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LAST year, electric-powered vehicles accounted for the largest passenger car segment in Norway. Between January and December 2020, battery-electric vehicles accounted for almost 54% of total car sales in Norway.
Norway leads
The sale of electric cars in Norway overtook those powered by petrol, diesel and hybrid engines in 2020. German auto-maker Volkswagen outstripped American-made Tesla as the top battery-powered vehicle producer until January 2021.
The top-selling new electric vehicles in Norway for 2020 was as follows. In first place was the Audi e-tron by a large margin at 9,227 units. Second place went to the Tesla Model 3 which found 7,770 customers. Third place went to the all-new Volkswagen ID.3 with 7,754 units. Fourth place was popular in Asean, Nissan Leaf with 5,221 units. In fifth place was the Volkswagen e-Golf with 5,068 units. And we have to mention the sixth place which is too close for comfort, the Hyundai Kona crossover with 5,029 units sold.
New car sales in Norway for 2020 stood at a small total number of 141,412, of which 76,789 were full-electric vehicles. Norway is showing the rest of the world its commitment to clean air and reducing its carbon footprint. Many European nations are following in their example.
Battery recycling is needed
With the continued increase in electric and plug-in hybrid ownership, Norway needs to look at recycling the battery packs from ageing EV and PHEVs. This is why Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company Hydro recently announced the construction of a battery recycling plant.
Hydrovolt, its joint venture with Northvolt, has started constructing the battery recycling plant in Norway. The world’s most technologically advanced plant will have the capacity to process more than 8,000 tonnes of modules from electric car batteries each year, with the possibility to expand.
Operations are planned to start in late 2021. Hydro and Northvolt have invested NOK 120 million (RM56.66 million) in the plant through Hydrovolt.
The plant will be powered by 100% renewable energy, extensively automated and designed for crushing and sorting batteries. Through a possible expansion, the plan is to also process other types of batteries, including those from the marine sector, across Europe.
The Norwegian company Batteriretur, located next to the new Hydrovolt plant in Fredrikstad, will supply batteries and operate the plant. Operations will be closely integrated with Hydro and Northvolt existing businesses. Aluminium from the used batteries will be recycled and reused by Hydro.
The ‘black mass’ containing lithium, manganese, nickel and cobalt will either be reused in Northvolt’s battery production or sold to other parties. The plant will be one of the most technologically advanced battery recycling plants in the world. – The Vibes, February 3, 2021
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