Norway electric cars: Why 97% of new cars are electric
Dec 24, 2025
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Norway electric cars: What the world’s pioneer really shows us
Anyone who googles «Norway electric cars» today finds a number that says it all: 97.6 percent. That’s how high the share of electric cars in new registrations was in November 2025. Out of 19,899 newly registered passenger cars, 19,427 were fully electric. The combustion engine has long since become the exception there.
No other country in the world has implemented electromobility so consistently. More than 30 percent of all 2.9 million vehicles on Norwegian roads are already electric. Electric cars in Norway are no longer a niche, but the new standard. And that in a country known for harsh winters, long distances, and steep mountain passes.
But what does that mean for Germany? Anyone looking at Norway today is essentially looking at the Europe of tomorrow. Electromobility works there in everyday life, at minus 20 degrees, on long journeys. Fast-charging stations like Electra’s are now bringing this experience to Germany.
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The numbers that change everything: Norway’s electric revolution in real time
98 percent electric cars: the combustion engine as the exception
The statistics from Norway’s Road Traffic Information Council (OFV) are clear: in September 2025, the EV share of new registrations reached 98.3 percent. Not a one-off, because across all of 2025 the average sits at 95.5 percent.
At the top of Norway’s EV market is Tesla with a 31.2 percent share in November 2025. Model Y and Model 3 lead the registration charts, followed by Volkswagen, Volvo, and BMW with mostly electric lineups. Chinese brands like BYD and Xpeng have now reached a combined market share of over ten percent.
Norway is therefore not a special case, but simply a country with a few years’ head start. What is everyday life there today will, in the foreseeable future, become reality in Germany as well.
30 percent of the fleet electric: the quiet shift
However, the transition is not limited to the new-car market. Around 900,000 of the total 2.9 million passenger cars in Norway are already electric. That’s over 30 percent of the entire vehicle fleet. In Germany, this share is currently under three percent.
Electric cars will soon overtake petrol cars in the fleet. With a lead of only 76,000 vehicles, that moment is not far away. Overtaking diesel vehicles is expected within the next three to four years.
A survey by the Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF) highlights the social momentum: 66 percent of Norwegian EV drivers have encouraged at least one friend, colleague, or family member to buy an electric car. Personal recommendation proves to be one of the strongest drivers of electromobility.
Winter test passed: why the cold is no longer an argument
What really happens at minus 20 degrees?
Winter suitability is one of the most persistent objections among skeptics. In Norway, things look different. In the northernmost county of Finnmark, where temperatures regularly drop below minus 20 degrees, the EV share of new registrations is just as high as in the rest of the country.
An analysis by Norway’s roadside assistance service Viking from January 2024 shows: in extreme cold, electric cars have fewer starting problems than combustion vehicles. The most common breakdown causes for combustion vehicles are failing 12-volt batteries and frozen diesel. Electric cars, on the other hand, work reliably.
The annual NAF El Prix provides concrete data on winter range. In the 2025 edition, the Polestar 3 drove a full 537 kilometers and came in only 4 percent below its WLTP figure. The Peugeot E-3008 managed 364 kilometers, which corresponds to a loss of 29 percent. The differences between models are large, but even in the most unfavorable case, the range remains more than sufficient for everyday use.
Preheating and heat pumps: technology makes the difference
Norwegian drivers rely on technical solutions that have now become standard. Battery preconditioning is available on Tesla, Hyundai, Kia, BMW, Mercedes, and Volkswagen. The system automatically warms the battery as soon as a charging point is entered as the destination. In winter, the time saved while charging can be up to 50 percent.
Heat pumps improve winter range by 20 to 30 percent by using waste heat from electric components to warm the cabin. For many manufacturers, the heat pump is now standard equipment or available as an option. How the interaction between vehicle and fast-charging infrastructure works plays an important role here.
Norway’s dense charging network compensates for winter-related range loss anyway. If you can top up every 200 kilometers, you don’t need to worry.
Charging without stress: the Norwegian charging experience
Fast chargers everywhere, even in the mountains
Norway has more than 24,000 publicly accessible charging points. Of these, nearly 8,000 are fast-charging stations with outputs from 50 kW. The expansion target for 2025 is 9,000 fast chargers. With a population of 5.5 million people, that equals about 436 charging points per 100,000 inhabitants.
The infrastructure extends into the sparsely populated regions of the country. The province of Troms og Finnmark in the north has only 3.2 inhabitants per square kilometer and yet 550 public charging points. Government support programs from the agency Enova made expansion possible even in economically less attractive areas.
