The country has a sovereign wealth fund worth more than $1.7 trillion (£1.3tn), built up from the proceeds of its oilfields, to act as a “pension fund” for when it runs out.
This cash cushion has made it possible for the government to offer green incentives to motorists, including exempting electric car buyers from sales tax.
In the early days of the EV revolution, Norway’s environmental activists even enlisted the help of the country’s biggest pop group, A-ha, to promote the use of the vehicles.
Despite this milestone, there is still work to be done. Diesel models remain most numerous at just under one million, but their sales are falling rapidly, says the Norwegian Road Federation.
At present, nine out of 10 new cars sold in Norway are electric vehicles, industry figures indicate. And it’s not hard to see why when you consider how much the authorities do to favour them.
Many places offer free parking for EVs and their drivers do not have to pay city tolls.
And while electric car owners in many countries complain about the lack of charging facilities, there are numerous free chargers in every Norwegian town and city, with 2,000 of them in Oslo alone.
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