Electric cars account for almost 90 percent of Norwegian new car sales. But according to a new study, 4 out of 10 drivers will not own the cars.
In Norway, the enthusiasm for electric cars is not as great as one might think. 4 out of 10 Norwegians do not want to own an electric car, a new study shows. This contrasts with Norway's ambitious goal that all new cars sold in the country must be electric by this year.
The study, conducted by InFact, reveals that a significant portion of the Norwegian population still prefers gasoline and diesel cars.
Jonathan Parr, head of research at car retailer Rebil, points to several reasons for this reluctance. Among other things, he mentions the limited range of electric cars, especially when pulling heavy loads, and the lack of charging infrastructure in parts of Norway.
"The electric car goal is a utopia. Large parts of the population simply prefer gasoline and diesel cars," Parr tells Nettavisen .
Parr's statement underscores the challenge Norway faces in its pursuit of complete electrification of the vehicle fleet.
Even though electric cars have gained popularity in Norway, there is still a significant portion of the population that is not convinced of the benefits of electric cars.
Despite this skepticism, there is still broad support for government subsidies for electric cars.
These subsidies, which include exemption from VAT, help make electric cars more attractive to consumers.
However, support for electric cars is not evenly distributed across the population. The study shows that support is greatest among those with higher incomes.
Although electric cars accounted for 89 percent of new car sales in Norway last year, gasoline and diesel cars still dominate the used market.
This dominance of the used market is one of the factors contributing to the continued popularity of gasoline and diesel cars.
Jonathan Parr doubts that the transition to electric cars will be voluntary in Norway. He predicts that a possible ban on the sale of gasoline and diesel cars will be necessary to achieve the goal of complete electrification.
– So far, the Norwegians are world champions, and we have come a long way towards achieving the goal of 100 percent electric cars in new car sales.
– But the day that gasoline or diesel cars are no longer sold in the country, it will probably be because the authorities have banned it.
