Districts lag behind in electric car sharing –

There are large differences in the proportion of electric and zero-emission cars that make up the car fleet across counties. It shows figures that the Liberal Party has taken from the Norwegian Public Roads Administration.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the ratio is lower in the far north. In Finnmark, only 1.4% of cars are zero-emission, followed by Troms with a 3.7% share of electric cars.

But also in the old county of Oppland, just over an hour’s drive from Oslo, the share of zero-emission cars is just 4.3 percent.

Most of the big cities

– Fossil cars continue to dominate Norwegian roads. We do not intend to convert the Norwegian car fleet, even though new electric car sales now exceed 50 percent, says Ola Elvestuen. In Norway, the total share of electric cars as of September 19 is 11.2%, the figures show.

It is around the big cities where the proportion is highest. Oslo tops the list with an electric car share of 20.6 percent, followed by Hordaland with 17.8 percent and Akershus with 15.7.

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– So far, it is clear that sales have been skewed. The benefits have affected those in and near large cities. It is related to technology, previously cars had low autonomy and were not suitable throughout the country. Only now have models arrived that suit all of Norway. This is not the time to undermine the benefits of the electric car. Rather, we must have a strong enough will to uphold the goals so that districts can participate in them as well, Elvestuen says.

– Will the benefits of the electric car be the ones that are not adapted to the districts?

– If we see development, electric car sales will also increase in districts now. This works. We have reached the goal, believes the leftist politician.

– Attacked from all sides

A government-appointed committee last week presented a report proposing to eliminate the benefits of electric cars from the toll network. The Labor Party will introduce taxes on the most expensive electric cars and Elvestuen notes that a Conservative Party committee has also advocated for the reintroduction of taxes. Red will make fuel cheaper in rural areas than in cities, something that Sp has also previously advocated for.

– The benefits of the electric car are now being attacked from almost all sides, but this is absolutely necessary, says Elvestuen.

It refers to the Storting’s decision that only zero-emission cars will be sold in Norway in 2025.

– It is a policy that has been adopted by the Storting and is necessary to achieve our climate goals by 2030. Now the new share of cars is zero-emission cars sold at 50%. We are still halfway there. Next year it should be 60 percent. And then 70.

– At some point we have to stop with the benefits?

– We will only sell electric cars. The benefits will still be there, but there may be changes when we know that we are reaching the goal. But we must maintain the benefits until we know we will achieve them, he says.