Norway moves to the brink of ending petrol and diesel car sales as electric vehicles claim nearly all new registrations.
Almost all new cars sold in Norway in 2026 were fully electric, reinforcing the Nordic nation’s position in the shift to sustainable transport. Official registration data published showed that 95.9% of all new passenger cars registered in 2025 were electric vehicles, bringing the country close to effectively eliminating petrol and diesel cars from its new car market.
The figure marked a sharp rise from 88.9% at the end of 2024. Electric vehicles accounted for 98% of new registrations in December alone, highlighting a powerful year end surge. A total of 179,550 new passenger cars were registered during the year, a 40% increase compared with the previous year and the highest annual total on record, according to the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council.
“This has been a very special car year,” said OFV Director Geir Inge Stokke, pointing to the impact of long term and targeted electric vehicle policies. He added that strong sales towards the end of 2025 were partly driven by buyers bringing forward purchases ahead of a value added tax change due from January 2026.
Tesla remained the dominant brand, securing its 5th consecutive year as Norway’s top selling carmaker. Nearly one in five new cars sold in 2025 was a Tesla, with 34,285 registrations, up 41% from 2024. The Model Y was particularly popular, accounting for more than 27,000 registrations.
