Norway’s best-selling new car could become the best-selling new car in the United States in the next few years.
Why are electric cars heavier than gasoline cars?
Electric cars are heavy. Seriously. Automakers are developing new battery technologies to reduce the load.
- Norway leads the world in the adoption of electric vehicles.
- Norway’s most popular new car beats all American rivals.
Norway leads the world in the adoption of electric vehicles, followed by Sweden, Belgium, Denmark and others. According to CNBC, around 96% of new cars sold in Norway in 2025 were fully electric.
While several nameplates have recorded notable sales figures in Norway, one electric car dominated sales in 2025. This happens to be an American-made electric SUV and the best-selling EV in America. Here’s what you need to know about Norway’s best-selling new car.
American-made Tesla Model Y is Norway’s best-selling new car
Tesla’s small electric SUV is a two-row model best known for having a strong value proposition. It ticks several boxes for drivers, including affordability, practical range, and engaging driving dynamics.
Prices for the 2026 Tesla Model Y start at $39,990 (US). It produces 295 horsepower and has a standard mileage of 321 miles. The Model Y is available in four trims in the U.S., varying in quickness and range.
Tesla’s Model Y electric SUV is the vehicle of choice for millions of drivers around the world, despite intense competition from rival automakers such as BYD. JD Power’s vehicle review says the EV can accelerate “like a silent muscle car,” and charging sessions using the Supercharger network are “quick and easy.” Destroying the false narrative that all electric cars are dull, boring and impractical.
Why are EVs so popular in Norway?
Electric cars are popular in Norway because the government offers big incentives to consumers. These incentives make EVs more affordable for drivers and a more viable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles.
Additionally, the Norwegian government has invested heavily in EV infrastructure, making public charging much more convenient than in countries with lower electric vehicle penetration. Quick and easily available charging has a huge impact on the overall EV ownership experience.
What Norway’s EV sales mean for US car buyers
Although the Norwegian new car market is quite different from the American new car market, there are some similarities in terms of best-selling electric cars. Like in Norway, the Model Y was the best-selling electric car in America in 2025. Tesla sold about 577,000 EVs in 2025, according to electric vehicle news site InsideEVs.
While some of GM’s EV names have posted impressive sales numbers over the years, Tesla’s electric vehicle sales will outstrip that of any other U.S. automaker by 2025. Tesla sold 265,068 Model Y compact electric SUVs in the third quarter, according to a sales report from Cox Automotive.
If the Model Y overwhelms rivals such as the Volkswagen ID.4 and Toyota bZ in Norway, where the majority of new car sales are EVs, it could continue to dominate in the United States. Despite an eventful year of news for company CEO Elon Musk, the Tesla Model Y still far outperformed all of its major rivals in the United States.
Should you buy a 2026 Tesla Model Y?
Tesla’s SUV isn’t the most popular electric car in America, Norway, and multiple countries for no reason. It outsold its competitors because it was one of the first market options to address serious concerns drivers had about EVs, such as performance, reliability, and range. Although there are several competing Model Y alternatives from Ford, Hyundai, Kia, and other automakers, the Model Y has the longest production history of any of the best-selling models in its segment.
The American clean energy and electric vehicle company has spent plenty of time fine-tuning the SUV’s interior and exterior design, price and specifications. From a pure value proposition standpoint, there are few small electric SUVs on the American market that can compete with the Model Y. Add to this the company’s extensive Supercharger network, and it’s easy to see why Y is king in multiple countries.
