In August, 13,451 new passenger cars were registered in Norway, marking a decline of 3.4 per cent compared to the same month last year. According to the Norwegian Road Traffic Information Council (OFV), the share of electric cars reached a new monthly record of 98.7 per cent. In August 2025, this figure had been 96.9 per cent.

This continues the trend observed in recent months. In July, the electric car share had been 97.6 per cent. Since the beginning of the year, purely electric passenger cars have accounted for 97.8 per cent of registrations. The Norwegian new car market is thus effectively fully electric.

However, there appears to be significant differences between manufacturers. Six of the ten largest car brands increased their registrations compared to August 2025. Xpeng and Toyota saw particularly strong growth, while BYD, BMW, Volvo, and Audi also recorded increases. Volkswagen was the most registered brand in August. At the model level, the VW ID.4 took the lead, followed by the Toyota bZ4X and the BMW iX3. Chinese manufacturers have also gainedfurther market share: Xpeng and BYD jointly accounted for 11.4 per cent in August, up from 4.9 per cent in the same month last year. Together, more than twice as many vehicles from these two brands were registered compared to a year ago.

Tesla, however, recorded notably weaker performance. The brand recorded 2,387 fewer registrations in August compared to the same month last year. All other manufacturers combined saw an increase of 1,921 vehicles. Without Tesla, the Norwegian passenger car market would not have shrunk in August but, according to OFV, would have grown by 17 per cent.

“The passenger car market is declining slightly, but development varies significantly between brands. Several major brands are growing, and competition for car customers has become more balanced,” says OFV CEO Geir Inge Stokke.

Despite the weak month, Tesla remains the most registered brand in Norway so far this year. However, its lead over Toyota has shrunk considerably. Toyota has increased its registrations by 46.4 per cent since the beginning of the year, while Tesla has recorded an 11 per cent decline. As a result, the gap between the two brands has narrowed from 9,173 vehicles in the same period last year to 3,740 units. Volkswagen ranks third in the year-to-date standings.

The trend towards electrification is also evident in light commercial vehicles, albeit at a much lower level. In August, 3,139 new vans were registered, 10.6 per cent more than in the same month last year. The number of electric vans increased by 17 per cent, reaching a share of 44.9 per cent. Since the beginning of the year, the electric share in this segment has been 53.1 per cent.

There was also a short-term increase in diesel registrations towards the end of the month. In the second half of August, diesel vans accounted for 56.1 per cent, up from 36.3 per cent in the first half. The OFV links this development to the increased CO₂ component of the registration tax for internal combustion engine vans, which came into effect on 1 September. For some models, the fee has increased by up to 15,000 Norwegian kroner. Some registrations may therefore have been brought forward.

With an electric share of 98.7 per cent, Norway is closer than ever to its goal of a fully emission-free new passenger car market, which was already set for 2025. However, since internal combustion engine vehicles are still allowed to be registered, this does not constitute a sales ban. For further CO₂ reductions, the focus is now increasingly on the existing vehicle fleet. “Further emission reductions increasingly depend on how quickly older petrol and diesel vehicles disappear from the existing fleet,” says Stokke.

ofv.no (NO)