Figures released by the Norwegian Road Federation reveal that 52% of vehicles sold in Norway in 2017 were either electric or hybrid…
GENEROUS SUBSIDIES and greater variety have seen a sharp uptick in electric or hybrid vehicle sales in Norway as the country moves away from fossil fuels. In 2017, more than half of all cars sold in Norway were either electric or hybrid.
The top sellers in Norway for 2017 were the VW Golf, BMW i3, Toyota RAV4 and Tesla Model X all of these vehicles are available either as pure electric or with hybrid powertrains. However, if you remove the sale of hybrid vehicles, the uptick in electric vehicle sales is still impressive, growing from 29% in 2016 to 39% of all cars sold in 2017 – Norway new car sales are around 200,000 annually.
In Australia, electric vehicle sales realise between 1300-1700 annually.
“No one else is close” in terms of a national share of electric cars, Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) chief Oeyvind Solberg Thorsen said. “For the first time we have a fossil-fuel market share below 50 percent.”
The second-best performing country was the Netherlands with just 6.9% of vehicles sold being electric vehicles.
Norway exempts new electric cars from almost all taxes meaning an electric vehicle can be much cheaper than its combustion engine equivalent. It also offers perks, like free or subsidised parking, re-charging and use of toll roads, ferries and tunnels. The country also generates almost all its electricity from hydropower, which helps it reduce its vehicle-based emissions.
Norway’s Government has signed a non-binding agreement to reach 100% sales of zero emissions vehicles in the country by 2025.
Australia’s attitude “lets fill the place with SUVs, 4WDs and Twin Cabs” (note the photo above hasn’t a single one of them) – was amplified when TOLL operators in Sydney gave rebates based on how MUCH fossil fuel the vehicle could use – the more used, the greater rebate. CRAZY. It should be around the other way. EVs could even be free for the next few years – they wouldn’t even notice the loss in revenue there are so few of them – but it could encourage purchase of a few, if we actually could buy them here.
Governments should give incentives – at least to kick them into action. A bit like roof-top solar, there were good incentives, went for a few years, but now there is almost 25% of homes with solar.
Around the world, this has happened, but our politicians only have one incentive – to get re-elected, not what is for the good of the nation or the planet.
There are some shopping malls with EV Power, but other than the main routes between BRIS, SYD, MELB & ADEL, we don’t have infrastructure. I did a search on-line, and in many of the remote places are very vague “ASK AT STORE FOR COST TO CHARGE – 7AM TO 7PM” or “COMING SOON” or “SOCKET ON OUTSIDE OF COUNCIL WORKSHOP – 8AM TO 3PM”. Not confidence inspiring.
Ideally, Plug-In Hybrids where you don’t have range anxiety would suit almost anyone with the best of both worlds, but many who only drive within the cities, a pure EV would suit too. Problem is, the likes of a Nissan Leaf is about double the cost of an equivalent sized hatchback – and most people don’t do the sums on lower “fuel” costs and lower maintenance costs before purchase, as capital outlay is a significant factor, particularly if a loan is involve.
Unfortunately there just aren’t any sold here other than TE$$LAs. Plug-Ins are basically only VOLVO (only a truck), Mitsubishi (again, a truck) and BMW, Merc and AUDI. Hyundai has said their IONIQ Plug-In will be coming, but the Hybrid IONIQ which was to be released here in 2017 didn’t come.
One other issue – is attitude of Aussie drivers. I drive both a FIESTA diesel and a PRIUS. And I drive them similarly, sit on the speed-limit (checked with SatNav), keep out of RH lanes unless overtaking. But, in the PRIUS, I regularly get tailgated, particularly by 4WD Twin-Cabs, Maloos et al & B-Doubles, sitting so close I can’t see their number plate. Never in the FIESTA.