Electric vehicles dominate new car sales in Norway

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CHART 1 • Electric vehicles dominate new car sales in Norway

Buying a new car in Norway today is mostly a non decision. Showrooms, financing and charging are all set up around electric models. Petrol cars exist, but they are no longer the default.

Over the past decade, the share of electric vehicles in new sales rose steadily and then accelerated. By the mid 2020s, almost every new car sold was electric, while petrol, diesel and hybrid sales collapsed into the margin.

This did not happen because Norwegians suddenly became more environmentally minded. It happened because taxes, subsidies and infrastructure shifted relative prices so decisively that electric cars became the cheapest and easiest option for most buyers.

The assumption is that consumer preference drives technology adoption. In reality, policy often decides which option feels normal.

Which other markets would flip this quickly if incentives were aligned the same way?

Source: Chartr

There is a broader implication here. If you want to understand where markets, technology or public opinion are heading, start with incentives and exposure rather than sentiment. Preference usually comes last.

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