In the capital Oslo, according to the city administration, 1,000 fast-charging stations, 2,500 conventional charging stations, and 80,000 private charging points are available. Nearly every second car in Oslo is already electric. The infrastructure is designed for this volume.
A 20-minute break, and you’re back on the road
Charging in Norway is uncomplicated. At fast chargers, a modern electric car charges from 20 to 80 percent in 20 to 30 minutes. That’s enough time for a quick coffee. Charger availability is high.
That’s exactly what Electra wants to bring to Germany: fast, reliable, and easy-to-use stations in strategic locations. A charging experience like in Norway.
Why driving electric pays off in Norway
Electricity for 3 to 10 cents: why charging is so cheap
Low electricity prices are one of the main reasons for Norway’s electromobility success. Depending on the region, the price is between 3 and 10 cents per kilowatt-hour. In Germany, the average price is 32 to 40 cents per kilowatt-hour.
92 percent of Norway’s electricity comes from hydropower. That makes electromobility not only cheap, but also particularly climate-friendly. A 100-kilometer trip costs about one euro in Norway. In Germany, it’s six to seven euros using household electricity—still significantly less than with petrol.
Norway and Germany compared
Metric | Norway | Germany |
EV share of new registrations 2025 | 95.5 % | approx. 19 % |
EV share of vehicle fleet | approx. 30 % | approx. 3 % |
Electricity price per kWh (household) | 3 to 10 cents | 32 to 40 cents |
Cost per 100 km (household electricity) | approx. 1 euro | 6 to 7 euros |
Charging points per 100,000 inhabitants | approx. 436 | approx. 130 |
Share of renewable electricity | 92 % (hydropower) | approx. 55 % |
Sources: OFV, Bundesnetzagentur, Nord Pool, NOW GmbH (as of November/December 2025)
Tax benefits: the Norwegian model
Norway has established a comprehensive incentive system for electric cars. Electric vehicles are exempt from the 25 percent value-added tax, making them significantly cheaper than combustion cars. In addition, there are reduced toll fees, a 50 percent discount on ferries, and lower parking fees.
It works: for many buyers in Norway, an electric car is already cheaper than a comparable combustion model. High taxes on combustion vehicles (average registration tax of 9,340 euros) further reinforce this effect.
And in Germany? The TCO argument
Even without Norwegian incentives, electromobility is becoming increasingly economically attractive in Germany. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) arguments are speaking more and more clearly in favor of the electric car.
The energy cost comparison is clear: an electric car consumes an average of 17 kWh per 100 kilometers. At household electricity prices (32 cents/kWh), that results in costs of about 5.50 euros. A petrol car consuming 7 liters costs, at 1.80 euros per liter, 12.60 euros.
Maintenance is also cheaper. An electric car has around 20 moving parts in the drivetrain; a combustion car has about 2,000. Oil changes, spark plugs, exhaust systems, and clutches are completely eliminated. Annual maintenance costs are 200 to 400 euros instead of 800 to 1,200 euros. With Electra’s charging tariffs (from 0.39 euros per kWh with a subscription or 0.49 euros per kWh without a subscription), charging costs can be optimized further.
What Germany can learn from Norway
What does Norway teach us? Charging infrastructure is the key. Without a dense network of fast-charging stations, electromobility would not have come this far. Financial incentives alone would not have been enough.
Germany still has catching up to do in this area. The number of charging points per capita is significantly below Norway’s level. Especially in rural areas, there is a lack of infrastructure. Expansion is accelerating, but the gap remains large.
Electra is part of this development. The network of fast-charging stations is growing continuously. The goal: a charging experience that is as natural as it is in Norway. Fast, reliable, available.
The next generation of electric cars is bringing ranges of 500 to 700 kilometers and charging times of under 20 minutes. These vehicles deserve infrastructure on equal footing. Norway shows that it works. Europe will follow.
Conclusion: Norway isn’t the exception—it’s the future
97.6 percent electric cars in new registrations, 30 percent in the fleet, reliable operation at minus 20 degrees: Norway’s numbers are not an anomaly, but proof that electromobility is ready for the mass market.
The combustion engine has become the exception there, and the question is no longer whether electromobility is coming, but how fast. Norway has mapped the route. Germany is following. With growing charging infrastructure, the switch becomes the obvious decision for more and more drivers.
Katharina – Mobility expert at Electra
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