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CNBC
15-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNBC
I'm in Norway — and EVs are everywhere. Here's what the country has done differently
OSLO, Norway — Electric vehicles are pretty much everywhere you look in Norway. The wealthy Nordic country, which is known for its massive oil and gas reserves in the North Sea, has long been blazing a trail in the transition away from internal combustion engine (ICE) cars. A steady stream of measures to support the uptake of EVs, from tax exemptions to reduced fees, has now put the country on the cusp of completely erasing gasoline and diesel vehicles from its new car market. For some of the country's major cities, about 30% of all passenger cars on the roads are now fully electric, according to Norway's EV Association (NEVA), which represents electric car owners in the country. The rate in capital city Oslo, meanwhile, is as high as 40%. It is perhaps no surprise then that standing at a crosswalk in Oslo's city center means waiting for a near-constant stream of fully electric models to come to a stop. "It is very visible. And I think some people don't even really realize how good this is because it has happened quite fast," Christina Bu, secretary general of NEVA, told CNBC during an interview at the association's office in Oslo. "The air is cleaner, it is quieter, and this is a change that hasn't really cost consumers that much. They actually love driving an EV and it works quite well," Bu said. Norway's sales of EVs have increased from less than 1% of total auto sales in 2010 to 88.9% last year — and this trend doesn't show any sign of slowing. Data published by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, which is responsible for the country's national road network, found that EVs accounted for more than 93% of the new cars sold in 2025 so far. By comparison, electric vehicle sales accounted for 15.4% of the total European Union market share in the first few months of 2025. Norway is not a member of the EU. Stateside, the share of new passenger EV sales hit 10% in 2023, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute, up from 1% adoption as recently as 2017. Norway's State Secretary in the Ministry of Transport Cecilie Knibe Kroglund said the country's success in transitioning away from combustion cars has been driven by long-term and consistent policymaking. "We have a lot of tax incentives and user incentives, which are the most important things, and also infrastructure, of course," Kroglund said during an interview in Oslo. Some of Norway's EV incentives include a VAT exemption, discounts on road and parking taxes and access to bus lanes. The government has also heavily invested in public charging infrastructure, and many Norwegian households are able to charge their cars at home. The lack of an automaker lobby in Norway is also thought to have benefited the country's EV adoption rate over the years. NEVA's Bu said last week that the country of about 5.5 million people achieved a new electric milestone of 10,000 fast chargers nationwide. The roll-out of these charging stations has not been consistent across the country, however, with far more installed in the south compared to the far north. Nonetheless, the ever-growing number of fast-charging stations has defied concerns from critics who had previously warned that the power grid may not be able to cope. "Norway has had strong policies for many years. It's not just about tax exemptions [for EVs] but also higher and higher taxes on internal combustion engine cars. So, the last three years or so, the general purchase taxes have doubled – and it was already very high," NEVA's Bu said. "Cars that pollute are taxed out of business in Norway," she added. Norway's journey to becoming a global leader in EV adoption has not been without its critics, however. Some lawmakers have raised concerns about the fairness of its EV incentives, saying they can disproportionately benefit higher-income individuals and potentially come at the expense of other, more sustainable transportation options, such as walking and cycling. Norway, which is aiming for carbon neutrality by 2030, has also faced questions about its role in tackling the climate crisis. The country's economy is heavily reliant on fossil fuel revenues, creating something of a contradiction with its stated green ambitions. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas is the chief driver of the climate crisis. Looking ahead, Kroglund said the country plans to fully transition to electric city buses in 2025, while making heavy-duty vehicles 75% renewable by the end of the decade. "We have to acknowledge that transport has a role in climate change. I think 30% of pollution comes from the transport sector, so we had to do something," Kroglund said. "We have to move forward on other parts of the transport sector, like city buses. We have good numbers on that too, but the next level is heavy-duty vehicles," she added.
