Nordic News, Business and Life in Asia
Almost all new cars sold in Norway last year were fully electric, confirming the Nordic country’s position as the world’s most advanced electric vehicle market, according to Reuters.
Official data released on Friday 2 January 2026 showed that electric vehicles accounted for 95.9 percent of all new car registrations in Norway in 2025, up from 88.9 percent the year before. In December alone, the share rose to 97.6 percent.
The figures highlight a sharp contrast with developments elsewhere in Europe, where weaker demand for electric vehicles has led the European Union to reverse its planned 2035 ban on petrol and diesel cars.
Tesla remained the country’s top-selling car brand for the fifth consecutive year, with a 19.1 percent market share, followed by Volkswagen and Volvo Cars. A total of 179,549 new cars were registered in Norway during the year, marking a 40 percent increase compared with 2024.
The Norwegian market is also seeing a growing presence of Asia-made vehicles. Cars produced in China accounted for 13.7 percent of new registrations in 2025, up from 10.4 percent the previous year, led by manufacturers such as BYD. The trend underlines how Chinese electric vehicle makers are gaining ground in mature European markets alongside established Western brands.
Sales were boosted toward the end of the year as buyers and carmakers rushed to register vehicles ahead of new tax changes. Norway announced in October that additional value-added tax would be introduced on electric vehicles from January 2026, prompting manufacturers to accelerate deliveries.
While some incentives for electric cars have been reduced, Norway has continued to raise taxes on petrol and diesel vehicles, making them significantly more expensive and reinforcing the shift toward full electrification, according to Reuters.
Editor-in-Chief • ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd. • Bangkok, Thailand
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