Oslo: Electric vehicle (EV) sales in Norway reached an unprecedented 94.3% of the market in August, setting a new global record, according to data released by the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) on Monday. This surge was largely driven by the popularity of the Tesla Model Y, which alone accounted for 18.8% of sales, along with significant contributions from Hyundai's Kona and Nissan's Leaf.

Norwegian consumers purchased 10,480 new EVs in August, bringing the total number of electric vehicles sold in the country this year to 68,435. In stark contrast, electric vehicle sales in the rest of Europe have been hindered by high prices and insufficient infrastructure, with hybrid models gaining popularity instead.

Norway, a leading oil and gas producer, has set an ambitious target of selling only zero-emission vehicles by 2025, a decade ahead of the European Union's goal. The country's success in EV adoption is partly due to generous tax incentives that make electric cars more competitively priced compared to traditional vehicles.

Oyvind Solberg Thorsen, Director of OFV, highlighted Norway's leadership in the global electric car market, stating, "No country in the world comes close to Norway in the electric car race." He added that if the current trend continues, Norway is well on its way to achieving its goal of 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2025.

In contrast, electric vehicles made up only 12.1% of new car sales in the European Union in July, trailing behind petrol cars at 33.4%, full hybrids at 32%, and diesel cars at 12.6%, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.