Road Tripping in Norway with an Electric Vehicle

Short answer - YES!  Road tripping with an EV definitely requires some extra research and planning. But the benefits are well worth the effort: avoiding Norway's sky-high fuel prices, 50% discount on ferry crossings, reduced highway tolls, and most importantly, enjoying the stunning nature of Norway with zero emissions.

Overall Cost

I booked my Volkswagen ID3 from Hertz at the Trondheim International Airport. Not all rental outfits have EVs. It took a fair bit of searching, but I found that the cost of the EV from Hertz was only marginally more expensive than a gasoline vehicle. During my trip, the cost of regular unleaded gasoline was a whopping USD $2.50 / CAD $3.40 per litre! The gas at home in Toronto at the time was selling an inflated high of CAD $1.90 / litre. Paying that 80% markup on gas was completely avoided by selecting an EV. Charging the EV never cost more than $20 and in several cases was completely free!

The World's Best EV Charging Infrastructure 

Nearly 80% of new vehicles sold in Norway are EVs. So it comes as little surprise that Norway has a network of 18,000 charging stations, including 5,000 rapid chargers. Many Airbnb hosts have charging stations on their properties and EV chargers are now an optional search filter on Airbnb! On my trip, I found free, municipally-supported charging stations in 3 small towns. Generally the charger was on the property of the shopping mall and I would pop inside to grab a couple of things at the grocery story or enjoy a coffee as the car charged. Paid charging is very easy to find. Many petrol stations now offer EV charging. Charging points of all types can be searched on specialized apps, Google Maps, and the comprehensive Ladestasjoner map. 

Norway's Geography in advantageous to electric vehicles!

Most EVs, and the VW was no exception here, are able to recharge the battery by capturing the kinetic energy of downhill motion. Flying down some of Norway's steep mountain roads, like the Trollstigen, recharged my battery by 5%. 

Discounts

At the time of writing (2022), rides on state-owned ferries were discounted by 50% for EVs. You might think, "I'm not planning any ferry trips," but yes you are! In coastal Norway, the highways are frequently interrupted by unbridged bodies of water. Ferries are essentially part of the road system.

Similarly, Norway's toll highways are discounted. Check with your rental company, but Hertz helpfully has this all handled. Fees for road tolls, ferry tolls, and even parking in "smart garages" are all handled through an in-car transponder and settled at the end of your trip. 

This is where that extra research and planning comes in. The VW ID3 that I rented had a range of approximately 400 km on a full charge. Plan accordingly! If you're more of the spontaneous type, you're not going to be stuck to a 400 km daily range by any means. You just have to factor in a stop for charging. 

Unlike filling a gas tank, an EV recharge takes time. The length of time all depends on the wattage of the charger you've found. The ID3 can take up to 24 hours to charge if plugged into a standard electrical socket at home, but can charge in as little as 30 - 40 minutes if you're using a more powerful charging station (50 kW - 150 kW). 

Remember, you're in NORWAY! There is epic scenery almost everywhere you go. 

I took these photos while wandering around the charming little town of Sylte as my car charged up for half an hour. Occasionally "being forced" to take these little breaks is an absolute pleasure in such a gorgeous country. 

Mobile Data

Having access to mobile data on your phone is indispensable. You'll want to be able to search for charging stations, check their current occupancy and pricing, and look for points of interest to visit while your car is charging. Most of the time, you'll be paying for the charge with a credit card via an app. Many modern EVs have a in-built ability to locate charging stations using the car's SatNav. I tried this out, but it never located as many stations as Google Maps and the apps that I'll mention below could. 

Download the Apps in Advance

At many petrol stations, you can purchase charging inside with the cashier. But for most charging stations, payment was handled through an app. (This is another reason why mobile data is so important!) Before your trip, download and get yourself set up with an account on:

Bilkraft (Android / Apple)

Fortum Charge (Android / Apple) 

MerConnect Norway (Android / Apple)

Accommodation

It's very common in Norway for hotels to have EV charging stations. Likewise, many Airbnb properties are equipped. Normally this comes at an extra cost, but it was a complimentary perk in a couple of my Airbnbs! Check into this in advance. Charging overnight - when you don't need your vehicle anyway - is the ideal way to get back to 100.