Norway is considered the world leader in electric vehicles, with roughly one-quarter of all cars on the road now electric. How did the country get here? And what can Canada learn from its experience?
It's considered the world leader in EVs, with roughly one-quarter of all cars on the road now electric. It also exempted EV owners from paying road tolls and allowed them to use bus lanes in congested city centres."We are very close to our target," Cecilie Knibe Kroglund, Norway's state secretary for the Ministry of Transport, said in an interview, referring to the 2025 goal.
, announced late last year, focuses on compelling car companies to increase the number of EVs available, until the sale of gas-powered vehicles is phased out in 2035. For example, gas stations often have a second row of fast chargers. The newer stations, she said, often feature the chargers as the first option, and the gas pumps behind them.In more rural areas, particularly in northern Norway, the government has invested more money to extend the network where businesses are more reluctant to do so, she said.Daniel Breton, head of Electric Mobility Canada, an industry group, visited Norway 18 months ago.
However, he said policy choices could also address this problem — for instance, by imposing higher electricity rates for charging at peak hours.But there are also ways to mitigate the effects of extreme cold, such as preheating the vehicle before getting in the car, and charging more frequently to avoid the battery getting too low.Ben Baird, a Yellowknife resident, takes us for a drive in his electric truck and tells us about the challenges of owning an EV like his.