Important Innovations

  54% of 2020 Cars Sold in Norway Are Electric                                           Source:  Norway Electric Cars VW - not Tesla - Is the Leader Electric battery vehicles were the #1 car category sold in Norway in 2020 .  EVs hit a record 54% of Norwegian vehicle sales.  Norway is leading the world in its efforts to make gas powered vehicles obsolete.  And in Norway, Volkswagen has scored a big win.  For 2020, it beat out Tesla as the #1 electric vehicle brand. VW's luxury brand Audi and its e-tron electric vehicles were the #1 EV seller. Norway's Zero Emissions Goals By 2025, Norway wants every new car and van sold to be emissions free.  Norwegian officials says the record EV sales in 2020 put the nation ahead of schedule for its zero emissions goals.  The EV sales numbers are historic and very impressive.  EV market share went from 42% in 2019 to 54% in 2020.  If you add hybrid vehicles to the fully electric car mix, the market share soars to 83%.   Norway' Electric

Norway Shows Refueling Industry How to Evolve Source:  Norway Electric Cars Big Oil Goes to Norway to Learn if Roadside Refueling Is At the End of the Road More than 50% of new cars sold in Norway are now electric vehicles.  In one city Bergen, one out of every 5 cars on the road is electric.  That's the most for any city in the world.  By 2025, Norway wants to end the sale of fossil fuel powered cars.  It's the new world of zero emissions driving and Norway is leading the way.  But,where does that leave traditional gas stations?  Big Oil is looking to Norway to find answers. Norwegian Tours Canadian refueling giant Alimentation Couche-Tard says Norway is its laboratory.  The company is following what works in Norway.  It's converting a number of its gas refueling stations to electric recharging stations. The company is also offering home and workplace recharging services.  Norwegian officials says oil industry executives are coming to Norway for gas

BP, Shell, Total Target Carbon-Free Oil Platforms Source:  North Sea Oil Platform Petition Norway for Green Electricity There's yet another sign that big oil is making an effort to go green and use renewable energy.  BP, Shell and Total have petitioned the government of Norway to connect some of their oil platforms in the North Sea to Norway's power grid.  The oil companies want to reduce their carbon emissions by electrifying the platforms with energy generated by wind and hydro power. Underwater Cable Connections The offshore platforms in the North Sea could be connected to the grid by a 300 kilometer underwater cable. BP says electrifying the platforms would significantly reduce carbon emissions. Norway generates electricity primarily from wind and hydro power. Electrifying the oil platforms would replace fossil fuel energy with carbon free energy. Green Moves This week, the new CEO of BP Bernard Looney said that BP will radically cut carbon emissions and

Norway & Sweden Create World's 1st Green Airspace  Source:  Sweden's Heart Aerospace Electric Plane ES-19 Source:  Rolls Royce Electric Plane Safe Airspace to Test Electric Planes Norway and Sweden have created a large, green airspace for the testing of electric planes and small to medium sized drones.  This is the world's first test airspace for electric flights. The airspace straddles the Norway-Sweden border over an area between Roros and Osterund.  It's large, rugged and challenging both from climate and terrain perspectives and includes mountains, lakes and forests.  It's specifically designed to be a place to test manned electric aircraft and unmanned, small to medium sized drones. Norway and Sweden Continue to Act for a Greener  Environment The green flyway is yet another world first example of Norway and Sweden's commitment to electric powered vehicles to reduce carbon emissions.  The green flyway provides an isolated space to test fl

Leading Electric Driving Source:  Audi e-tron electric SUV World's Top EV Nation In Norway this January, the sale of electric vehicles hit a whopping 44% of all new car sales.  Norway already has the world's highest rate of electric car use.  There are forecasts that the % will climb to the 50 to 60% range during 2020.  For the full year of 2019, electric car sales represented 42.4% of the new car market.  The numbers testify to Norwegians commitment to a cleaner environment and reducing carbon emissions from car exhaust. Environmental Target for 2025 Norway wants to phase out the sale of combustion engine cars by 2025.  To achieve that, the Norwegian government has exempted battery powered vehicles from the taxes imposed on gas and diesel powered cars.  As a result, Norway is the world's #1 user of electric vehicles and a favorite among global automakers to serve as test grounds for their new EV models. Audi the Big January Winner Interestingly i

Top Electric Car Seller Renault Zoe Source:  Renault  Electric Vehicles Going Mainstream in Germany Germany is Europe's biggest auto market.  Since the beginning of 2019, it's been pulling ahead of Norway as the biggest market for electric vehicles.  Now for the first time, Germany is poised to end 2019 as the regional leader in electric car sales on an annual basis. In 2019 through November, 57,533 new electric cars were sold in Germany.  By contrast, 56,893 electric cars were sold in Norway.  Since 2010, Norway has led Europe in the sales of electric cars. European EV Incentive Push Across Europe, governments are rolling out incentives to sell electric vehicles and push for green energy, cutting carbon dioxide emissions.  In Germany, Daimler, BMW, VW are launching a major EV push with new models in 2020 and through the decade. In Germany alone, 150 new electric cars will be available by 2023.  German automakers will have invested approximately $49 billi

Tesla Model 3 Top Seller in Norway for Q3 2019 Norway is #1 in Electric Vehicles Despite a sales decline, Tesla Model 3 remains Norway's top selling vehicle in Q3 2019.  This win for the all electric mid-size sedan, despite back to back sales declines in Q1 and Q2.  Norway leads the world in per-capita electric car sales.  In fact, 54.5% of all new cars sold in Norway in September were fully electric. Norway Driving Green Norway has a goal of ending the sale of cars with diesel or gas powered engines by 2025.  As part of the effort, the nation exempts battery powered cars from the taxes imposed on fossil fuel vehicles. Tesla Model 3 Tesla's Model 3 electric vehicle is cheaper than the larger Model S and Model X models. Tesla is counting on it to transform Tesla into a profitable, big player in the global automotive industry.  Meanwhile, Audi and Jaguar Land rover recently introduced all electric SUVs into the Norway market, heating up the competition.

New Technology Partnership Source:  State of Washington signing ceremony with Norway Environment & Maritime Focus This is a very long distance technology partnership but their mutual interest and expertise in the environment, technology and the ocean closes the mileage gap.  Norway and the state of Washington have just signed a two year agreement to develop the next generation of maritime technologies and clean energy innovations.  Their results will benefit both regions of the world. Clean Energy Focus The MOU was signed by Washington State officials and Innovation Norway.  Norway's Ambassador to the US The Hon. Kare Aas was there.  Their collaboration is focused on innovation in clean energy, particularly for maritime vessels, innovation for the oceans, electric vehicles, data analytics and to promote economic and trade relations.  Additionally, they want to modernize and cut the environmental impact of the fishing and seafood industries through new technology and

Revolutionizing the Airline Industry Source:  Zunum Aero Electric Passenger Planes to Take-Off in Norway By 2040, Norway is committed to having all of its short-haul flights, from its airports, on electric aircraft.  This is one of the most dramatic government examples of cutting down on carbon dioxide, greenhouse gas emissions from the airline industry. Booming Industry - 100+ Global Projects Currently small planes comprise the electric aircraft market.  There are no airliner sized electric planes being built.  But Norwegian government and aviation industry officials believe that will soon change.  Boeing, NASA and Airbus are diligently working on prototype designs.  Boeing's Zunum Aero has plans for a 12-seater by 2022 and a 50-seater by 2027.  There are more than 100 electric powered aircraft projects currently around the world. Norway's Plans Norway's terrain is mountainous and there are many offshore islands. There are many airports because in many cases