Norway

Norway and electric vehicles

Weirdo

Norway has the highest per capita number of electric vehicles in the world. In fact, electric and hybrid vehicles make up over 50% of all new car sales in Norway. This is due in part to the country’s generous incentives for electric vehicle owners, including exemptions from certain taxes and fees, as well as access to bus lanes and free public parking.

Norway has a high number of charging stations per capita, with over 7,000 stations and more than 23,000 charging points in the country. This extensive charging infrastructure, along with various incentives for EV ownership, has contributed to the high adoption rate of EVs in Norway.

Electric vehicles are so popular in Norway that they have helped to significantly reduce the country’s carbon emissions from the transportation sector.

10th century Norwegian Viking ruler…

Weirdo

10th century Norwegian Viking ruler King Haakon the Good made the household production of Juleøl (Christmas Beer) a law. Families that did not have beer at their Christmas feast were issued a fine.

Long before Christianity made its way to the native Germanic peoples, Norwegians celebrated the winter solstice by brewing and drinking beer to honor their Norse gods. To celebrate “Jul,” a Norwegian word that in modern vernacular refers to the Christmas season, Vikings brewed and consumed strong, barley-based beer while in the throes of winter’s coldest and dreariest months. They also used the ale to make offerings in hopes to entice the gods to bring back the summer sun.

According to “The Geography of Beer,” King Haakon the Good, who ruled from 934 to 961, later used the ancient Jul celebration to push a Christian agenda. As part of his efforts to introduce Christianity to the Norwegian people, King Haakon the Good implemented a pagan-meets-Christian mash-up, making it a law to celebrate Christmas with beer. Those who didn’t have beer at their Christmas feast were issued a fine. Norway became Christianized in the 11th century.