Chinese electric cars are increasing their market presence in Norway.

Chinese electric vehicles have rapidly gained popularity, making up nearly 10% of new car sales in Norway within just five years, according to data released by the country's road federation (OFV) on Thursday.

Norway, with its affluent population, is leading the transition to electric vehicles far ahead of most nations, and unlike the European Union and the United States, it has not set import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.

Officials in Brussels and Washington argue that Chinese EVs benefit from unfair subsidies, a claim that Beijing refutes. Furthermore, Western car manufacturers have expressed concerns that they might suffer significantly due to the influx of inexpensive Chinese imports, despite uncertainties about whether consumers would choose unfamiliar brands.

In Norway, the total market share for Chinese manufacturers, including MG (a subsidiary of SAIC Motor), BYD, and XPeng, rose to 8.8% last year, an increase from 5.1% in 2023 and 4.1% in 2021, as per Reuters calculations based on OFV data regarding the top 20 car brands sold.

The first Chinese EV to enter the Norwegian market was from MG, which arrived just five years ago in January 2020.

"The Norwegian car market is likely one of the most challenging globally," stated Christina Bu, the head of the Norwegian EV association. "There's intense competition."

Beginning in November 2024, the EU plans to raise import duties on Chinese EVs to as high as 45.3%.

Norway's Deputy Transport Minister Cecilie Knibe Kroglund remarked, "We treat all countries equally," noting that Norway is not a member of the EU.

The EU's decision came after the U.S. announced it would increase tariffs on Chinese EVs to 100% of their value in 2024, up from the previous rate of 25%.

In 2023, China emerged as the world's leading car exporter, selling approximately 1.2 million electric vehicles globally.