Norway has crossed a milestone that once sounded like science fiction. By the end of 2025, fully electric vehicles accounted for 95.9 percent of all new passenger car registrations in the country, a figure officials openly round up to 96 percent. In December alone, the share was closer to 98 percent, leaving petrol and diesel cars as little more than a statistical footnote rather than a meaningful part of the market.
According to data cited by Autoblog, new car registrations surged by roughly 40 percent compared to 2024 as buyers rushed to lock in purchases before stricter EV tax rules arrive in 2026. That year end push lifted total new car sales to around 180,000 vehicles, and nearly all of them were battery electric. Plug in hybrids, once seen as a transitional technology, have largely vanished as Norwegian buyers moved directly from internal combustion to fully electric drivetrains.
This outcome did not happen by accident. Norway spent years stacking policy incentives in favor of EVs while making combustion cars increasingly expensive. High purchase taxes on petrol and diesel models, exemptions from value added tax for EVs, lower tolls and ferry fees, and a dense national charging network all combined to tilt the market. By 2025, Norway effectively achieved its long stated goal of ending new fossil fuel car sales. The government is now slowly reducing incentives, which explains the rush of purchases ahead of upcoming tax changes.
One clear winner of this final incentive wave was Tesla. The brand finished as Norway’s top selling automaker for the fifth consecutive year, capturing about 19 percent of the market with more than 27,000 new registrations. The Model Y in particular has become a default family vehicle, replacing the diesel wagons and compact SUVs that once dominated Norwegian roads.
Tesla’s success in Norway stands out because it contrasts with softer demand in other European markets. In Norway, extensive charging infrastructure, brand familiarity, and cold weather performance mattered more than novelty. Winter range, traction on snow, and reliable cabin heating are not optional features at minus 10 degrees Celsius, and buyers have learned which EVs perform well in real conditions.
The more consequential question now is what comes next. With EVs already outnumbering diesel cars in the total passenger fleet, Norway is well positioned to explore large scale vehicle to grid systems. Millions of parked electric cars represent not just transportation, but a distributed energy resource. If other countries follow Norway’s trajectory, the end of gas cars may arrive faster than many policymakers expect.
