Norway hit a major milepost in the world of electric cars . The state is the first to have more eV on the road than gas cars . And did n’t just see more sales of electron volt — more people aredrivingEVs than home combustion locomotive ( ICE ) vehicles .

According to a new report from the Norwegian road confederacy , asreported first by AFP , of the 2.8 million secret cars register the country , 754,303 are all - electric vehicle , liken to 753,905 that are gas - power cars . Of course , you might find a discrepancy in those numbers . In the mid-2000s , Norway plant a big get-up-and-go for diesel fuel sodding with tax incentives , and diesel engine cars continue the most common vehicle eccentric in the state , accounting for over a third of vehicle registration . But official in Norway think that EVs will outnumber even diesel engine cars by 2026 — which is n’t surprising given the fact that the news report highlights that in August , EVs accounted for a whopping 94.3 % of new car registrations in the nation .

So why so many electric vehicles ? Should we be await to Norway as a guiding force for our own move to electrification ?

It’s all about the policies

Norway was very quick to adopt policies around the move to electrified vehicle . In fact , many of its incentives appointment right smart back to the nineties — even before the country ’s push for diesel engine . In the ’ 90 , the Norse government offer EV owner free parking , use of bus lanes , and more . But perhaps more important than those perks are the perks that impact car buyers ’ wallet . The government not only waived tolls for zero - emissions vehicles , but it even stopped tax purchases of them . To this day , electric auto and trucks are nontaxable from sale and discharge tax .

Of naturally , at the time these policies had minimum impact — because in the ’ 90s , there were n’t many electron volt out there , and even through the former 2000s , EVs came with monumental trade - offs . But , asTesla made EVs cooland spur a whole Modern generation of contender , they because a whole great deal more tenable for the average buyer .

The U.S. political science , of course of study , has reenact policy of its own . restricted buyers in the U.S. can get a tax incentive of up to $ 7,500 , which has had a massive encroachment on EV adoption . Some state have ordain their own policies too — mostly in the frame of additional tax discount . Contrary to that , some states have , of course , act out extra taxis on EV owners , mostly to make up for the recede income from gas tax .

However , much of the encroachment of the insurance policy in the U.S. is only just now start to be felt . Given Norway ’s massive head start , it makes gumption that there would be greater awareness of tax benefits , and a high-pitched pace of adoption .

What about the grid?

Much of the so - called concern about the electric grid in the U.S. as it relates to EVshas been overblown , as expert mostly tally that while the control grid needs some work , and it could stand to be wise , it should be able to plow rising EV adoption rate perfectly fine . But that would n’t necessarily be the case if everyone abruptly shift to an EV tomorrow .

Norway is a leader in vigor coevals , too , though . Most of Norway ’s electrical energy is actually generated by hydroelectric power plant , and Norway has largely led the electric charge when it comes to hydroelectric technology . Second to hydro is wind power , followed by solar power , and finally , coal power . Yeah , Norway is pretty green .

The U.S. patently face unlike challenges when it amount to top executive generation . The U.S. has a much larger universe and presently trust on entirely dissimilar forms of electrical energy generation — with natural gas being the largest origin of energy . That ’s likely to vary over time , but withrenewable vigour only accounting for 21.4%of the electrical energy genesis in the U.S. , and natural gas pedal accounting for 43.1 % , it in all likelihood wo n’t change any time presently . Nuclear energy in picky is promising — but face challenge around public sensing , despite the fact that the engineering has become far safer in the preceding decade or so .

Paving the way

To be unclouded , it does n’t appear as though the U.S.isn’tfollowing Norway ’s lead . On the perverse , galvanizing vehicle sales are arise in the U.S. , and that ’s likely to continue as we get cheaper models and better charging infrastructure . Hopefully , however , thing like authorities incentives keep up , serve first - clock time EV buyers with the difference in cost between electric vehicles and gas - power vehicles .