August saw plugin EVs at a record 98.4% share in Norway, up from 95.7% year on year.
BEVs alone took 96.9% share. Overall auto volume was 13,915 units, up 25% YoY. The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling vehicle.
August’s sales totals saw combined EVs take a record 98.4% share in Norway, comprising 96.9% full electrics (BEVs) and 1.5% plugin hybrids (PHEVs). These compare with YoY figures of 95.7% combined, 94.3% BEV and 1.4% PHEV.
This is the third consecutive month of record share for EVs. The recent steady growth comes mostly as a consequence of HEVs and diesel-only vehicles being more strictly taxed for CO2 emissions, following policy changes enacted from April 1st. The continued growth is also the result of an ever broadening choice of competent and affordable BEV models being available, displacing the ICE vehicles which were the only previous choices in those segments.
HEV powertrains (mainly sold by Toyota) have significantly eroded since April 1st, with their August share being just 0.4%, down from 2.2% YoY. Diesel-only vehicles are now down to 1.0% from 1.5% YoY, and petrol-only are now at 0.2% from 0.5% YoY.
Best-Selling Models
The Tesla Model Y was once again Norway’s best-selling vehicle, with 2,450 units registered. This was the model’s sixth consecutive month in the lead.
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz took second place with 889 units, and its sibling the ID.4 took third with 637 units.
The Tesla Model 3 ranked 4th in August, due to a large push. Though, over the longer term, it is trending down compared to a year ago. Back in mid 2024, thanks to the recent “Highland” refresh, the Model 3 was often in second place behind the Model Y. Even with August’s decent volume, its trailing 3-month rank is currently 6th, a long way from its past highs (more trailing-3 data below).
The Skoda Elroq continues its steady climb, following its first significant volume as recently as April. It saw a personal-best 380 units in August, ranking 7th (its highest yet). It’s a great value BEV, priced from 299,990 NOK (€25,500).
Other new-ish models which are doing fairly well include the MG S5 (March debut), which took a slight dip in August (to 29th) but may again place in the top 20 in the months ahead. There’s also the Zeekr 7X (April debut), which has delivered a consistent ~86 units per month recently and ranks in the mid-30s region.
In the small-and-relatively-affordable segment, the Renault 5 and Hyundai Inster are still duelling for the lead. The R5 scored 115 sales in August, a new personal-best, and took 31st position. The Inster scored 98 sales, close to a personal-best, and ranked 35th. The Citroen e-C3 was not far behind with 81 units (39th).
The new Renault 4 (some 10% larger than the Renault 5) saw its first 5 units registered in August — these are likely showroom units, and we might expect customer volumes in October or November. The Nio Firefly still hasn’t had its retail launch, but the rumoured starting price will be 280,000 NOK (€23,800), about 12% above the Renault 5’s starting price. This pricing put it closer to the R5 than to the likes of the Fiat 500 and Mini BEVs, which are priced well above 300,000 NOK. I would thus expect the Firefly to be “a competitor” to the R5 (cross-shopped by prospective buyers).
The Opel Frontera, which launched in May, is selling around 60 units per month, and this is probably supply limited. Although a larger vehicle (4,385 mm), the Frontera’s entry price in Norway is 250,000 NOK (€21,300), about the same as the entry Renault 5 and Hyundai Inster, so will be considered by shoppers of those models.
It will be good to see more and more compelling and relatively-affordable models competing and together making up 5% (or more) of monthly BEV sales (and market share), and growing, with still more models coming (e.g., BYD Dolphin Surf).
Aside from the Renault 4 mentioned above, there were several other debutants in August. Perhaps the most important is the new Mercedes CLA, a D-segment sedan and Tesla Model 3 competitor, which has also just launched in Sweden (see that report for specs). The CLA registered just 8 initial units in Norway, but Mercedes will be hoping it gets to around 100 monthly units (or more), which would rank at least in 30th spot.
