Reuters Headline!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,336
Likes: 936
From: Brookshire, Texas & Cat Spring, Texas
2019 SL550/2023 EQS 580 SUV
A milestone for sure but one has to remember the whole country of Norway does not have the population of the Houston,Texas Metropolitan area and a tremendous amount of travel between cities/towns in Norway is by boat.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,499
Likes: 335
From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
Please define "tremendous" in this context. Most likely unusually high percentage of boat rides (on boats they do not like EVs by the way) but the hard to reach towns are few and have very few people even in the "Norwegian scale".
I'd say the high percentage of electric cars comes from cheap and very clean (a bit of wind power, all the rest hydro power) electricity, significant subsidies and the people living close with the nature and being environmentally aware.
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 893
Likes: 397
From: Hong Kong, China
2021 S450 4Matic
And I bet this might be the chief factors among the 3.
Hong Kong is a city with about 7.5 million people (vs 5.5m of Norway). Despite the huge drawback of long-charging time of EVs (vs gasoline cars), the first half of last year had about 50% of new car sales be EVs.
The only attraction is, as one might guess correctly, is that the local government has been giving significant tax exemptions and subsidies to make EVs appealing to the 'impatient' HK people.
And 50% of new car buyers bited the bait...lol
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,499
Likes: 335
From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
So you are saying Reuters knows less than me.
I don't know the facts but I assume EV subsidies in Norway are lower than those in China. The ICE tax (don't know the name in China) appears to be high too, specifically for bigger engines (as I've learned from you). Might be relatively more attractive to purchase an EV in China than Norway?
EV charging time may really be a huge drawback in Hong Kong but in Norway (any of the sparsely populated areas) everyone can charge their EV at home. No problem if it takes a long time overnight when electricity is cheap too.
Honestly I'm more surprised about the EVs in the US. Again, did not check figures but feels like a relatively high environmental factor behind the boom? No more EV subsidies in my country but a very high CO2 penalty for ICE cars drives towards EVs and PHEVs. A bit different situation in every country.
I don't know the facts but I assume EV subsidies in Norway are lower than those in China. The ICE tax (don't know the name in China) appears to be high too, specifically for bigger engines (as I've learned from you). Might be relatively more attractive to purchase an EV in China than Norway?
EV charging time may really be a huge drawback in Hong Kong but in Norway (any of the sparsely populated areas) everyone can charge their EV at home. No problem if it takes a long time overnight when electricity is cheap too.
Honestly I'm more surprised about the EVs in the US. Again, did not check figures but feels like a relatively high environmental factor behind the boom? No more EV subsidies in my country but a very high CO2 penalty for ICE cars drives towards EVs and PHEVs. A bit different situation in every country.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,524
Likes: 1,181
From: WI
17 E43; 21 GLS580
The subsidies are "substantial", however, they are ending. The main direct one to the buyer was no car sales tax, which Im sure as in other countries are quite substantial. Indirectly, the government has subsidized the charging network. Yes Norway has a small population but it also shows how the market can flip in a blink. Furtheremore, that if given the opportunity, people will gladly switch to EVs. By the way Norway is one of the countries that has a complete nuclear cycle, including a permanent geologic repository.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 5,385
Likes: 1,104
.
EV travel can be significantly more expensive when one includes overnight lodging costs because of the range limitations and recharge time. My monthly trip from Clearrwater to New Orleans - daylight driving only - takes about 10 hours. In an EV an overnight stop is required because the 2 charging stops bumps into my daylight driving only restriction. When EV driving range (<300 miles) is lengthened to be comparable to that of ICE vehicles (>450 miles), an EV can work for a single car family.
My neighbor has a '19 Tesla P100D with a stated range of 289 miles. On her last trip she got about 150 miles range driving with a/c at 70 mph or about half of the stated range. I wonder what the EQ's actual range is under similar conditions.
My neighbor has a '19 Tesla P100D with a stated range of 289 miles. On her last trip she got about 150 miles range driving with a/c at 70 mph or about half of the stated range. I wonder what the EQ's actual range is under similar conditions.
Trending Topics
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 54
Likes: 16
2022 EQS 580 4matic, 2022 GLS 450
I have driven my EQS 580 for a year now only in town on surface roads because long interstate trips are prohibited by lack of fast chargers within reasonable range. 2 days ago I took a 80 mile round trip with the partial charge estimated range at departure showing 220 miles. At the end of 80 miles of travel driving 75 -80 mph on the interstate my remaining range was down to 75 miles, an EQS estimated 145 mile trip. Apparently the range estimate was calculated based on a full year of slower urban driving with a lot of recuperation and significantly miscalculated my first interstate drive. The temperature was 70 degrees and the AC was running but it usually runs almost year round here.
Last edited by rbourge; Jan 3, 2023 at 11:30 AM.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 751
Likes: 225
From: Sweden
2023 EQE SUV 500 4Matic
The long-present EV subsidies in Sweden received a "cap" in early 2022 of very roughly USD 70k.
Then, on November 8th this year, they abruptly ended. No subsidies for cars ordered after this date.
Residential charger installations are still being subsidized, however - typically reducing the installation and equipment cost by 50%.
Then, on November 8th this year, they abruptly ended. No subsidies for cars ordered after this date.
Residential charger installations are still being subsidized, however - typically reducing the installation and equipment cost by 50%.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,499
Likes: 335
From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
Really, but is it a complete cycle when they have zero nuclear power plants? Only Sweden and Finland of the northern Europe countries have nuclear power plants.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 4,524
Likes: 1,181
From: WI
17 E43; 21 GLS580
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,499
Likes: 335
From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,499
Likes: 335
From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
I doubt different European countries are well known in the US, at least not the small ones. As if I knew how each state in the US differs from the others. 
