Skip to main content

Norway continues to lead global electric vehicle market

Norway continues to lead the global market for electric vehicles, according to the most recent plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) index from IHS Automotive, part of business information provider IHS Markit. Plug-in electric vehicles are defined as either a pure Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) or a Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV). Based on analysis of new vehicle registrations during the first quarter 2016, one out of every three vehicles registered in Norway during the quarter was a plug-in electric vehicle, r
September 23, 2016 Read time: 3 mins
Norway continues to lead the global market for electric vehicles, according to the most recent plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) index from IHS Automotive, part of business information provider IHS Markit. Plug-in electric vehicles are defined as either a pure Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) or a Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV).

Based on analysis of new vehicle registrations during the first quarter 2016, one out of every three vehicles registered in Norway during the quarter was a plug-in electric vehicle, reflecting more market penetration in Norway than any other major market tracked by IHS Markit within the index. In a previous study from IHS Markit, one in four vehicles registered in Norway during the same timeframe a year ago were a PEV, which demonstrates the continued commitment to alternative propulsion vehicles in this country.

The Netherlands also continues to be a hot market for electric vehicles, but has lost momentum recently and trails significantly behind – with just 2.2 per cent share of all new vehicles registered there being electric. France is gaining, with 1.6 per cent share. The UK is the only other market tracked with share of more than one per cent, with 1.3 per cent of all vehicles registered there being electric.

Other key markets still remain below a one per cent average in electric vehicle market share – with the US, Germany, Japan and China ranking further down in the index. While China leads in volume, with more than 32,000 electric vehicles registered during the quarter, its market share for EVs is just 0.5 percent. Additionally, recent announcements by authorities there aimed at potentially curbing the number of EV manufacturers may have an even greater impact on overall production in the region. Likewise, the US also has high volumes, with more than 26,000 units registered during the first quarter, however, just less than one percent of the total market.

Based on IHS Markit research, regional legislative activities have driven the EV movement in certain locations. Norway has historically been supportive with EV incentive programs and other efforts toward adopting green technology.

“Attractive incentives in France are also spurring EV growth there,” said Ben Scott, senior automotive analyst for IHS Markit. “However, a recent change in PHEV taxation in the Netherlands has somewhat inhibited the market in this country.”

German authorities recently enacted a new subsidy for PEVs during the second quarter, and IHS Markit analysts predict an uptick there is on the horizon.

“Consumers in Japan have been more interested in traditional hybrids. However recent changes in subsidy may drive PEV uptake as well as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles,” Scott said.

More countries are developing policies for incentives and building charging infrastructure capability, however, they will be unable to sustain these developments alone. Increased production of electric vehicles across the manufacturing base is required to make them more affordable for consumers, in order to allow for substantial growth of these types of vehicles, IHS Markit says.

In current forecasts from IHS Markit, it is expected that plug-in electric vehicles will account for just four per cent of light vehicles produced globally in 2020, up from about 1 percent in 2016, when the company expects an estimated one million electric vehicles produced globally by the end of the year.

Related Content

  • Public transport ITS market in Europe and North America to grow 7 per cent by 2020
    January 3, 2017
    The latest research from Berg Insight indicates that the market for intelligent transport systems (ITS) in public transport operations in Europe was US$1.4 billion (€1.35 billion) in 2015. Growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.2 per cent, it is expected to reach US$2 billion (€1.91 billion) by 2020. The North American market for public transport ITS is similarly forecast to grow at a CAGR of 8.1 per cent from US$0.6 billion (€0.59 billion) in 2015 to reach US$0.9 billion (€0.87 billion) in
  • Vehicle surveillance market accelerates
    March 29, 2016
    A recently-released report from MarketsandMarkets indicates that the global vehicle surveillance market is expected to grow from US$49.93 billion in 2015 to US$103.21 billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 11.1 per cent between 2016 and 2022. Factors such as regulations in different countries for compulsory driver assistance or passenger safety products, the wide range of advantages of in-vehicle surveillance systems, increasing sales of premium cars and the increase in traffic fatalities demand greater traffic c
  • SwRI to launch EssEs consortium
    May 21, 2012
    Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) will launch a new cooperative research project focusing on safe, reliable, cost-effective energy storage systems for electric and hybrid-electric vehicle applications. The Energy Storage System Evaluation and Safety (EssEs) consortium is intended to help vehicle manufacturers and battery suppliers develop pre-competitive, detailed cell-level test data on electrochemical storage systems and perform research to advance testing methodologies to evaluate batteries. The four-y
  • Worldwide electronic toll collection market to double between 2016 and 2025
    June 15, 2015
    Ptolemus Consulting Group has released the 2015 edition of its electronic toll collection (ETC) Global Study 2015, which indicates that the average penetration of electronic tolling by revenue in Europe is set to increase from 71 per cent in 2015 to 86 per cent in 2025. The growth is lead by the increase use of road user charging schemes dedicated to trucks following the first steps made by Germany.