Norway’s Final Sprint to Zero Emission Data released by the Norwegian Road Federation (OFV) on January 2 indicates a near-total transition to electric mobility. In December 2025, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 97.6% of all new passenger car registrations (OFV). This unprecedented surge was largely driven by consumer haste to register vehicles before new VAT rules for electric cars came into force on January 1, 2026.

For the full year 2025, BEVs commanded a 95.9% market share, effectively rendering the internal combustion engine (ICE) a niche product in the Norwegian new car market. While Tesla remained the dominant brand for the year, the December figures highlight the extreme sensitivity of the market to fiscal tools.

Contrasting Fortunes in Major Markets While Norway surges, other markets show signs of consolidation. Preliminary data from France (PFA) for December 2025 shows a 5.8% year-on-year decline in the overall car market. Notably, Tesla registrations in France dropped by 66% in December compared to the previous year. This volatility often reflects the timing of shipments but also signals intensified competition from European legacy automakers and new market entrants like BYD and Stellantis-backed Leapmotor (PFA, Stellantis).

Policy & Infrastructure: The AFIR Era Begins January 1, 2026, marked the deadline for EU Member States to submit their National Policy Frameworks (NPFs) to the European Commission under the Regulation (EU) 2023/1804 on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR). These frameworks are critical for outlining how each nation plans to meet the binding distance-based targets for charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure along the TEN-T network.

In the heavy-duty sector, charging operator Milence has shifted its pricing strategy as of January 1. The joint venture moved from a flat pan-European rate to country-specific tariffs, a move that reflects the maturing market and the need to align charging costs with local energy prices and grid fees (Milence). Furthermore, starting January 8, all new publicly accessible charging points will be required to comply with the ISO 15118 standard to enable Plug & Charge and smart charging capabilities, ensuring the network is future-proof (VDE).

Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.