It’s starting. We’ve heard for several years that in some markets, combustion vehicles will no longer be available for sale, only those that run on electricity. 2023 will be the year it starts for Hyundai in Norway. They recently announced that as of January 1, 2023, buyers heading to a Hyundai dealership in the country will only find EVs. This means that at the end of 2022, the last plug-in hybrids will leave the dealership lots and be replaced by pure electric vehicles.

Why Norway

While Hyundai still makes most of its profits from ICE vehicles in other countries, Norway is way ahead of the curve when it comes to electric vehicle sales. Over 80 percent of Norwegian car buyers are already choosing electric vehicles, and 93 percent of car sales in the country have some kind of battery power.
Back in 2020, Hyundai decided only to sell plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles in the Norwegian market, and with so many customers choosing pure electric power, it makes it the perfect place to transition to an EV-only market.

The Hyundai EV Lineup

Hyundai has seen a lot of success in Norway over the past several years with its electric vehicles. The Ioniq Electric arrived in 2016, and then the Kona EV in 2018. The Kona EV was one of the first EVs in the country to offer long-range electric driving at an affordable price. 2021 saw the introduction of the Ioniq 5, and the Ioniq 6 is on its way.
It didn’t take long for the Ioniq 5 to become one of the best-selling cars in Norway. It offers even longer range than the Kona EV, it has ultra-fast charging capabilities, and the Ioniq 5’s practical crossover SUV design gives drivers and passengers plenty of space.

What’s Next?

As Hyundai dealerships remove the rest of the plug-in vehicles from their sales lots, they will need to bump up their inventory of electric vehicles. The new generation of the Kona Electric will help, and more EVs, including the Ioniq 6 and the Ioniq 7, are on their way.
The all-new Ioniq 6 is an exciting addition coming to the Hyundai EV lineup and is part of the driving force behind their commitment to selling only EVs in Norway. This new electric sedan has a sleek and streamlined exterior design that gives it a drag coefficient that beats the Tesla Model 3 and the Porsche Taycan. Inside, it comes filled with eco-friendly recycled materials, and it has the latest technology. Two 12-inch screens stretching across the front dash and in front of the driver provide infotainment and vehicle information. The Ioniq 6 also has ultra-fast charging to save drivers time when they need to charge up.
Norway is just the beginning of an all-EV automobile market. Some countries have already announced deadlines for ICE vehicle sales, but they are several years away. Norway is ahead of the curve, so car shoppers heading to a Hyundai dealership will have to be prepared to buy an electric vehicle in 2023.