PetrolPlaza Talks #8: The EV Revolution

A leading figure in the electric vehicle space, Espen Hauge, President of AVERE (the European Association for Electromobility), discusses the development of the EV market, challenges around infrastructure and the role of mobility stations in the future.

Espen Hauge is the President of the World Electric Vehicle Association (WEVA), President of AVERE, and President of the Norwegian Electric Vehicle Association.

No other country in the world has more electric vehicles per capita than Norway – 54% of all new cars sold in Norway in 2020 are electric, more than 12% of the total car park is now electric, and the car with the highest sales in Norway in 2020 is an electric car, the Audi e-tron.

Electric vehicle penetration is gaining traction due to a confluence of factors. EVs and plug-in hybrids are expected to represent 33% of sales in China, Europe, and the U.S. by 2030. This forecast anticipates 26.4 million electric vehicles sold in those three major markets that year alone, according to AlixPartners.

“In the European market it is clear the mission set by the Commission of phasing out fossil fuel cars before 2035. The main OEMs are launching plans to be in line with those ambitions. We see steady sales growth, even with COVID. The change of President in the U.S. was huge. They are coming back to combating climate change. This brings a very ambitious plan for electrification of the U.S. car market. An interesting point from China is that they will now be more oriented to the export of their vehicles – we will see more cars with Chinese brands, especially in Europe,” explains Espen.

This interview is part of PetrolPlaza Special ‘EVs: Threat or Opportunity”