Norway continues to lead the way as the most ‘electrified’ nation in Europe.
Despite having a tiny population under 5 million, the Scandinavian country bought more electric cars in 2012 than any other country in Europe and per capita, leads the world in the adoption of electric cars.
According to Treehugger.com, the reason Norwegians are so keen on EVs are twofold. First, electric cars are exempt from import taxes, which significantly bump up the prices of combustion cars, and make electric cars much more affordable.
Electric cars are also eligible for plenty of other perks such as free parking, exemption from congestion charging and are permitted to travel in bus lanes in the capital Oslo. This helps electric car owners significantly cut down their commuting time.
The country also supports EV use through a network of some 3,500 charging posts-not bad for a country with such a small population.
As a result, Norwegians have the most Tesla Model S reservations in the European market, according to Autoblog.com, while the Nissan LEAF reached 1.7 per cent of total Norwegian car sales last year-making it the 13th best selling car in the country.
In total, Norway bought around 10,000 plug-in cars in 2012, meaning they took a 5.2 per cent share of the market, compared to a 0.6 per cent share in the USA.
Faye has been writing about cars and environmental issues since 2007. A suspected eco-warrior working on the corporate inside, Faye mainly likes the weird, quirky vehicles that show a distinct environmental advantage. Her ideal car has enough room to fit a bale of hay in the boot. When not working, she likes nothing better than to head out on her bicycle and explore the countryside.
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