Norway's underway transition to clean energy has been attracting automakers to deploy their electric vehicles to the country and in 2019, Tesla emerged as the top EV player due to the Model 3's instant popularity. The end of 2020, however, saw Volkswagen grabbing the top position courtesy of the motor group's Audi e-Tron and VW ID.3.
The two battery-powered cars from Volkswagen combined for total sales of nearly 17,000 units while the Model 3 only attracted a total buy of 7,770 units in 2020. In the previous year, Tesla pushed out 15,683 units of the same EV model and the American automaker ended up dominating the oil-rich nation's EV market.
Becoming the alpha EV player in Norway is somewhat a fierce competition among leading automakers. The country heads the pack in the effort to switch from fossil fuel to renewable energy and offered attractive incentives - in the form of tax breaks and crucial structural support - for EV makers to come in.
As a result, Norway's electric cars now dominate the automobile market. From the 42% share in 2019, the EV numbers grew to 54% at the end of 2020. According to CNN, if the hybrid cars are counted as part of the electrified segment, the EV figures will easily jump to 83%.
The rise of EVs in Norway is notable because the country is known for its oil-generated wealth. The gradual embrace of clean energy seemed ironic but the nation's aggressive push is reflected by the increasingly conspicuous absence of conventional cars.
Just six years ago, seven out of 10 Norwegians preferred petrol- and diesel-powered vehicles. The ready availability of EVs and the attractive package of benefits that came in owning them turned the table rapidly. By the end of 2020, barely 20% of the population still make use of conventional vehicles.
The radical shift points to the big picture, which tells that Norwegians now favor EVs over gas-powered cars. Teslarati said the change came in 2017 and Tesla played an important role with the deployment of the Model 3.
During that time, Tesla had to work against the notion that gas cars are better because they are convenient to use - cheaper and readily available. But the automaker did convince that with the Model 3, the overall driving experience is far superior and not to mention the glaring benefits of owning one.
The Tesla EV is not harmful to the environment but at the same time boasts of top-level performance. And thanks to Norway's vehicle electrification program, Model 3 and other electrified car owners can take advantage of the government's assistance that came in the form of financial incentives and the expansion of EV charging stations.
