Could letting electric cars use bus lanes like they do in Norway be a “potential game changer” in Ireland? 

EV uptake in the Nordic nation has surged in recent years and Norway has become a world leader in the transition away from internal combustion engines. 

By contrast, in February, there were just over 118,000 EVS on Irish roads - significantly fewer than the one million the Government hope there will be by 2030. 

On The Pat Kenny Show, transport expert Conor Faughnan explained how the Norwegian Government has encouraged so many drivers to go electric. 

“In a sense, they have been at it since the 1990s when they started favouring lower emission vehicles,” he said. 

“They really have gone gangbusters on electric vehicles in the last 10-years - they have outstripped the world. 

“They have the biggest electric fleet per capita in the world; now over 90% of new car sales are electric and 40% of the entire fleet.” 

An electric car plugged in at charging point station. Picture by: Alamy.com

Norwegian drivers can still buy petrol and diesel cars - but the tax system is now designed to discourage them from doing so. 

Oslo has waived the equivalent of Norwegian VRT on EVs but continues to levy it on petrol and diesel models.  

“So, when the consumer walks onto the forecourt, if you take the Volkswagen Golf, for example,” Mr Faughnan said. 

“€36,000 thereabouts for the petrol version - similar to Ireland - and the electric version is €10,000 cheaper for the consumer in Norway. 

“So, they’re making the choice on the forecourt and that’s the one they go for. 

“In Ireland, we give a discount of €3,500 - but the electric is still the more expensive of the two to the consumer when they’re buying and that really makes a huge difference.” 

An electric Vehicle charging station. Image: SOPA Images/SIPA USA/PA Images

Previously, the Government subsidised EVs by €5,000 but in 2023 the figure was reduced to €3,500. 

Between January and July this year, EV sales were 24% lower than in the same period last year.

To reverse the trend, Mr Faughnan said the Department of Transport could introduce incentives available to EV drivers in Norway. 

“One I think is really interesting is that electric vehicles in a lot of locations can use bus lanes - which could potentially be a gamechanger here,” he said. 

“By law, parking has to be no more than half price for EVs and in many places it’s free.” 

From 2035, all new cars sold in the European Union must be electric. 

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Main image shows bus and cycle lanes in Dublin. Picture by: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie