Almost One-Third of All Cars Sold in Norway in 2018 Were Electric

Norway continues to be the electric vehicle leader of the world with nearly one out of every three new cars sold last year being of the fully-electric variety, according to a report by Reuters. The Scandinavian country aims to eliminate the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) cars completely by the year 2025.

Specifically, 31.2 percent of all new cars bought by Norwegians were electric, up from 20.8 percent in 2017 and 5.5 percent in 2013. Those who purchase electric vehicles in Norway are entitled to tax exemptions and a number of perks such as free public parking and charging. 

"It was a small step closer to the 2025 goal," Norwegian Road Federation head Oeyvind Solberg Thorsen said at a conference. For comparison's sake, EVs consisted of just 2.2 percent of all new cars sold in China and a measly 1.2 percent in the U.S. 

It isn't all brighter skies and progress for Norway though, as overall new car sales in the country actually fell 6.8 percent, putting an end to an upward trend seen in previous years. What's more, Norwegian car importers' federation head Erik Andresen reportedly said that the EV tax exemptions are eating into tax revenue and may be reformed in the future. 

According to the report, Norway's best selling car in 2018 was the Nissan Leaf, followed by "small BMWs, Volkswagens, and full-size sedans and electric sport utility vehicles by Tesla." Translation: the BMW i3, VW e-Golf, and Tesla Models S and X.