electric Urban Cruiser compact SUV. The Volkswagen ID.3 was the third most popular model. Tesla, often a key player in the EV market, ranked eleventh in April with 379 units, mostly Model Y, reflecting its typical sales pattern that peaks towards the end of each quarter. Beyond new car sales, BEVs are increasingly prominent in Norway’s used car market. In April, electric vehicles represented 30.4 per cent of all used car ownership changes, a significant rise from 26.4 per cent the previous year. For the year to date, BEVs hold the largest share of used car sales at 35.9 per cent, signalling growing consumer confidence and market maturity in the second-hand EV sector. This trend reinforces Norway’s position as a global leader in electric mobility adoption.