Norway on track to be first to go all-electric
www.bbc.com
Nine in 10 new cars in the country are now battery-powered, and it aims to hit 100% later this year.

“Norway is the world leader when it comes to the take up of electric cars, which last year accounted for nine out of 10 new vehicles sold in the country.”

  • Nougat@fedia.io
    1122·
    12 hours ago

    The only reason Norway can afford electric cars is because of the wealth that comes from its oil and gas industry. This is why Norweigans who can afford to buy new cars can also afford electric cars.

    So … yay?

    • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
      131·
      9 hours ago

      That’s a load of bullshit, how is money going to a pension fund making the people richer when no money was withdrawn from it until 2016 even though it has existed since 1990?

      They have a flat taxation rate of 22% with sales taxes at 25%. Compare that to the US with billionaires paying no taxes at all…

      • cabbage@piefed.socialEnglish
        12·
        8 hours ago

        Money is taken from the sovreign wealth fund every year. However, it is not taken from the savings, but from interest. A maximum of 3% of the funds value can enter the budget, as decided by the budgetary rule.

        Oil also makes people richer because it provides industry and jobs.

        However, the reason people can afford electric vehicles is that they are excempt from value-added tax. VAT on new cars is quite high in Norway, so if this shaves $40 000 off the price of a new car it obviously makes them more lucrative by comparison.

        It’s a political decision, it’s not that all Norwegians walk around with fuck you money and buy the most expensive cars on the market just for fun.

        • anti_lib@lemmy.cafeEnglish
          21·
          5 hours ago

          Interest they get from their investments in companies like Solvay, Coca-Cola and Pfizer.

          • cabbage@piefed.socialEnglish
            2·
            5 hours ago

            Not sure what point you’re making, but it is indeed invested in a bunch of companies.

            It’s all listed here. Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Google/Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta are the biggest ones. Nestle, Exxon, Shell, UnitedHealth, and Tesla are some other good ones if you’re looking for evil companies.

    • keepthepace@slrpnk.net
      271·
      11 hours ago

      Not really. They have a very simple tax device that ensures EVs are cheaper than thermal cars. China has put in place something similar. It is not a rich country thing. It is about being serious about its transition

        • virku@lemmy.world
          5·
          8 hours ago

          We do. Lots of teslas and asian brands though. But we have seen more and more of the “normal” brands as well these last few years.

      • Nougat@fedia.io
        38·
        11 hours ago

        Which is just making all cars more expensive for everyone, meaning that Norweigans who can buy new cars are wealthy enough to buy expensive cars.

          • Wooki@lemmy.world
            38·
            9 hours ago

            So what. Nice red herring.

            The cost of the EVs are in black and white listed on any dealers website in norway.

            They are stil, on average, 3 times the price of an ICE vehicle.

            They are not subsidised to parity, far far from it.

            The tax has just trippled the cost of vehicles.

    • Drigo@sopuli.xyz
      181·
      12 hours ago

      The real reason is because they have taxed the shit out of ICE’s and EVs was exempt from a lot of taxes.

      So for a lot of people, it really only makes sense to buy an EV because it is so much cheaper.