In 2025, more than 170,000 electric vehicles were sold in Norway, representing 95.8% of all new car registrations. In December of the same year, another symbolic threshold was reached: the total number of electric vehicles in circulation exceeded the number of diesel vehicles for the first time.
By the end of the year, the electric vehicle fleet in Norway had reached approximately 918,000 units, becoming the largest vehicle category in the country, regardless of engine type.
Ripe for the introduction of road tolls
After reaching this level of transportation electrification, Norway is considering reducing the benefits that electric vehicle owners have enjoyed so far. The country’s Financial Policy Committee has stated that it is time for these vehicles to contribute to the cost of maintaining and developing road infrastructure.
The Committee believes that electric vehicle users should pay for the roads they use under conditions similar to those for drivers of internal combustion engine vehicles.
In Norway, road tolls are included in the price of fuel. This means that every filling up of gasoline or diesel at a gas station helps to finance the repair and construction of roads.
Moldova also tried to introduce such a fairly fair system – who drives more, pays more. However, it did not work.
Electric cars in Norway are excluded from this mechanism because they use electricity.
In a country with more than 1,700 hydroelectric plants and a surplus of renewable energy production, electricity is very cheap for end users. Prices for households typically range from 0.086 to 0.13 euros per kWh, and in some contracts even reach 5-6 cents per kWh (1-1.2 Moldovan lei). This low energy cost was one of the main factors that accelerated the introduction of electric vehicles.
Norway began phasing out tax incentives for electric vehicles as early as January 1, 2023. At that time, a purchase tax calculated per kilogram of weight was introduced and the full VAT exemption was abolished.
Initially, 25% VAT applied only to the part of the price that exceeded a threshold of 500,000 crowns (877,000 lei or 44,000 euros). As of January 1, 2026, this threshold was reduced to 300,000 crowns, equivalent to approximately 526,000 lei or 25,400 euros. Anticipating this change, many Norwegians purchased electric cars in 2025 to avoid a significant price increase.
The burden on infrastructure isgrowing
According to the Financial Policy Committee, the generous incentives for electric vehicles have not only led to the replacement of cars with internal combustion engines, but also to an increase in the total number of cars in the country. Some of the new owners previously did not own a car and relied on public transportation.
This development contributes to traffic jams and wear and tear on road infrastructure, even though electric cars produce no emissions. From this point of view, the authorities consider it necessary to introduce direct contributions to the road fund.
The exact form of the road tax has not yet been determined. One option is to charge for the electricity used for charging, similar to the model discussed in Switzerland, where a charge per kW⋅h applies to both fast charging stations and home charging.
Another option is to charge based on kilometers traveled using a device installed in the car. However, this solution has been criticized for data protection and privacy reasons. There is also a model used in the UK where the tax is calculated based on the kilometers indicated in the inspection report, a method that has drawn criticism due to the possibility of data manipulation.
Moldova has already introduced a road tax for electric vehicles
An example of a method already applied is the Republic of Moldova, where electric vehicles are subject to road tax from January 1, 2026. In this case, the tax is calculated based on the weight of the vehicle, similar to how cars with internal combustion engines are taxed based on cylinder capacity.
This method is considered simple and easy to administer, although it does not directly reflect the distance traveled. In countries where road tax is included in the price of fuel, this model may be controversial, but weight remains an important criterion for pavement wear.
That said, Moldova is far from reaching the Norwegian level of electric vehicles (and even hybrids and plug-in hybrids) share in road traffic.
As of the beginning of 2026, there are about 1.13 million cars registered in Moldova. Of these, only 9,849 are pure electric vehicles or 0.9%.
Is Moldova in a hurry to introduce a road tax on this environmentally friendly mode of transportation?
