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You may have noticed that in the past few years, there’s been a bit of a vogue for all things Scandinavian. Iceland has become a popular tourist destination, Swedish films and TV shows (and remakes thereof – need we say more than The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo?) have taken over theaters and Netflix, Nordic knits abound in ready-to-wear stores, and Disney’s 2014 hit Frozen – set in an unnamed but distinctively Scandinavian kingdom – is easily one of the most bankable kids’ movies of the past decade. Earlier this year, Bill Bryson’s guide to Scandinavian culture, The Almost Nearly Perfect People, found success on booklists.
Today, EmpireCLS is looking North again, this time for trends in the automobile industry. Norway has announced that by 2025, it will ban the sale of cars that run on petroleum-based fuel. In other words, all sales of cars in Norway will be entirely green in the next ten years.
This move is no surprise from a country known for its forward-thinking environmental policies, and indicative of where the industry is heading. Norway already gives perks to electric-car drivers in the form of tax exemptions and benefits like free parking – so much so that the Tesla Model S became the best-selling vehicle in Norway in 2014 (Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted his support shortly after the announcement was made).
The success of Tesla’s Model S in Norway indicates that if enough incentivizing parameters to go green are set up, consumers will willingly oblige. This is news of which the luxury auto industry should take note. Luxury automobile makers have already taken the lead in sales of environmentally-friendly vehicles, which Luxury Daily predicts will have a trickle-down effect on lower-end consumer brackets. Given that prediction, luxury automakers might find a winning strategy in encouraging legislative bodies to push for laws and regulations that support green vehicle technology. Environmentally-friendly initiatives will guide consumers towards automobile makers with green vehicles, spelling success for not just Tesla but other brands who are seriously pushing into the eco-friendly foray.
We’re looking forward to seeing what other changes Norway’s announcement effects. In the meanwhile, EmpireCLS continues offering the same luxury, chauffeured car service in Oslo – and throughout the rest of the world – that we’re known for. Learn more about us, and keep up with industry trends, by exploring our website and following us on Twitter.
