EVs Hit A Record 98.7% Market Share In Norway. These Are The Top Sellers

In a striking milestone for electric mobility, battery-electric vehicles captured a record 98.7 percent of all new car sales in Norway during the latest reporting period. The figure marks a near-total collapse of traditional internal combustion engines and hybrids in the Scandinavian market, confirming that Norwegian buyers have now decisively abandoned petrol and diesel vehicles in favor of fully electric powertrains.

The Norwegian result is no accident. Decades of aggressive tax exemptions, toll waivers, and dedicated charging infrastructure have reshaped consumer behavior, making EVs the obvious and logical choice for most households. With a tiny fraction of car buyers still opting for combustion models, Norway stands as the world's clearest example of what happens when policy and infrastructure align to support a full transition away from fossil fuels.

For Saudi buyers, the Norwegian achievement serves as a useful benchmark rather than a direct comparison. The Kingdom is still in the early stages of its own EV rollout, with its market shaped by different geography, climate, and consumer habits. New energy vehicle adoption is growing locally, but the lineup of available electric models remains far narrower than Norway's, where dozens of affordable entry-level options compete for attention.

The models topping Norway's sales charts typically belong to the compact crossover and midsize sedan segments, categories that translate well to Saudi roads. However, buyers here are likelier to cross-shop these EVs against established gasoline-powered rivals such as Japanese and Korean SUVs, which still dominate the local market. Traditional luxury brands and emerging Chinese automakers are also vying for the same customer wallet in the Kingdom.

Shoppers considering an EV in Saudi Arabia should watch for factors that matter less in cold climates: battery performance under extreme heat, charging-network coverage outside major cities, and warranty terms that account for local conditions. While Norway's 98.7 percent share is a headline-grabbing global record, the Saudi market will follow its own path—one defined by infrastructure buildout and consumer education rather than simple imitation of European trends.