News

Norway's e-cars

road

Source: Pixabay/road-tunnel-7336789_1280

Norway's e-cars


Norway is significantly ahead when it comes to the introduction of e-cars. Around 87% of newly registered cars are electric cars, compared to only around 13% in other countries. This can probably be explained by the particularly high level of ecological and social awareness in Norway, but the framework conditions for state subsidies are also particularly good here. Norway has therefore achieved its goal in every respect with its government incentives. However, it should be emphasized that the wealthier inhabitants have often been able to benefit. Many low-income Norwegians still drive a combustion car or do not own a vehicle at all, whereas others have been able to purchase at least one, and in some cases even several electric cars. However, it remains questionable whether this was included in the government's purpose. It should not be the case that families own several such vehicles. On the contrary, the use of public transport should also be promoted. The use of local public transport has now fallen sharply, which was in no way part of the objective. This is also the reason why the country of Norway has already cut back sharply on subsidies and state support. It must not happen that the use of certain means of transport comes at the expense of others, as has now happened with e-cars and local public transport. The reason may be that the car has long been a popular means of transportation in Norway. The country offers quite a lot of space for relatively few people, so the car naturally offered an excellent way to be very flexible in the sprawling cities. The construction of roads, tunnels and bridges has been intensified, so the connection to the various cities that have developed over time has also been improved. As a result, the car became more and more important and public transport less and less interesting. In any case, this is not sustainable and has not exactly been improved by the offer of particularly good state subsidies.
Just as Norway is furthest ahead in terms of e-cars, the country is furthest behind in terms of public transport use. The approach here is now more car-centric and American, rather than multimodal and European, as is the case here.
Many people own cars, but don't use them much. This may be partly due to the fact that the family still lives in the countryside and the car is used for this, but not much more than that. Such places may not be very easy to reach by train.
However, the problem lies more in the dependence on the car that has developed. Because in the cities themselves, people are not necessarily dependent on a car. Norway has therefore already taken steps to reduce this dependency. For example, some cities have committed themselves to being able to cover the entire volume of journeys by public transport, bicycle or on foot in future. Oslo, for example, has removed dozens of parking spaces to make room for cycle paths or widen pedestrian walkways.
Overall, the problem needs to be tackled at its roots: Electric cars in themselves are not the solution to the problem. Rather, it is the implementation and the thinking.

Go back