Why is Norway's EV adoption ahead of the rest of Europe?

Yahoo

17-04-2025

Norway leads Europe in electric vehicle (EV) penetration. EVs comprised 88.9% of all new car registrations in 2024, according to the Norwegian EV Association.
Comparing this to the 51.5% recorded by runner-up Denmark – the only other EU member state to have EV share surpass the majority of new registrations – Norway is indeed far ahead of its European counterparts and well on its way to becoming the first country to fully electrify its vehicle landscape.
Norway's success didn't happen by accident; it is the result of long-term government planning that started in the 1990s, when the first EV incentives were introduced. Over time, these policies were refined and became increasingly attractive for consumers.
How has Norway achieved its status as the poster child of EV adoption in Europe, and what can other European countries learn from its success?
Norway's clear and enticing EV policies have had a great impact on its EV adoption. For instance, EVs have been exempt from many taxes that apply to traditional vehicles. EVs had no purchase/import tax up until 2022, from which some purchase tax began to apply based on the EV's weight.
However, this alone does not make Norway unique; many countries have added incentives to boost EV sales and adoption. Where Norway stands out is its commitment to them over time.
The simple explanation for Norway's success in this field comes down to two words: consistency and clarity.
'Besides the actual policies or incentives, they have been consistent,' says Jaap Burger, senior advisor at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), a global non-profit dedicated to accelerating the transition to clean, reliable and equitable energy systems. 'Norway has introduced a series of incentives which allowed EVs to compete on price with fossil fuel cars, or even undercut those prices, but having these policies in place for well over a decade and not changing it too much was key.'
Burger adds: 'What other European countries struggle with is introducing subsidy schemes, and then during the year, the subsidy amount dries up. Then, people are left without the subsidy, which stops EV sales. Then maybe the following year, or after the elections, they have a whole different scheme to adjust to.'
This was most evident in Germany, which not only saw a drop in EV adoption but a significant decline in sales last year. According to Power Technology's parent company, GlobalData, the overall European EV market experienced a decline in growth in 2024, at just 0.9%. Germany was the main culprit in terms of impacting the decline in growth, with GlobalData reporting a degrowth of -27%. The main cause was the country's halting and watering down of EV incentives, following a period of widespread promotion.
While Norway has also adjusted its EV policies over time, the country has signalled the transition from the beginning and ultimately stuck to broader plans, offering transparency to its citizens in terms of the road forward.
'It was quite clear for Norwegians how these incentives were in place and would be gradually reduced over time,' says Burger.
For example, the Norwegian Government declared that EVs would require no road tax until 2021, which would rise to reduced tax in 2022. Similarly, there were no charges on toll roads or ferries up until 2017, which rose to a 50% ferry fare fee from 2018 and a 50% toll road fee until 2022. The gradual reduction in such benefits could have triggered a decline in adoption; but because they were indicated from the beginning, citizens were able to choose EVs without fear of being blindsided.
Burger clarifies that it was especially helpful that the broader EV road map has been and continues to be 'supported across political colours in Norway'.
While the EV revolution has typically put emphasis on positive environmental and financial benefits to the country, Norway has made EVs appeal to its citizens through increased ease of day-to-day life.
For instance, Burger notes that 'in the Oslo region, EV users could use the bus lanes' – an incentive that has since been diluted but continues to be useful.
In doing this, EVs provided Norwegian drivers with one thing that is typically impossible to buy: the gift of time. And with it, the country offered a higher standard of living.
Considering Norway's colder climate, the government also promoted EVs' ability to preheat and defrost the vehicle via the use of a timer.
Norway also boasts a comprehensive EV charging network that isn't just limited to urban areas, ensuring ease of access to charging for EV users on a scale not yet available in many countries. Of total EV charging in Norway, 81% is done at home, with 92% of those charging at home owning a charging box, according to the Norwegian EV association. This broad coverage, extending to remote and rural regions, is essential in a country like Norway, which has vast and sparsely populated areas.
The switch to EVs has not just been a success with personal cars; 88% of drivers were reportedly satisfied with the transition to electric trucks, according to a survey among electric truck owners and drivers' experience with electric trucks, conducted by the city of Oslo and the Norwegian EV Association in 2024.
Additionally, the Norwegian Government has been relatively successful in promoting the environmental benefits of EVs, allowing for users to feel a sense of moral well-being as they participate in the transition. In a presentation at EVision 2025, Christina Bu, secretary-general, Norwegian EV Association, revealed that CO₂ emissions from passenger cars in Norway from 2022 to 2023 were down by 12.1%.
When asked what other countries can learn from Norway, Burger says: 'Being consistent, planning for the long run over at least a ten-year period, which also includes planning for gradually scaling down incentives.
'If you plan ahead as Norway has done, you can keep the momentum of the EV transition while giving citizens a heads-up on changes to come over time.'
This notion was reiterated by Swedish vehicle manufacturer Scania's CEO Christian Levin: 'Europe needs to come together and decide, just like Norway, that we are going to commit to this.'
Norway's playbook for increasing EV adoption serves as an ideal model for other countries, both in Europe and beyond. If other European countries can adopt similar long-term, consistent policies while adapting to their local contexts, they too can accelerate the transition to sustainable transportation and join Norway in helping the EU achieve its climate targets.
"Why is Norway's EV adoption ahead of the rest of Europe? " was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.
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