While electric cars have yet to make any significant inroads on the sales charts of most countries, there is one place in the world where electric is king…
In October, the Nissan Leaf emerged as the best selling vehicle in Norway, although its success has been driven a range of perks for those owning an electric vehicle in the oil-rich country.
The month saw 716 Leafs registered, making it more popular than the Toyota Auris and the Volkswagen Golf with a market share of 5.6 percent, according to OFV, which compiles data on Norwegian car sales.
The numbers mark the second month running in which an electric car dominates the rankings.
In September, the US-made Tesla Model S premium sedan held the top spot due to a backlog that had built up before the first cars were shipped to the country.
"I'm a little surprised that this happens twice in a row," the head of registration data at OFV, Paal Bruhn, told AFP.
Norway has encouraged electric car sales with tax incentives, congestion charge exemptions, access to public transport lanes and free parking.
But with Crown Prince Haakon reportedly being the proud owner of a Tesla S, the policy has pitted environmentalism against Norwegians' egalitarian streak: according to some calculations, the luxurious Tesla S is subsidised to the tune of 737 000 kroner (a whopping R1.2-million) per car.
In total, electric cars accounted for 7.2 percent of Norway vehicle sales in October, up from a 3.4 percent market share a year ago. -AFP & IOL