Battery-Electric Cars Dominate Norway as EVs Take Over New Sales and Fleets

Norway once again confirms its global leadership in electric mobility. New 2025 registration data shows that battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) now dominate both new car sales and the national vehicle fleet, pushing fossil-fuel cars further into the margins.

According to official figures from the Norwegian Road Information Authority (OFV), 95.9% of all new passenger cars registered in Norway in 2025 were fully electric — an unprecedented level of market penetration anywhere in the world.

EV Share Hits 96% of New Car Sales in 2025

Record Year for the Norwegian Car Market

Norway registered 179,550 new passenger cars in 2025, exceeding the previous national record set in 2021. Of these:

• 172,233 were battery-electric vehicles

• BEV market share: 95.9%

• Up from 88.9% in 2024

All other drivetrains are now niche products:

• Diesel: 1.0%

• Petrol: 0.3%

• Hybrids (all types combined): 2.8%

This confirms that Norway is no longer “transitioning” to EVs — it has effectively completed the shift in new car sales.

End-of-Year Surge Driven by Tax Changes

December 2025 Sets New Records

The final months of the year saw an extraordinary rush:

• December registrations: 35,188 cars (+158% YoY)

• BEV share in December: 97.6%

According to Geir Inge Stokke, the surge was driven largely by policy:

“The year-end surge was historically strong, and there is no doubt that the upcoming VAT change from January 1, 2026, led many people to secure an electric car before the end of the year.”

Electric Cars Overtake Diesel in the National Fleet

A Historic Turning Point

2025 will also be remembered as the year when electric cars outnumbered diesel cars in Norway’s total vehicle fleet.

While two-thirds of cars on the road still run on fossil fuels, the trend is now irreversible:

• Diesel registrations have been collapsing for years

• New fossil-fuel sales are approaching zero

• Regional EV adoption continues to spread beyond urban areas

Tesla Remains Norway’s Dominant Brand

One in Five New Cars Was a Tesla

Despite global challenges elsewhere, Tesla reinforced its dominance in Norway:

• 34,285 Teslas registered in 2025

• Market share: 19.1%

• Nearly 1 in 5 new cars sold was a Tesla

At the model level, the Tesla Model Y set an all-time national record:

• 27,621 registrations

• Highest annual sales ever for a single model in Norway

“That a brand can achieve nearly 20% market share with so few models is remarkable,” notes Stokke.

Volkswagen and Chinese Brands Gain Ground

Strong Finish for Volkswagen

Volkswagen closed the year strongly:

• 5,237 registrations in December

• 14.9% monthly market share

• 23,938 total sales in 2025 (13.3% annual share)

Chinese Brands Continue Rapid Expansion

Chinese automakers further strengthened their presence:

• 24,524 Chinese-origin cars sold

• 13.7% market share (up from 10.4% in 2024)

BYD was the strongest Chinese brand, driven primarily by the BYD Sealion 7.

Top 10 Models in Norway, 2025

1. Tesla Model Y — 27,621

2. VW ID.4 — 8,802

3. Toyota bZ4X — 7,274

4. VW ID.7 — 6,976

5. Tesla Model 3 — 6,608

6. VW ID.3 — 5,572

7. Volvo EX40 — 5,270

8. Volvo EX30 — 5,206

9. Škoda Enyaq — 4,837

10. Nissan Ariya — 4,565

European, American, and Japanese brands still dominate the top-10, but Chinese models are closing the gap fast.

Electric Vans and Buses Surge, Trucks Lag Behind

Commercial Vehicles Also Going Electric

Norway’s electrification extends beyond passenger cars:

• Vans: 45.2% BEV (29,650 total registrations)

• Buses: 56.3% electric

• Trucks (>3.5t):

  • 17.3% electric

  • 73.2% diesel

While heavy trucks remain diesel-dominated, Norway still leads Europe by a wide margin in electric truck adoption.

Big Picture: Norway as the Global EV Benchmark

Norway has now achieved what most countries are still debating:

• Near-total EV dominance in new car sales

• Rapid electrification of fleets

• Policy-driven market transformation that actually works

The Norwegian market proves that EV adoption at scale is not a future scenario — it is already a reality.