7 out of 10 people who choose electric cars do so primarily for environmental reasons, shows a new survey from the Norwegian response to FDM, NAF.
7 out of 10 drivers who choose electric cars for the first time do so out of consideration for the environment.
A study conducted by NAF, the Norwegians' answer to FDM, shows that environmental considerations are what weigh most heavily when drivers buy electric cars for the first time.
Of those who do not yet own an electric car, 68 percent state that they choose an electric car precisely because of environmental concerns.
Electric cars now make up the majority of new car sales in Norway, where the share of electric cars sold is well over 90 percent this year.
NAF's electric car survey, Elbilmonitor, shows that environmental concerns still play a major role for car owners who are at least considering an electric car.
The environment gives people in electric cars a bad conscience
For people who already drive electric cars, the environment still plays a role, according to NAF. But it is not a decisive consideration.
Among people who already drive electric cars, 4 out of 10 say they are keeping their car for environmental reasons. But other considerations – especially when it comes to economics – are more important.
– Those who are electric drivers today have already made the environmental choice. Then there are other reasons that weigh more heavily in the choice to continue as electric drivers, says Nils Sodal, senior communications advisor at NAF, in a press release .
Economic benefits have played a major role in the fact that there are now over 800,000 electric cars on Norwegian roads. Factors such as low registration fees, discounts on road tolls and cheap parking have played a role in the development. But they are not the primary driving force behind the choice of electric cars.
According to the study, low costs for charging at home are the most important reason for current electric car owners when they choose to continue with an electric car rather than a petrol or diesel car.
– Charging at home results in very low fuel costs. That is why it is the most important reason to choose an electric car over a petrol or diesel car for today's electric car drivers, says Nils Sodal.
The environment remains a significant factor, especially for those who have not yet switched to electric vehicles. For people who continue to drive petrol and diesel cars, low charging costs are the second most important reason to consider electric vehicles.
Although economic incentives such as low registration fees and discounts on road tolls still play a role, they are not considered the most decisive factors.
– Environment and economy are the most important reasons for choosing an electric car, says Nils Sodal.
In Denmark, 65 percent of new cars registered in February 2025 were pure electric cars. If hybrid cars are included in the calculation, electrified cars accounted for a total of 77 percent of new car sales.
For now, there is also no indication that electric car owners will be asked to pay their share of the bill.
On the contrary, the government does not want to raise the registration tax on electric cars, even though a political agreement from 2020 actually says that it should happen. Read more about it here .
