Tesla built its first Supercharger network outside of North America in Norway, locking in new customers with the promise of a vast web of fast-charging stations for their EVs.
Image: Sean Gallup/Getty Images
Like many Norwegians, Espen Lysholm is not a fan of Elon Musk these days, uncomfortable with the world’s richest man’s lurch into right-wing politics.
He does, however, love Musk’s cars.
“I’ll be honest that it’s a bit of a double-edged sword having a Tesla,” said Lysholm, who bought a Model Y in May — his third new Tesla in less than a decade.
Musk’s politics — he helped bankroll Donald Trump’s US election win last year and has championed European far-right parties — have sparked a fierce consumer backlash.
But while that anger has provoked acts of vandalism against Tesla cars and dealerships and pushed once loyal customers, particularly in Europe, to ditch the brand, sales in tiny Norway are booming, at least for now.
“I did think a bit around all that’s going on with the company and the brand,” said Lysholm, who works at a cartech company in the city of Trondheim.
“But it’s really all about the charging infrastructure and the seamless technology of the car. No one comes even close.”
In the first half of this year as Tesla sales plunged by half or more in Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands, they grew by 24% year on year in Norway, making the country of 5.5-million the company’s second-largest European market.
Tesla and Musk did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Reuters interviews with Norwegian Tesla owners as well as EV industry experts highlight a 12-year relationship between the Nordic nation and the carmaker that, despite recent signs of strain, has bred brand loyalty and insulated against blowback.
“In many ways, you could say Norway helped build Tesla,” said Christina Bu, secretary-general of the Norwegian EV Association. “Everyone in Norway knows someone who owns a Tesla,” she said. “It’s more personal.”
