Norway on Track to Become the First Country to Eliminate Gasoline and Diesel Cars from Its New Vehicle Market
Norway is on the verge of becoming the first country in the world to eliminate gasoline and diesel cars from its new vehicle market. This is a significant achievement, especially considering that Norway has vast oil and gas reserves. The Nordic country is reaffirming its position as a global leader in sustainable transportation. Its sales of electric vehicles have skyrocketed from less than 1% of total car sales in 2010 to 88.9% in 2024, with estimates suggesting a rate between 95% and 100% for 2025.
The recipe for success is simple: consistent and long-term policies designed to support the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). The key idea is not to impose measures that ban the use of internal combustion engine vehicles, but rather to incentivize the transition to EVs. In contrast, the European Union has adopted legislation effectively banning the sale of new carbon-emitting cars starting from 2035, but the results are far less encouraging than Norway's.
Among the incentives are VAT exemptions, reduced circulation and parking taxes, and access to bus lanes. The government has also invested heavily in public charging infrastructure, and many Norwegian households can charge their cars at home.
However, despite new car sales in Norway nearing 100% for electric vehicles, there are still many internal combustion engine vehicles on the roads, representing 60% of the total fleet. It will take many more years to achieve a zero-emission vehicle country.
