Norwegian street charging stations
Credit: Bloomberg
In 1995, the lead singer of the 1980s band A-ha and the head of the Norwegian environmental group Bellona climbed improbably into a converted electric Fiat Panda they had imported from Switzerland and set off on a road trip.
They drove around Oslo refusing to pay the city’s sky-high road tolls, parking illegally wherever they could, and ignoring every penalty notice they were given. Eventually, the authorities impounded their car and auctioned it off to cover the fines.
But the stunt attracted massive media attention, and the point was made. Soon after, electric vehicles were exempted from road tolls, one of a large raft of incentives that have, over the years, helped make Norway the country with the world’s highest per capita electric vehicle ownership.
Last month, in an economy hit by the coronavirus crisis, fully electric cars accounted for just under 60% of Norway’s new car market, and plug-in hybrids just over 15% – meaning three in four of all new cars sold were either wholly or partly […]
Our country will probably never catch up with Norway, but should try to the best of our ability. I hate the pollution caused by the fracking industry, including polluting our air and water all over Pennsylvania, despite the fact that we have a Democratic Governor. I wish we were more like New York State who’s governor eliminated fracking to protect his state.
Electric cars are part of the answer. For years, Sweden has had trains with Internet connections for commuters. Americans tend to be much more self- centered, accustomed to having their own car to drive distances every single day! Cars to drive short distances can still be part of the equation. We continue to be focused on the visible wealth of billionaires. We can’t stand them. They are our heroes. We give them our power. That’s not to say they are all unenlightened. There are those who are very compassionate and visionary thinkers, who actively give of their money, their time, etc.
‘Nuff said!