Norway has almost completed the transition to electric vehicles, but the Norwegians are in no hurry to completely abandon internal combustion engines

Norway is marking the final stage of its transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles, helped by numerous incentives that have made it easier to own an electric vehicle in the country. In 2025, the country intends to completely abandon sales of new cars with internal combustion engines, although there will be no ban at the legislative level, writes Bloomberg.

Image source: tesla.com

The process of transition to electric cars in Norway began back in the nineties, when the startups Think City and Buddy started operating in the country – they produced awkward and inefficient cars by today’s standards. The companies quickly went bankrupt, but the incentives introduced by the authorities for owners of electric vehicles remained and began to expand: tax breaks appeared, electric vehicles were allowed to move in public transport lanes, parking became cheaper or in many cases was completely free, fees for ferry crossings or travel on toll roads were abolished . On the contrary, registration fees for vehicles with internal combustion engines in 2021 were increased.

In the technological realities of today, the country has made significant progress. At the end of October 2024, despite the abolition of some tax breaks, electric vehicles accounted for 94% of sales of all new cars – twice as much as in China. Therefore, the refusal to sell cars with internal combustion engines in 2025 has every chance of being painless for Norwegian car enthusiasts. The most popular automaker in the country is Tesla, which has deprived both Toyota and Volkswagen of this status.

To compete more effectively with Tesla, Toyota was forced to expand its range of electric vehicles from one to five. Hyundai last year completely removed internal combustion engine models from sale in Norway; Stellantis, the owner of the Peugeot, Opel and Fiat brands, decided to take a similar step. The Audi brand, part of the Volkswagen concern, has left only the RS series for sale for enthusiasts among models with internal combustion engines – all others are electric vehicles. The presence of Chinese brands Nio and BYD is actively expanding. If a decade ago there were only 10 models of electric vehicles in the country’s assortment, now there are more than 160 of them available.

This doesn’t mean Norway has switched to electric cars yet – vehicle upgrade cycles are much longer than for PCs or mobile devices, and three out of four cars on the country’s roads are still ICE cars. And in the commercial vehicle segment, the transition has only just begun. Norwegians who buy new electric cars in one case out of three keep their old car, which serves as a backup option or is used, for example, for trips out of town or fishing. This vehicle is gradually aging: the average age of a car with an internal combustion engine has increased from 16 years in 2020 to 19 years now. The number of such vehicles has decreased by 1 million over the past 20 years, the average distance traveled by them has decreased by 75%, and fuel consumption by 70%.

Image source: byd.com

Demand for diesel fuel is declining more slowly because buses and trucks rely on it – in the commercial segment, the adoption of electric vehicles is hampered by less generous government incentives and a more modest range. And the refusal to sell cars with internal combustion engines in 2025 is not mandatory – unlike the European Union, of which Norway is not a member, and which intends to strictly ban them in 2035.

The most important aspect remains the charging infrastructure. In particular, the Circle K convenience store chain is actively installing charging stations, although one fast charging station costs an impressive $140,000. At ten retail outlets, the company has completely eliminated traditional gas stations, and in total it has 1,020 chargers in the country. In total, there are 29,473 public chargers for electric vehicles in Norway today – there are about 100 cars for each, and in the UK – 175. Charging a battery can take more than half an hour, so station owners had to take care of related services: there are sockets for phones and laptops, free Wi-Fi, the menu of dishes that can be purchased while the car is charging has expanded significantly. Other problems have to be solved: the same Circle K wanted to install a charging station for trucks at one of its sites, but could not provide enough power for it.

Some questions were not fully thought through. At first, owners of electric vehicles had to stand knee-deep in snow trying to download an application with payment options – only from next year, charging station operators will be required to accept regular bank cards. Car enthusiasts also had to change their habits: trips are planned in advance, and while charging or waiting in line, they stock up on entertainment or do work.

Repairing an electric car takes less time than a car with an internal combustion engine – because of this, the model of work for auto repair shops has changed. Tires and brakes require replacement at the same frequency, oil changes are performed less frequently, and repair work often comes down to software updates. Battery removal is carried out by specially trained specialists, but almost all other types of repairs can be performed on site, although technical problems account for less than 3% of calls.

Oslo’s grid operator Elvia is having to strengthen and expand its infrastructure to meet demand – installing individual stations and transformers to serve isolated areas – but the overall load is manageable as electric cars and electric buses are charged more frequently outside peak hours. The share of electric vehicles in the Oslo city vehicle fleet has reached 40%, the air quality in the capital has improved, but it is too early to talk about significant achievements: the concentration of nitrogen oxides has decreased, and particulate matter generated by the wear of roads and tires has become a more pressing problem.