CNBC
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- CNBC
Norway's Tesla obsession defies Europe's Musk backlash
OSLO, Norway — Tesla continues to find solace in Norway, defying a sustained European slump amid a backlash over CEO Elon Musk's incendiary political rhetoric. The U.S. electric vehicle maker recorded a 54% year-on-year jump in new car sales in Norway in June, according to data from the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV), fueled by a 115.3% yearly increase in registrations for its revamped Model Y sports utility vehicle. The data backed up a whopping 213% increase in new car sales in May and shored up Tesla's dominant position in the world's most EV-friendly country. Christina Bu, secretary general of the Norwegian EV Association (NEVA), which represents electric car owners in the country, said Tesla has been well established in Norway for several years — but the popularity of its upgraded Model Y is "definitely part of the reason" for its recent sales boost. "In general terms, I think it just has to do with the fact that they deliver a car which has quite a lot of value for money and is what Norwegians need," Bu told CNBC during an interview at NEVA's office in Oslo. The Tesla Model Y appears to be especially popular in Norway because of its competitive price and the fact that it meets local demand for large luggage space, high-ground clearance, all-wheel drive and a tow hitch, Bu said. Sales data from southern Europe signaled some further green shoots for Musk's company, with Tesla new car registrations last month increasing by 61% in Spain and around 7% in Portugal. The story remains very different across the rest of Europe, however. Tesla sales in Germany, Europe's largest automotive hub, dropped by 60% in June from a year earlier, while sales also dipped in France. Separate data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, or ACEA, found Tesla's new car sales in Europe fell for a fifth straight month in May. Tesla's brand value has been declining since 2024 in part because of Musk's political activity. The Tesla CEO, who spent nearly $300 million to support Donald Trump's election campaign, recently left the White House after leading an initiative to slash federal agencies. Protests erupted at Tesla dealerships across Europe in response to Musk's role in the Trump administration. Musk's departure from the White House in late May was followed by an extraordinary war of words with Trump. The world's richest man also formally endorsed Germany's far-right party AfD ahead of the country's parliamentary elections earlier this year, triggering an outcry in Berlin. NEVA's Bu told CNBC that Musk's political activity hadn't gone unnoticed in Norway, with a recent annual survey of more than 15,000 EV drivers finding that 43% of respondents said they would not buy a Tesla for political reasons. "So, this has definitely been a big debate in Norway as well. What Elon Musk has been saying and doing the last year or so — so it definitely affects people, but not too many because their market share is remarkable really," Bu said. For its part, Norway has long been recognized as a global leader in sustainable transportation. Indeed, it is currently on track to become the first country in the world to effectively erase gasoline and diesel cars from its new car market. Lawmakers and analysts have attributed the country's shift away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to long-term and consistent policies designed to support the uptake of EVs. "I think it's a combination of several things, but it is policymaking that has driven this forward," Norway's Deputy Transport Minister Cecilie Knibe Kroglund told CNBC in Oslo. "We have a lot of incentives, both tax incentives and user incentives are the most important things and also infrastructure, of course. But policymaking and incentives are the main tools that we have been using," she added. Some of Norway's EV incentives include a VAT exemption, discounts on road and parking taxes and access to bus lanes. The government has also heavily invested in public charging infrastructure, and many Norwegian households are able to charge their cars at home.
