Norwegian Auto Market lost 6% in the 2018 following the previous year all time record. After over a decade of Volkswagen Golf dominion, new Nissan Leaf has taken the throne of best-seller pushing Nissan up a fantastic 124% and EV/Hybrid segment at 62% mix.
Economic Environment
The economy found its feet again in October as month-on-month growth rebounded, contrasting the decline in September, according to fresh GDP data. The improvement in October was primarily due to greater public and private consumption and fewer imports, although fixed investment and exports decreased. Moreover, separate data showed that industrial production increased in October across all sub-sectors compared to the previous month.
Increased investment in the hydrocarbon extraction industry should boost economic growth in the new year. Moreover, the mainland economy—which excludes hydrocarbon extraction activity and related ocean transport—is expected to benefit from a tight labor market
Market Trend
Norwegian vehicles market deeply changed in recent year by the decision to boost zero emission vehicles sales and the introduction of a medium terms incentive policy with EV fiscal cost at zero, including VAT and final price for consumers almost equivalent between a traditional combustion and AFVs. The result is the fast replacement of petrol based vehicles with the Hybrid or Electric cars, which have now achieved a monthly sales mix already over the 50%.
Pushed by the need to renovate the circulating park, the domestic market grew up without a break from 2012 to 2017 when the All Time record level was scored with 158.670 car passengers and 35.838 light commercial vehicles.
According to data released by the Opplysningsrådet for Veitrafikken AS, in the 2018 was less encouraging, and since the start sales have been below the correspondent period in the previous record year. Just the Q2 was positive (+8.1%) but all the other quarters had been negative for final figures at 149.991 sales, down 5.5%.
However, this market confirmed the World’s leadership in green vehicle sales, reaching a world-record 60.2% Electric/Hybrid vehicles mix on total market, with this segment grew up 7.6% to 89.012 units. In 2012 this segment were representing only 7%, to grew up at 40.2% in 2016 and 52.2% in the 2017, when for the first time fossil-fuelled vehicles were below 50%. Norway has taken the decision to stop fossil-fuelled vehicles by 2025.
Competitive Arena
At brand wise, Volkswagen sold 20.071 units (-13.5%), confirming the traditional leadership in the market, despite it is not holding the best-selling model.
In second place Toyota with 14.709 (-18.3%) which confirmed the position, but is struggling under the Nissan attach. Indeed the Japanese rival boomed 123.3% advancing in third place with 14.126 sales, mainly thanks to the outstanding success of the second generation Leaf, which is the best-selling model with 14.216 sales (+123.3%).
In fourth place BMW with 12.331 (-6%) ahead of Volvo with 11.378 units (-3.2%), Tesla with 8.614 (+1.8%), Skoda with 7.733 (-14.5%), Mercedes with 6.234 (-41.3%), Peugeot with 5.050 (-4.4%) and in 10th place Ford with 5.038 (-26.1%).
At model-wise, the Nissan Leaf is the new market leader with 12.303 (+264.6%) sales outselling the past decade leader, the Volkswagen Golf, which ended the year in second place with 9.859 sales.
In third place the BMW i3 with 5.687 (+12.9%)units ahead of the Tesla Model X with 4.981 (+4.9%).
Tables with sales figures
In the tables below we report sales for all Brands and top 10 Models.
