Car sales in Norway increased sharply in April

A total of 13,166 new passenger cars were registered in April this year, 77% more than in the same month last year. Over half were electric cars, with Volkswagen ID.4 at the top.

“The corona year has hit people hard in many different ways. Now we sense some relief in our part of the world, and it seems to affect people’s desire to change cars.

“April showed a clear increase in new car sales, the number of changes of ownership increases, and an increase in the imports of used cars,” director Øyvind Solberg Thorsen in the Road Traffic Information Council (OFV) said.

Overall, sales are on a par with previous peak years such as 2017 and 2018, according to OFV.

Electric cars

The number of ownership changes in April this year was 41,335, compared with 33,930 in the same month last year. Second-hand imports of passenger cars rose from 598 to 1,519 in April.

A total of 7,227 new electric cars were registered in April, which constitutes 55% of new car sales. In addition, 3,208 rechargeable petrol hybrids were sold, corresponding to 24.4%. Sales of diesel cars fell by 17%.

From the turn of the year until the beginning of May, there were 26,380 first-time registered new electric cars in Norway. At the same time last year, the number was 20,021.

“All-time high”

“This is an ‘all-time high’ in the number of electric cars in the first four months. The same goes for rechargeable hybrids.

“At the turn of the month, April/May, 13,948 new rechargeable hybrids were sold, which is a new record for the first four months of the year.

“The sales figures clearly show that both of these car types are something many people want. People simply want a car with charging options,” Thorsen said.

According to OFV, many of the smallest electric cars that were very popular just a few years ago now face declining sales.

“Electric cars are now in a new generation. They have become large family cars with solutions and equipment that reflect the needs and wishes (of customers). This trend will probably continue at a fast pace,” Thorsen added.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayFinance

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