In August, Norway witnessed a decline of over 10 percent in new passenger car registrations, marking a significant downturn compared to the same period the previous year. The Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) reported 11,083 new passenger cars registered, underscoring the challenges faced by the country’s auto industry. The year-to-date sales figures also revealed a persistent downturn, with 85,157 units sold, down 3.4 percent compared to the previous year.
Notably, plug-in electric car sales in August showed a decrease, primarily due to the declining popularity of plug-in hybrids, while all-electric car sales remained relatively stable.
According to the OFV, 9,974 new passenger plug-in cars were registered last month, reflecting a 6 percent year-over-year decrease. These plug-in vehicles accounted for a substantial 90.0 percent of the total volume, a notable increase from 86 percent recorded a year ago.
This figure encompasses 9,250 all-electric cars, which marked a modest increase of three units compared to the previous year. In contrast, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) experienced a sharp decline, with 724 units registered, down 48 percent year-over-year. This marks the 20th consecutive month of decline for PHEVs.
Breaking down the registrations for passenger cars last month:
- Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 9,250 registrations, nearly identical to the previous year, with a market share of 83.5 percent.
- Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) registered 724 units, reflecting a significant 48 percent decrease and holding a 6.5 percent market share.
- In total, 9,974 passenger plug-in cars were registered in August, representing a 6 percent decrease and commanding a significant 90.0 percent market share.
Throughout the year, Norway has seen more than 76,000 new passenger plug-in electric cars registered, constituting approximately 90 percent of total car sales. The year-to-date plug-in car registrations can be broken down as follows:
- BEVs: 70,674 registrations, indicating a 3 percent increase, with a market share of 83.0 percent.
- PHEVs: 6,026 registrations, down 30 percent, holding a 7.1 percent market share.
- In total, 76,700 plug-in cars were registered year-to-date, marking a slight 0.7 percent decrease and commanding a significant 90.1 percent market share.
For context, in the entirety of 2022, Norway recorded over 153,000 new plug-in electric car registrations, accounting for 87.8 percent of the total volume.
In August, the most registered car models in Norway were the Tesla Model Y, with 1,452 units, followed by the Volkswagen ID.4 with 712 units, and the Skoda Enyaq iV with 704 units.
Interestingly, the Model Y solidified its position as the most popular car of the year thus far, with 17,099 units registered. However, the Volkswagen Group’s trio, comprising the Volkswagen ID.4, Skoda Enyaq iV, and Audi Q4 e-tron, collectively reached 11,220 units year-to-date. Additionally, it’s worth noting that last month, the Nissan Ariya outpaced the aging Nissan Leaf, signaling changing preferences in Norway’s electric vehicle market.