To The Moon

Norwegians registered a higher share of electric cars in March than ever before, helped by a new monthly record in the Nordic country for Tesla Inc.’s Model Y.

Almost 87% of the 19,366 cars sold in March were electric, the Norwegian Road Federation OFV said Monday. Diesel and gasoline cars accounted for 2.7% of sales during the month, OFV said, adding the nation was on track for a 90% share of EVs in new car sales by the year-end.

Norway is chasing a target to have zero-emission cars account for all new vehicle sales by 2025. The oil-rich nation was the first country to see new electric cars overtake showroom-fresh fossil models in 2020, bolstered by generous incentives such as reduced tolls, use of bus lanes and parking benefits.

“Sales of new diesel and gasoline cars are poised to become history in Norway,” OFV Director Oyvind Solberg Thorsen said. Though hybrid sales of around 10% also show that “not everyone is ready for an electric car quite yet.”

Some 7,445 Tesla Model Ys were sold in Norway last month, for a 44% share of total — a new all-time high for any car model or brand in that country, according to OFV. This was followed by 1,076 Toyota’s bZ4X and 933 Volvo XZ40s.