Norway EV Push Nears 100 Percent: What’s Next?

More than 97% of new cars registered by Norwegians in November 2025 were electric, almost meeting the country’s target of 100%. As a result, the government has begun to pull back some of the many carrots it has used to encourage a successful transition to electric vehicles. Cecilie Knibe Kroglund, Secretary of State at the country’s Ministry of Transportation, reveals some of the challenges that come with success.

What were the important first steps in promoting the shift to electric vehicles?

Kroglund: Battery electric vehicles benefit from exemptions from the 25% value added tax and the CO tax.₂– and the registration tax by weight which applies to vehicles with thermal engines. We have used other tax incentives to encourage the construction of charging stations on highways and in rural areas. Cities were given the option to exempt zero-emission cars from toll roads. Electric vehicle drivers have also benefited from discounted ferry fares, free parking and access to bus lanes in many cities. Vehicle technology wasn’t very good when the incentive program started, but we had the taxes and incentives to make traditional passenger cars more expensive.

What were the main obstacles and how did policymakers overcome them?

Kroglund: At first, the technology was a challenge. In summer it was easy to refuel the electric vehicle, but in winter it is double the energy consumption. But the technology has improved a lot in the last five years.

Norwegian tax exemptions on electric vehicles were introduced before their arrival on the market and were decisive in offsetting the early disadvantages of electric vehicles compared to conventional cars, particularly with regard to comfort, vehicle size and range. The rapid expansion of charging infrastructure along major corridors has also been important in overcoming range anxiety.

How have private companies responded to government incentives?

Kroglund: I’m personally surprised that everything went so well. This was a long-term commitment by the government, and the market responded to it. Many Norwegian companies use electric vehicles. The charging infrastructure market is considered commercially viable and no longer requires financial support. However, we do not expect commercial vehicle adoption to go as fast as passenger vehicle adoption, and we had the same goal. We will therefore have to review the objectives, and we will have to review the incentives.

What new, unexpected problems does Norway’s success create?

Kroglund: The success of passenger vehicle policies means that electric vehicles compete with public transport in major cities. Driving an electric vehicle remains much cheaper than driving a conventional car, even without tax exemptions, and overall car use continues to increase. National, regional and local governments need to find different tools to promote walking, cycling and public transport, because every city and region is different.

To what extent are these lessons applicable to poorer or less well-governed countries and why?

Kroglund: We are different as a country. The geographies are different and some countries have cities even larger than our national population. This is not a policy for Los Angeles, but what we see in Norway is that the incentives work. However, tax incentives are only applicable in systems where efficient taxation is established, which may not be the case in poorer countries. Other benefits, such as reducing local emissions, only apply in high-traffic locations.

The Norwegian experience shows that economic incentives work, but it also shows that electric vehicles work even in a country with a cold climate.

This article appears in the February 2026 print issue under the title “Cecilie Knibe Kroglund.”