CNBC
02-06-2025
- Automotive
- CNBC
Why Tesla sales are rebounding in Norway while Europe lags
Tesla's sale of new cars in Norway skyrocketed 213% in May from a year ago, according to official registration data, bucking a downward trend across Europe. Tesla car sales in Norway jumped to 2,600 last month, data from the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) showed on Monday, up from 832 over the same period a year earlier. The increase was primarily driven by sales of the firm's revamped Model Y compact sport utility vehicle. The U.S. electric vehicle (EV) maker's European sales have recently suffered from a sharp decline amid reputational damage, in large part due to CEO Elon Musk's incendiary rhetoric and political activities. Industry groups on Monday reported significantly lower May sales for new Tesla vehicles in Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Sweden. Christina Bu, secretary general of the Norwegian EV Association (NEVA), which represents electric car owners in the country, said the Tesla Model Y appeared to be popular nationwide, noting that the automaker's recent price campaigns. "The Tesla Model Y has sold well and is popular in Norway, likely because it is good value for money and because it meets Norwegians' needs for large luggage space, high ground clearance, all-wheel drive, and a tow hitch," Bu told CNBC via email. In a recent NEVA survey of more than 15,000 EV drivers, however, Bu said that the majority of respondents said that politics does influence their choice of car brand. "As many as 43 percent stated that they would not buy a Tesla for political reasons. We can therefore only speculate how much Tesla would have sold without Musk's support for the MAGA movement and the Trump administration," Bu said. Last week, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association, or ACEA, reported a 49% drop in overall European sales of Tesla vehicles in April, citing rising competition and brand damage. Musk spent nearly $300 million to the campaign for the re-election of U.S. President Donald Trump, and he has also led an initiative for the Trump administration to slash federal agencies. Protests erupted at Tesla dealerships across Europe in response. Rico Luman, senior sector economist for transport and logistics at Dutch bank ING, described Tesla's latest monthly car sales data in Norway as "quite remarkable," noting that last month's figures in the Netherlands also showed a month-on-month bounce back. "In Norway EV-incentives are still abundantly available, making it almost a no-brainer to buy a BEV if possible. This is a general benefit, but this has also contributed to this surge," Luman told CNBC by email. Norway has long been recognized as a global leader in sustainable transportation, and it is currently on track to become the first country in the world to effectively erase gasoline and diesel cars from its new car market. Lawmakers and analysts have attributed the country's shift away from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to long-term and consistent policies designed to support the uptake of EVs. Some of Norway's EV incentives include a VAT exemption, discounts on road and parking taxes and access to bus lanes. The government has also heavily invested in public charging infrastructure, and many Norwegian households are able to charge their cars at home. ING's Luman attributed Tesla's rebound in new car sales in Norway to the firm's revamped model Y SUV, suggesting that a first batch of deliveries appears to have taken place in May, with more coming in June. "This also shows that customers pushed back new Tesla orders to await the new edition, explaining part of the setback in the first months of the year," he added. Tesla continues to battle rising competition from traditional automakers, as well as Chinese players. Auto giant BYD, for instance, was recently found to have sold more pure electric cars in Europe than Tesla for the first time. Rella Suskin, equity analyst at Morningstar, said that there appears to be a strong correlation between the market share of Chinese car brands across Europe and battery EV adoption rates. "In fact, Norway has the highest battery electric vehicle adoption rate as well as the highest share of Chinese vehicles, excluding Russia. This could correlate with the pick-up of Tesla's in the region, as we can see there is a clear market demand for electric cars," Suskin told CNBC over email.
The Print
15-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
41-member Ethiopian delegation meets Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta
The Ethiopian delegation, comprising Zahra Humed, deputy speaker of the Union Parliament, alongside speakers of regional parliaments, state ministers, departmental secretaries, and heads of security bureaus, visited the Delhi Assembly premises for a discussion on parliamentary practices and experiences, it said. The delegation is in India as part of a 'Capacity Building Programme for Civil Servants of Ethiopia' organised by the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) from May 12 to May 17. New Delhi, May 15 (PTI) Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Thursday interacted with a 41-member high-level delegation from Ethiopia, according to an official statement. Gupta expressed the honour of hosting the Ethiopian delegation and underscored the deep-rooted historical and cultural connections between India and Ethiopia, exemplified by shared traditions, it said. He also highlighted Delhi's governance advancements, including the adoption of the National e-Vidhan Application (NEVA) for paperless operations, the installation of a 500 kw solar power plant — making it India's first fully solar-powered Assembly — and the digitisation of the Assembly library to conserve legislative heritage, it said. Gupta emphasised the value of international legislative cooperation and people-to-people exchanges in fostering mutual understanding and shared progress. 'The Delhi Legislative Assembly is not merely a legislative centre, it is a living monument of India's democratic journey. We are delighted to welcome our Ethiopian colleagues to this historic institution and look forward to continued collaboration and mutual learning,' he said. PTI SLB RHL This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
