Learning EV lessons from Norway

This story first appeared in the November issue of EVtalk – CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

Norwegian authority on electric vehicles Christina Bu will help spark up Kiwis about EVs during November.

She leads the world’s largest EV owners’ group, the 60,000-strong Norwegian EV Association, and is keen to impart on New Zealanders the lessons learned in her home country.

EV advocacy group Drive Electric is bringing Bu here to outline the successful actions used in Norway around EV uptake, especially in business fleets, and the challenges faced.

She’ll be speaking at breakfast events in Auckland on November 27, Christchurch on November 28 and Wellington on November 29.

The Auckland and Christchurch events focus on the “unconverted” corporate audience, while the Wellington focus is more on the Government’s policy and procurement audience.

The Norwegian association’s secretary general will meet ministers while in Wellington and attend a VIP dinner hosted by Meridian Energy with leaders of key Government agencies and influencing organisations.

Meridian Energy procurement and property manager Nick Robilliard will present a New Zealand case study to localise this.

The electricity generator and retailer launched a campaign in April to encourage EV uptake by asking Kiwis to take on global EV leader Norway, as nearly a third of all cars sold in that country are either fully-electric or hybrid.

The campaign encouraged Kiwis to get involved in moving New Zealand toward an EV future, Meridian chief executive Neal Barclay says.

Meridian has provided incentives such as a nationwide Electric Car Plan offering customers low night rates from 9pm until 7am, partnered with electric car sharing companies and has installed free electric car charging stations at Kiwi Property shopping malls.

Bu will start her week’s visit on November 26 with an informal event titled Learning from Norway – three years on, speaking to Drive Electric members and answering questions.

An exclusive opportunity to join a small group to dine with Bu in Auckland the same day and in Christchurch on the evening of November 27 is also offered.

And an Electric Waiheke Breakfast is planned, with Bu expected to attend to discuss Waiheke Island becoming the first all-electric island by 2030.

Bu will also do a presentation at the Business NZ chief executive officers’ forum ahead of an address from transport minister Phil Twyford on November 30.
The forum is held three times annually and usually gets about 45 officers.

“Christina is a real authority on electric vehicles and we hope her tour will inspire more fleets and individuals alike to go electric,” Drive Electric chairman Mark Gilbert says.

“Like Norway, New Zealand is the perfect place to run EVs with an abundance of renewable energy; a real intent to protect the environment by reducing carbon emissions and the potential to become more energy independent over time.

“Her visit will help highlight how New Zealand can learn from Norway’s example, from both a consumer and governmental point of view.
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Norway is leading the way for the transition to zero emission electric cars.

In 2015, electric vehicles had a 22% market share in Norway, due to a substantial package of incentives developed to promote zero emission cars.

These included tax benefits – including no import and registration taxes – highway and urban toll exemptions, free municipal parking, bus lane use, funding for charging stations such as apartment buildings, shopping centres and parking buildings; public funding for fast charging stations every 50km on main roads.

The incentive programme will be revised and adjusted parallel with the market development.

EV sales set a new record in Norway recently, with 45% of new cars being all-electric and 60% plug-in.

September registration figures show 10,620 new passenger cars were registered in Norway.

Average carbon dioxide emissions of new cars registered are now at a record low of 55g per km – 16g per km lower than in September 2017.

“Such a large increase in electric cars caused a record-low CO2 emissions of 55g/km,” Road Traffic Advisory Board director Øyvind Solberg Thorsen says.

“Although we in Norway are accustomed to average CO2 emissions falling from month-to-month, this is the lowest level we have ever measured.
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Diesel car sales are down, but all-electric vehicles sales also appear to be getting market shares from plug-in hybrids.

Tesla contributed hugely to EV deployment in Norway in September with just over 2000 new registrations.

It delivered about 2300 cars in the country during the third quarter and over 2000 of them were delivered that month.