In the past, as many as 9 out of 10 new cars in Norway have been pure electric cars. But now sales of electric cars have fallen for the first time in a long time.
Norwegians are busy. At least those who want to sing on something other than electricity.
According to the plan, Norway already bans everything other than new electric cars on 1 January 2025. But in May 2024, sales of new electric cars fell for the first time in a long time in our Scandinavian neighbours.
In May, the share of new electric cars on Norwegian roads was down to 77 percent, while diesel cars accounted for 4.3 percent of the market. The petrol hybrids took 12 percent, while there is 6.7 percent for the rest.
This is what the Norwegian Road Traffic Council (OFV) writes in a press release .
READ ALSO: Huge Danish car importer has lost faith in electric cars
– For the remaining months of the year, the share of electric cars was 87 percent, and it is more like the new normal.
– The low proportion of electric cars in May may indicate that there are still some who think they are best served by buying something other than an electric car, even though most new car buyers will also choose electric cars in the future, says director Øyvind Solberg Thorsen .
The decline in sales of electric cars to Norwegians comes despite a VAT exemption on the type of car. Just like Norway's government has pushed the limit for when registration tax must be paid for an electric car. It happened in 2021. Read more about it here .
On the whole, however, the Norwegians' desire for new cars has found something of a reverse gear. The Road Traffic Information Council does not expect that more than 110,000 new cars will be sold in Norway this year. This is the lowest number of new cars since 2009.
However, the Road Traffic Information Council also notices another trend. Namely, that the Chinese car brands have come to the country. Right now, 15 percent of the new cars in Norway are built in China.
– We see a significant increase in sales of Chinese-made car brands and models compared to the same period last year.
– In Norway, Chinese cars now have a market share of around 15 percent. There is no reason to believe that it stops there, says the director.
This is in stark contrast to the conditions in other markets, where the Chinese find it difficult to invite drivers to dance. In Denmark, for example, it is only Volvo that among the Chinese brands has a good grip on motorists.
Read more exciting news from and about the world of cars right here!
