Norway has more than 9,000 electric charging stations and tax incentives that discourage buying petrol cars. Bloomberg
Norway has more than 9,000 electric charging stations and tax incentives that discourage buying petrol cars. Bloomberg
Norway has more than 9,000 electric charging stations and tax incentives that discourage buying petrol cars. Bloomberg
Norway has more than 9,000 electric charging stations and tax incentives that discourage buying petrol cars. Bloomberg

Norway on brink of victory in 100 per cent electric car sale push


Tim Stickings
  • English
  • Arabic

It's rare to see victory laps being taken in the fight against climate change but guests at a €660 ($687) a head electric vehicle bash in Oslo this spring are told it will be "time to celebrate" a national milestone.

Guests from International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol to prominent guitarist Happy Tom will, if predictions come true, hear how Norway has become the first country to sell only electric cars new. The 2025 target was once thought "utter madness" but now "we are confident that we will reach the goal", a brochure says.

The rise has been rapid. In 2010, fewer than one in 350 new cars sold in Norway was electric. By 2020 it was a majority, and in 2024 zero-emission cars made up 88 per cent of new sales. A new electric Toyota Urban Cruiser is tipped to lead the final push for 100 per cent, squeezing out its last petrol stablemate.

"This car will be very important in reaching 100 per cent electric car sales in Norway," according to Rune Nesheim of Norway's Electric Vehicle Association, who said Toyota dominates what remains of petrol car sales. Even a small Yaris "will appear unnaturally expensive next to the Urban Cruiser", he said.

Chinese cars have also begun to penetrate the market as Norway takes a more relaxed view than EU neighbours on the threat to Europe's auto industry. Chinese-owned brands such as MG, BYD and XPeng boosted sales in Norway by two thirds in 2024 while market leaders Tesla saw a slight drop.

How has Norway done it? One reason is that Norway's oil and gas revenue pays for tax incentives, such as a VAT exemption for electric cars unless they are worth more than 500,000 crowns ($44,000). There is a carbon tax on oil, and a surplus of electricity to go around thanks to Norway's hydroelectric dams.

The tax breaks will cost the government an estimated 50 billion crowns ($4.41 billion) in 2025, but its fossil fuel revenue will be much higher. The government's "main goal remains to ensure that choosing an EV is an attractive and economically viable choice for consumers", the Transport Ministry says.

Norway's public sector has been required to buy electric since 2022, and battery-powered cars are often allowed to drive in bus lanes. And Norwegian roads have more than 9,000 electric charging points, again putting them top of the league in Europe.

The electric Toyota Urban Cruiser is tipped to supplant the last of Norway's petrol car demand. Photo: Toyota
The electric Toyota Urban Cruiser is tipped to supplant the last of Norway's petrol car demand. Photo: Toyota

European downturn

It is not that electric cars are enjoying a boom across Europe. "The honest assessment must be that the transition is not going to plan", said Luca de Meo, the head of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association. In its latest monthly figures, battery-powered vehicle sales were down 5.4 per cent year on year.

The drop was especially stark in the European Union's two biggest markets, Germany and France, which both saw a decline of more than 20 per cent in battery-electric vehicle registrations. The electric market share across the EU (Norway is not a member) was just 13.4 per cent, another clear fall.

The Nordic countries dominate Europe's electric car league table, with the Netherlands, Belgium and Romania also scoring highly. Germany and France have the most in absolute terms but are in the middle of the pack when ranked by percentage of electric car sales. The flagship German car industry is under threat from cheap Chinese models and a limp economy is also blamed for the downturn.

Four rounds of strikes at Volkswagen have added to a German winter of discontent as the company considers closing factories in its native country for the first time. There are uncertainties to be ironed out about whether EU rules kicking in from 2035 will allow the burning of synthetic fuels, or just batteries.

Manufacturers "have pledged €250 billion ($259.68 billion) into the green mobility transition and, just like everyone else, we want this to succeed", Mr De Meo said. He said they risk losing €16 billion ($16.61 billion) by selling cars at a lost or paying penalties for missed EU targets.

