Environment
Will Norway’s Electric-Vehicle Boom Outlast Its Incentives?
Norway is the world’s biggest per-capita market for electric vehicles, but incentives are being clawed back as Oslo aims to go car-free.
No other country on Earth has bet as big on electric vehicles as Norway, and it’s finally paying off. Half of all new cars sold to Norwegians are either fully electric or hybrid, making the country of 5.3 million the biggest per-capita market for EVs.
Norway’s EV success is owed to both the carrot and the stick. It offers extremely generous incentives to EV buyers, and it punishes people who continue to use gas or diesel cars. Capital city Oslo has made extraordinary efforts to promote EVs, including toll-free roads, HOV-lane access, free parking, and free charging.