Tomorrow’s the last day Hyundai will sell any ICE cars in Norway
Hyundai will stop selling any cars with ICE engines in them, including plug-in hybrids, in Norway starting 2023 – one day from now.
Norway has been leading the charge in vehicle electrification for some time, well ahead of the rest of the world in EV market share percentage. Virtually all vehicles in the country have a plug nowadays, with ICE-only vehicles only holding on to a meager few percent of the market.
The decline of gasoline-powered vehicles has been so drastic that despite Norway’s goal to end gas vehicle sales by 2025, the country is already teetering on meeting that goal several years early. There is still a trickle of cars being sold without plugs in them, and we expect that to continue for some time, but for practical purposes, Norway is hovering very close to its goal.
Last year, 64.5% of cars sold in Norway were all-electric, up 10% from the previous year, and this year those numbers are up even further. We’ll get a final number in a couple days, but BEV market share should be just above 80%, with PHEV market share at 10% or so, and petrol- and diesel-only vehicles at 4-5% each.
Notably, PHEV market share has been dropping significantly this year compared to last year, while non-plug cars are holding relatively steady in the high single digit percentages.
So, most manufacturers are still selling cars with engines in them in the country. They may be selling in very small amounts, but you can still get something with an engine in it if you need a niche application. That said, even Svalbard Post has gone all-electric with its medium-duty postal vehicles, so there aren’t a lot of niches left that EVs won’t serve.
And, engine availability won’t last for long if Hyundai has something to say about it. The company stopped selling cars without plugs on them starting 2020 – it would still sell plug-in hybrids, but no petrol-only vehicles. Now, it’s ending even PHEV sales, and transitioning to only fully electric cars.
We have great faith in our model portfolio, and now that we have launched the all-new IONIQ 6, the time has come to sell only all-electric cars in the Norwegian market. IONIQ 5 and KONA Electric have long since taken positions as some of the most popular cars in the market, and we are confident that our pure electric cars will bring us continued success into the future.
Thomas Rosvold, Managing Director, Hyundai Motor Norway
These plug-in hybrids represented 7% of Hyundai’s sales in 2022, and electric cars have consistently accounted for over 90% of Hyundai’s Norway sales in recent years.
So, leaving behind those last few percent of hybrids won’t make an enormous difference to the bottom line and will help the company focus its messaging, sales, and logistics around what is obviously making up the bulk of its sales in the nation.
According to Hyundai, its Ioniq 5 is the fifth best-selling car in Norway this year, and Hyundai is the brand that Norwegians most associate with electrification – at least, if you don’t count electric-only startups like Tesla, which just set an all-time Norwegian sales record with the Model Y.
This is the first market where Hyundai will sell only all-electric cars. Hyundai isn’t the first company to announce a similar move, but it’s one of few. Volvo made a similar announcement at the beginning of this year, stating that it would shift to only BEV and PHEV sales in Norway by 2023. VW says it will only sell BEV cars, with no plug-in hybrids, in Norway starting in 2024.
This puts Hyundai ahead of both of these companies in terms of commitment, either in scope or in timeline.
Electrek’s Take
This is the first traditional ICE manufacturer that we can think of that has stopped sales of all vehicles with an internal combustion engine in them. There are of course startups like Tesla and Rivian, and sub-brands like Polestar, but it’s quite a statement for an entire company to stop selling engines. If you can remind us of another (we don’t get every Norwegian press release), let us know in the comments.
Yes, it’s just in one sales territory, and the writing was on the wall anyway since it’s clear that BEVs have taken over the country, but leaving behind engines is still a big step for an auto manufacturer, especially considering that most automotive IP has been outsourced to suppliers and engines are one of the few car parts that manufacturers do themselves anymore.
But the main point that I like to highlight with Norway is that the country set and met its goals early. Despite having the earliest all-electric goal in the world, 2025, the country seems to be meeting it pretty handily. That’s why when other places set unambitious goals like 2035 (or even later), on the one hand I wonder why they couldn’t have set an earlier goal, but on the other hand, I remind myself that there is a reasonable chance those goals are met earlier than expected.
