– They give up far too early, says former climate and environment minister Ola Elvestuen (V). Electric vehicle sales have seen strong growth from 2019. At that time, electric vehicle sales were 6 percent of new car sales. In the same year, when Elvestuen was climate and environment minister, Enova launched a support scheme for electric vehicles as part of the Zero Emissions Fund. Want to save the scheme The scheme involved support of up to NOK 50,000 for the purchase of vans under 4,500 kilos. So far in 2023, 37 per cent of newly registered vans in the private business world have been electric. Enova has now announced that the support scheme will be phased out. It happens on 31 May. Enova’s press manager, Eiliv Flakne, explains the liquidation by saying that the market has developed in the right direction. – There are more people who like electric cars, there have been more models and the technology has improved. We have reached a point where it is not right for the state to spend money on benefits, he says. Elvestuen still hopes that the arrangement can be saved. On 16 May, he submitted a proposal to the Storting, on behalf of the Liberal Party and MDG, that the Enova support for electric vans must continue. Ola Elvestuen (V) hopes to get the Storting to turn around and go ahead with supporting electric vans. Photo: Milana Knezevic The current climate and environment minister, Espen Barth Eide (Ap), said from the lectern at the Storting that this was no longer necessary, as electric vans are now cheaper than fossil fuel vans. But it is not certain, according to Terje Halleland (Frp), who sits on the environment and energy committee in the Storting. – After the meeting, I have been told that this may not be the case after all, says Halleland. Christina Bu in the Electric Vehicle Association believes that it is more difficult for small businesses to use electric vans, as they have a shorter range than cars that run on fossil fuel. Photo: Gisle Jørgensen / news More expensive with electric vans Halleland says he agrees that there is no point in having enough support schemes if electric vans are now cheaper than fossil fuel vans. But if this is not the case, as he now believes, Halleland says that he and the FRP will vote for the proposal to Elvestuen on Tuesday. According to figures from Enova, electric vans were marginally cheaper than fossil fuel vans until the new year. But then the price has skyrocketed. The average price of an electric van in March this year was just under NOK 100,000 more than a van that runs on fossil fuel, according to Enova’s statistics. – The aim is that we will only sell electric vans from 2025. Then it is too early to give up already. The government must give Enova a clearer mandate. They only work based on what is in the agreement, says Elvestuen. Terje Halleland (Frp) may give Ola Elvestuen support if it turns out that it is actually more expensive to buy electric vans than vans that run on fossil fuel. Photo: Håkon Mannsåker The agreement is that the support will be phased out when there is a market for climate-friendly measures. – Their task is to provide support for market introduction. What we need is for them to provide support so that we reach the goals we have set ourselves, he says. Must be zero emissions by 2025 The goal set by the government is that all new cars and light vans must be electric by the end of 2025. – We are now up to 37 percent of electric vans. If we are to reach 100 per cent in 2025, we must continue to provide support, he says. He thinks it will be easy to implement and hopes and believes that several parties will support the proposal. Høgre are nevertheless clear that they will not support the proposal for Elvestuen. Mathilde Tybring-Gjedde tells news that Enova will have to make difficult decisions in the future towards 2030. – If we are to cut over 50 percent of our emissions and electrify the transport sector, they must follow the market and direct support where it is most needed in order to develop and introduce new climate technology. We believe the threshold must be high for the Storting to override Enova, and we therefore do not want to do it here, she says. Mathilde Tybring-Gjedde (H), will not support the proposal for Elvestuen. Photo: Tore Linvoller / news – It is more difficult to use electric vans General Secretary Christina Bu of the Electric Vehicle Association points out that the majority of new vans use diesel as fuel. – The Minister for Climate and Environment therefore claims that car lanes are now competitive. In that case, we would have been on track to reach the goal of 100 per cent emission-free vans, she says. Secretary General of the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association, Christina Bu. Photo: Jamieson Pothecary We are not, according to Bu. – This is because electric vans have a significantly shorter range than an average electric passenger car, which means that the driver has to spend working time charging. Disadvantages linked to use must therefore be outweighed by stronger financial means, she says. The government wrote in an email to news that according to the industry’s own figures in the second half of 2022, the average price for electric vans was on average lower than fossil vans. – This shows that direct government support will be redundant and unworthy use of community funds. We must welcome a commercial competition that drives prices down, says State Secretary Ragnhild Sjoner Syrstad in the Ministry of Climate and Environment.
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The Storting can save the benefits for electric cars – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
