Summary Last month, 716 Leafs were registered, making it more popular than other cars.
OSLO (AFP) - An electric car, the Nissan Leaf, topped new registrations in Norway in October, driven by a range of perks for those owning an electric vehicle in the oil-rich country.
Last month, 716 Leafs were registered, making it more popular than the Toyota Auris and the Volkswagen Golf with a market share of 5.6 percent, according to Opplysningsraadet for Veitrafikken (OFV), which compiles data on Norwegian car sales.
The numbers mark the second month running in which an electric car dominates the rankings.
In September, the high-end US-made Tesla S held the top spot due to a backlog that had built up before the first cars were shipped to the country.
"I m a little surprised that this happens twice in a row," the head of registration data at OFV, Paal Bruhn, told AFP.
Norway has encouraged electric car sales with tax incentives, congestion charge exemptions, access to public transport lanes and free parking.
But with Crown Prince Haakon reportedly being the proud owner of a Tesla S, the policy has pitted environmentalism against Norwegians egalitarian streak: According to some calculations, the luxurious Tesla S is subsidised to the tune of 737,000 kroner ($124,000, 91,000 euros) per car.
In total, electric cars accounted for 7.2 percent of Norway auto sales in October, up from a 3.4 percent market share a year ago.
Norway is a leading exporter of oil.