Incidentally, Norway’s current 80%+ BEV share is just about enough to meet California’s 2035 gas car ban, which will actually allow 20% of vehicles to be plug-in hybrids. It won’t allow any non-electrified vehicles, but considering Norway is already at 80% EV, hopefully California will be able to get there soon enough.
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General Motors may be better known for its lineup of full-size trucks and SUVs, but a recently published patent shows the legacy automaker has at least considered something much smaller and nimbler: an electric motorcycle.
The patent, which surfaced earlier this year in a report by Visordown, outlines a lightweight, scrambler-style electric two-wheeler that has set off a fresh wave of speculation about GM’s potential interest in electric motorcycles or micromobility.
The design in the patent filing shows a slim electric motorcycle with a flat bench seat, upright handlebars, and dual-sport tires, suggesting a utility-forward ride meant for light off-road or potentially even mixed urban use (if it were homologated for street use).
The rear hub motor and what appears to be a central battery housing point to a simple, low-maintenance drivetrain, potentially aimed at the commuter or recreational rider market.
The overall look is somewhere between a moped and a small electric dirt bike, reminiscent of models like the Sur Ron Light Bee or Talaria Sting, though slightly more street-looking with less of a focus on pure dirt.
While the patent doesn’t include performance specs or firm production plans, it’s the clearest signal yet that GM is at least experimenting with the idea of higher-powered two-wheeled EVs. And there is some precedent. GM previously dipped a toe into the micromobility waters with the Ariv electric bicycle project, and more recently partnered with Recon Power Bikes to release a Hummer-branded fat tire e-bike.
Both efforts showed that GM sees value in offering electric alternatives beyond the traditional four-wheel format, even if the Ariv program quietly ended after a short run.
Whether this patent leads to a full-fledged GM electric motorcycle remains to be seen. It’s entirely possible the design is a concept or technology demo with no intention of hitting the market. But there are other possibilities too. GM could develop a motorcycle under one of its existing sub-brands, create a new division specifically for electric powersports, or partner with an existing two-wheeler manufacturer to license or co-develop the platform.
The timing wouldn’t be far-fetched. Despite bumpy roads in the larger flagship electric motorcycle market, lightweight electric motorcycles are booming, with companies like Ryvid targeting urban riders looking for clean, compact alternatives to traditional gasoline-powered bikes.
At the same time, a growing number of younger consumers are bypassing car ownership entirely, instead looking toward e-bikes, scooters, and low-speed electric motorcycles for daily transport. A small, stylish, and affordable GM electric motorcycle could hit that sweet spot.
Of course, turning a patent drawing into a real-world vehicle is a big leap, and GM’s own e-bike history is a reminder that two-wheeled projects can be short-lived. Still, it’s hard to ignore the symbolism of this move: even one of America’s largest automakers is exploring what personal electric transportation looks like when you cut the vehicle in half. GM might not be ready to ditch its trucks, but it clearly hasn’t ruled out hopping on a bike.
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The electric restomod experts at Lunaz have turned their talents towards the classic Rolls-Royce Phantom V limousine – and the result is exactly the kind of smooth, quiet, and luxurious ride RR’s founders would have built.
Rolls-Royce’ founders dedicated their engineering talents to developing cars that were smooth, quiet, and adequately powerful – and they spared no expense. The company Charles Rolls and Henry Royce founded would eventually go on to develop some of the most powerful and celebrated combustion engines of the twentieth century … but the car they wanted to build? It was electric.
“The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean,” Charles Rolls told The Motor-Car Journal, all the way back in April of 1900. (!) “There is no smell or vibration, and they should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged. But for now, I do not anticipate that they will be very serviceable – at least for many years to come.”
Well, 125 years seems like “many” to – and the talented craftspeople and engineers at Lunaz seem to agree. Meet the Lunaz Rolls-Royce Phantom V limousine.