Norway is less concerned though because its cars are not manufactured at home and sees no need to follow the EU in imposing tariffs on Chinese cars. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store spoke of "opportunities for co-operation between our environmental industries" on an autumn visit to Beijing.

Still, not everybody in Norway is happy. The right-wing Progress Party, which has leapt to the top of opinion polls before a 2025 election, is pressing for sales of petrol and diesel-powered cars to continue. "We will not force drivers to buy cars that do not work for them," its transport policy spokesman Frank Sve said.

The party wants to halve the tax on fuel that ministers credit with boosting electric vehicle sales. Although electric cars were the overwhelming majority of new models sold in 2024, they are only 29 per cent of all the cars on Norway's roads.

Norway exports oil and gas but covers most of its domestic power needs via hydroelectric dams. Bloomberg
Norway exports oil and gas but covers most of its domestic power needs via hydroelectric dams. Bloomberg

Norway is a major oil and gas exporter and intends to remain one, which has opened up its electric vehicle drive to accusations of greenwashing. Despite its green motoring, Norway's per capita greenhouse gas emissions are higher than those of France, Spain, Portugal or Sweden.

Activists at the recent Cop29 climate summit in Azerbaijan put Norway in the same boat as the UN and Russia as they condemned it for issuing new drilling licenses in the Arctic. Others say the government can go further still on electric cars. A left-wing party that tolerates Mr Store's government wants an additional tax break on the sale of used electric vehicles.

But there are parts of Norway where the 100 per cent target has already been reached. They include fairly remote northern areas far away from Oslo, showing that fears of batteries running out in rural areas are "simply wrong", according to the Electric Vehicle Association.

At the Oslo summit in April "we will take stock and ask how on earth did we do it, and how fast can the rest of the world follow?", organisers say. "And let’s not forget: It is time to celebrate!".

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How to keep control of your emotions

If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.

Greed

Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.

Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.

Fear

The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.

Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.

Hope

While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.

Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.

Frustration

Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.

Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.

Boredom

Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.

Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.

If you go

The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.

The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.

Formula%204%20Italian%20Championship%202023%20calendar
%3Cp%3EApril%2021-23%3A%20Imola%3Cbr%3EMay%205-7%3A%20Misano%3Cbr%3EMay%2026-28%3A%20SPA-Francorchamps%3Cbr%3EJune%2023-25%3A%20Monza%3Cbr%3EJuly%2021-23%3A%20Paul%20Ricard%3Cbr%3ESept%2029-Oct%201%3A%20Mugello%3Cbr%3EOct%2013-15%3A%20Vallelunga%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021

Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.

The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.

These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.

“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.

“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.

“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.

“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”

Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.

There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.

“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.

“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.

“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”

Greatest Royal Rumble match listing

50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias

Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura

Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe

United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal

SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos

Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt

Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev

Singles match John Cena v Triple H

Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto

RESULTS

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner: Arjan, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).

5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m​​​​​​​
Winner: Jap Nazaa, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi.

6pm: Al Ruwais Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 1,200m​​​​​​​
Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinal.

6.30pm: Shadwell Gold Cup Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: AF Sanad, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.

7pm: Shadwell Farm Stallions Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 1,600m​​​​​​​
Winner: Dubai Canal, Harry Bentley, Satish Seemar.

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DC%20League%20of%20Super-Pets
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Jared%20Stern%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Dwayne%20Johnson%2C%20Kevin%20Hart%2C%20John%20Krasinski%2C%20Keanu%20Reeves%2C%20Olivia%20Wilde%2C%20Kate%20McKinnon%2C%20Jameela%20Jamil%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

Results

2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Arrab, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).

2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Mahaleel, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel.

3.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum handicap (TB) Dh200,000 2,000m; Winner: Dolmen, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Amang Alawda, Sandro Paiva, Bakhit Al Ketbi.

4.15pm: The Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m; Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.

4.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m; Winner: Al Jazi, Jesus Rosales, Eric Lemartinel.

Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Director: Scott Cooper

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong

Rating: 4/5

Updated: January 02, 2025, 2:15 PM