How Norway passenger transport completely transitioned to EVs in just 13 years.

By Jan Rosenow

Professor of Energy and Climate Policy at Oxford University

This is truly mind-blowing: Norway has gone from near-zero sales of non‑emitting battery electric vehicles to now close to 100% of all new passenger car sales—achieved in about 13 years.

What makes this transformation remarkable isn’t just the headline number, but how it happened:

– Clear long‑term policy signals (tax incentives, toll exemptions, parking perks) that made EVs the rational default.

– Serious charging infrastructure—fast chargers along highways and dense urban coverage—reducing range anxiety.

– Collaboration across government, utilities, automakers, and consumers to remove friction at every step.

– A consistent focus on total cost of ownership, not just sticker price.