It’s glorious
Lunaz says it’s true to Rolls’ vision “down to the smallest, most indulgent detail.” To that end, the company re-trims the modern heated and ventilated seats in fine leathers, hand-cut and stitched to the buyers’ specifications. In the rear, the center console can be ordered with a built-in cigar humidor, a cocktail bar, or some other custom-spec, lockable storage lined in suede and polished walnut (translation: guns and drugs, probably).
When reimagining the Rolls-Royce Phantom V, (we) started by understanding the essence of its original design. Every component and dynamic was scrutinized to identify where thoughtful innovation could truly elevate the experience. The result is a harmonious blend of modern advancements and original mastery, unlocking new levels of performance, reliability and refinement while honoring Rolls-Royce’ classic soul.
Like the classic Bentley S2 Continental the company revealed in 2023, the big electric Roller is equipped with an 80 kWh battery pack sending electrons to a proprietary Lunaz drivetrain featuring 400 hp worth of electric motors delivering a silky-smooth 530 lb-ft of torque, good for a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) swoosh in about seven seconds. Of course, why you’d ever ask your driver to perform such plebian stunts is simply beyond me.
The transformation and restoration took more than 5,500 man-hours to complete, and involve more than 11,000 new or reconditioned components at a cost of more than £1 million (about $1.35 million US). If you place your order today, you should get yours in 18-24 months.
Lunaz Rolls-Royce gallery
SOURCE | IMAGES: Lunaz.
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Fortescue has taken the wraps off a prototype of its proposed “Infinity Train” electric locomotive, making the 1,100 km (about 685 miles) trip from Perth to the Pilbara and marking a major milestone in the decarbonization of the company’s heavy haul operations.
Co-developed with the locomotive experts at Downer Group, Fortescue revealed its concept for a battery electric “Infinity Train” back in March of 2022. At the time, the company promised a “world’s first” iron ore train capable of fully charging its batteries through regenerative braking. The two companies claimed the clever technology would create a self-sustaining, zero-emission rail system powered entirely by the force of gravity during the train’s loaded downhill travels.
This week, the concept went from the drawing board to the real world, completing an 1,100 km trip across Australia and proving itself to be up to the task of handling the grueling demands of Fortescue’s massive mining operations.
“We’re thrilled to see our battery electric locomotive prototype arrive in the Pilbara,” said Ellie Coates, CEO of Fortescue Zero. She added that the achievement, using zero fossil fuels, “represent(s) a major step in Fortescue’s journey to Real Zero.”
The Fortescue Infinity Train uses the energy produced by slowing the loaded train on downhill sections of the company’s 385 mile private, heavy-haul rail network to recharge its battery systems. That energy is enough to bring the unloaded train back to the mine, eliminating the need for external charging infrastructure or additional renewable energy sources, making the train almost entirely self-sufficient.
Fortescue says the deployment of the Infinity Train concept at its mines will eliminate more than 82 million liters of diesel fuel consumption (about 21 million gallons, which ChatGPT tells me amounts to about 235,200 tons of CO₂ emissions).
That change alone would eliminate about 11% of Scope 1 emissions annually for Fortescue all on its own, putting it well on its way to its stated goal of achieving “Real Zero” emissions-free operations.
Electrek’s Take
Using gravity to charge up heavily-laden mining vehicles on downhill runs is an idea that’s been put into practice for years, with great success wherever the topography allows (since 2017, at least). Combining that clever use of gravity, traction braking, and battery storage for use on a rail system like this just seems smart, and it makes me think we’re just scratching the surface of all the clever ways electrification and battery storage will eventually get put to use.
I wonder what would happen if you threw some battery electric rail cars into the mix, as well!? You guys are smart, head down to the comments and let me know (and, while you’re there, help me check ChatGPT’s math on those carbon emissions).
SOURCE | IMAGES: Fortescue, via LinkedIn.
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