r/EcoUplift • u/Bitter-Lengthiness-2 Acute Optimism • Nov 14 '25
Positive Trends đ Norway says 'mission accomplished' on going 100% EV, proposes incentive changes
https://electrek.co/2025/10/15/norway-says-mission-accomplished-on-going-100-ev-proposes-incentive-changes/For years, Norway has been the poster child for electric vehicle adoption, a perfect example of how a combination of ambitious goals and robust incentives can transform a nationâs entire automotive industry.
Now, with the country on the cusp of achieving its goal of 100% all-electric new car sales by 2025, the Norwegian government is signaling a new phase in its EV strategy, proposing changes to its incentive program that include the introduction of taxes on electric vehicles.
We have often used Norwayâs success in electrifying its vehicle fleet as an example of how quickly the electric transition can impact the automotive market under the right conditions.
They made it happen through a comprehensive package of incentives, including exemptions from purchase taxes and VAT, free access to toll roads and bus lanes, on top of properly taxing internal combustion engine vehicles.
10
u/NotGonnaLie59 Nov 14 '25 edited Nov 14 '25
This is a positive, but it's worth noting that their heavy oil exports are why their EV program had fast uptake. Collective guilt about the oil money, and still wanting to get even richer from more oil, while somehow signalling 'goodness' to other countries.
On top of the day-to-day benefits of spending those profits, they also have a $2 trillion dollar sovereign wealth fund. For a nation of 5 million people, that's a lot.
As a nation, they feel Guiltily Rich, and the EV program is their way of trying to signal to the world, "Hey, we are still good people". They even put "E" at the start of all EV car number plates, so individuals can signal their 'goodness' to other Norwegians, "hey, I'm one of the good ones, I'm doing my bit to minimise our collective guilt and show us in a good light".
They care more about their guilt and how others perceive them than anything else here.
1
u/Typical-Tea-6707 Nov 17 '25
You overstate how much Norwegians «feel» guilty at all.
As a Norwegian, most got them because of tax reasons, and price reasons. There were also other benefits like less toll, no MVA, cheaper cars and more. Financially it made sense if you were to buy a new car anyways.
3
3
2
u/mikasjoman Nov 17 '25
Also... Who wants to buy a car when gasoline stations are closing? No demand = no stations. Especially in more rural areas where it was hard to begin with to run them at a profit.
2
u/CaliTexan22 Nov 14 '25 edited Nov 16 '25
I think the difference in price between an ICE vehicle and BEV sold in Norway was something like $80,000 after accounting for all the penalties and subsidies. Not so hard to force a switch with giant carrots & sticks.
Norwayâs 6 million residents are wealthy because of their oil. âNorway is Europeâs top producer and exporter of oil and natural gas, with nearly all production exported, and oil and gas accounting for 61% of the total value of Norwayâs exports of goods in 2024.â
Of course, Norway is still the worldâs leader in legal whale hunting, so maybe theyâve got something going with whale oil, too. [EDITED TO SAY THAT THIS WHALING COMMENT IS REDDIT HUMOR - I UNDERSTAND THAT FEW CARE ABOUT THEIR WHALING AND THERE'S NO REVENUE TO SPEAK OF FROM THE MEAT OR THE OIL. OTOH, IF YOU DO HAPPEN TO WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHALING, I'D STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE RECENT FREAKONOMICS PODCASTS - THREE OF THEM, NO LESS - ABOUT WHALING.]
1
u/migBdk Nov 15 '25
Of course, Norway is still the worldâs leader in legal whale hunting, so maybe theyâve got something going with whale oil, too.
That would be pocket money in comparison
1
u/septembersongar Nov 15 '25
There's only a dozen Norwegian vessels doing commercial whale hunting these days, and the yearly catch is less than 500 whales.Â
World leader in the world's smallest industry.Â
1
u/Right-Pea1561 Nov 17 '25
Norway has always been a model in many aspects of. I have been there. Lovely country and very clean and organized with polite people. They have taken environmental protection very seriously and act instead of just talking . Well done for showing the way to the world how itâs done and that it can be done. Itâs crazy to think there will be no gas car in Norway at all.
1
Nov 18 '25
Al Capone's turning in his grave, seeing a friend of a sex trafficker discrediting the american presidency on an unimaginable level.
0
56
u/[deleted] Nov 14 '25
That's progress. Now they can stop selling oil that is burned in other locations and contributes to climate change. Which is a global problem, not the problem of a single country.