Electric cars reach record 42% of Norway’s total new car sales with boost from Tesla Model X

While most countries have difficulties making electric cars reach 2% or 3% of their total car sales, Norway keeps pushing the bar higher and higher.

Last month was another record month for the country with electric cars representing 42% of its new vehicles being registered.

That’s a significant jump from their last record in January when they reached 37% of new car sales.

The country’s EV incentives, like the 25% VAT tax exemption, are helping maintain the rate of adoption about 10 times higher than most markets.

In June, all-electric vehicles also reached a record 27% of new car sales with plug-in hybrids making up the difference.

The record was helped by a big boost in Tesla Model X deliveries which had a record month in Norway with 609 registrations in June – enough to make it the second most popular vehicle in the country. The Model X contributed only 238 units to the last record.

It was only surpassed by 874 VW e-Golfs, which remains very popular in Norway, like its gas-powered version, according to new vehicle registrations (Norwegian).

Renault’s Zoe, which has been dominating electric vehicle sales in several European markets, also had a good month contributing 428 vehicles to the new record.

Finally, the first shipment of the Opel Ampera E, the European version of the Chevy Bolt EV, helped by adding 389 all-electric vehicles to the total, which may have resulted in an artificial increase of EVs for the month and created the record since GM is not expected to dedicate more of its Bolt production to Opel until next year.

Nonetheless, Norway is really close to the tipping point of electric cars where they become the majority of car sales in the country, which has the goal to reach 100% of new car sales being zero-emission vehicles starting in 2025.

With several new models coming to market in Norway next year, like Tesla Model 3, Audi e-tron quattro, and hopefully, the Opel Ampera E in higher volume, this new record of 42% of car sales could quickly seem low and the 2025 goal, which is among the most aggressive of any country, is starting to look attainable.