For the first time ever, electric cars have surpassed petrol cars in Norway, according to a statement from the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) on Tuesday.
Among the 2.8 million private cars registered in Norway, 754,303 are all-electric, while 753,905 run on petrol. Diesel vehicles still make up the largest share at just under one million, though their numbers are rapidly declining.
“This is historic. A milestone few saw coming 10 years ago,” said OFV director Oyvind Solberg Thorsen. “The electrification of the fleet of passenger cars is accelerating, and Norway is on track to become the first country in the world with a passenger car fleet dominated by electric vehicles.”
Norway, despite being a major oil and gas producer, aims to sell only zero-emission vehicles by 2025, a decade ahead of the European Union’s target. In August, all-electric vehicles accounted for a record 94.3 percent of new car registrations, driven in part by the popularity of the Tesla Model Y.
To support its climate goals, Norway has implemented generous tax rebates for electric vehicles, making them competitively priced compared to petrol, diesel, and hybrid cars.
This success contrasts sharply with the broader European market, where electric car sales have been declining since late 2023 and now represent only 12.5 percent of new car registrations.