Why Can We Not Be Like Norway?

There is a great deal to admire about this country of 5.5 million. A land of great beauty and resources, Norway is home to a reportedly quiet, modest people with one of the world’s greatest economies including a very high standard of living and the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund of over 1.3 Trillion. In the midst of this bounty, they have built a model egalitarian society providing excellent healthcare, education and even a thoughtful prison system.

Norwegians do not celebrate empty-headed celebrities, but instead athletes like Bjorn Daehlie who won 12 Olympic medals and countless World Championships in cross country skiing. He is now a successful businessman and supporter of many non-profit organizations.  Brains are equally admired including Magnus Carlsen, world chess champion for almost all of the past decade.

Norway has also been the fastest country to embrace zero emissions cars such that over 80% of new automobiles purchased in 2023 were plug-in electric vehicles which now make up about 30% of all cars on their roads. They plan to discontinue any gas or diesel car sales after 2025. In addition, 96% of all electricity in Norway is generated by renewable hydropower so their contribution to global CO2 emissions is very low even though they are a cold Nordic country.

The rest of the world will struggle to achieve the success of this highly affluent society of early adapters. Toyota engineers have pointed out the trio of challenges to the widespread adoption of all electric vehicles include:

1)      The relative scarcity of specialized materials requiring many new mines.

2)      The lack of charging infrastructure.

3)      The resultant higher costs and lesser convenience of electric vehicles compared with those with convential gas or diesel engines.

This concept is outlined in the Toyota 1/6/90 rule where the parts required for a single pure electric car would allow you to build 6 plug-in hybrids or 90 simple brake hybrids. The carbon emission reductions by the 90 drivers of brake hybrids is almost 40 times greater than the lifetime reduction of a single all electric vehicle. Thus, the world can admire Norway but we are very unlikely to be able to duplicate their results anytime soon.