In the autumn of 2025, there are parliamentary elections. The Car Porters’ National Association (BIL) has therefore already drawn up a strategy for road traffic and the car industry.
The election in 2025 will be decisive for road traffic and the car industry’s framework conditions until 2030. In late autumn 2025, a new government will present its platform for the 2025-2029 parliamentary term.
Our most important task is to secure the car’s place in society. In a time where the climate crisis will demand more and more from all of us, it requires that we as an industry are seen as part of the solution, not as part of the problem.
In order for BIL to succeed in this ambitious work, we have now developed our car policy strategy for 2025-2029.
BIL must work towards zero emissions, so that we can reduce, and eventually remove, the car’s negative impact on the climate and environment. We shall promote the value of mobility, both for society and for the individual
Our strategy of 1-2-3
BIL’s most important task is to secure the place of cars and road traffic in society. This is a complex task that forms the basis of the strategy.
The car’s place in society rests on a number of assumptions where BIL must have a clear voice and influence development and direction choices. What is absolutely crucial is that cars and road traffic appear as part of the solution to society’s mobility needs, and not as part of the problem.
On the basis of this strategy, an action plan will be drawn up for the work towards the party programme, election campaign and new government declaration.
The action plan must be drawn up in collaboration with The Norwegian Automobile Industry Association, BIL’s most important partner.
You can also download the brochure “Housing policy strategy for 2025-2029”, which you can find in in its entirety here.
Background – the car and air conditioning
Road traffic accounts for 8.7 million tonnes of Norway’s emissions of 48.9 million tonnes of CO2. Road traffic therefore accounts for 17.8 per cent of total emissions. Emissions must be significantly reduced in 2030 to meet our climate commitments. If we as an industry are to have a legitimate voice in the social debate, we must therefore do our part to achieve the climate goals.
This assumes that the powertrain mix in 2030 is completely different from today for all vehicle groups. The emission cuts must continue for passenger cars by introducing new zero-emission cars, and old cars with fossil-fuel powertrains are phased out faster than today. For commercial transport, the proportion of zero-emission vehicles must increase sharply.
This is impossible to achieve without a tax policy for passenger cars and incentives for commercial transport that ensure the rapid replacement of vehicles with emissions.
Background – the car’s value and place in society
Road traffic is Norway’s most important form of transport. More than 80 per cent of all passenger kilometers and 2/3 of all freight transport takes place on the road. All professional forecasts say that road traffic will strengthen its position as Norway’s preferred transport solution towards 2030 and 2050.
The Bilimportørenes Nationalsforening’s primary task is to secure the place of the car and road traffic in society. A decisively important task in our communication and contact with the authorities is to bring out the car’s and the industry’s position in the green shift, and the industry’s importance for growth and value creation.
carried out on behalf of the Norwegian Road Administration, “The value of the road”, calculates the value creation from road traffic at a whopping NOK 1,100 billion per year.
Background – Trends and developments towards 2030
Department of Transport Economics (TØI) calculates road traffic, measured in vehicle kilometres, to grow by 15 per cent from 2018 to 2030. Going forward, the car industry will not only be measured by zero emissions in use. The industry must promote sustainability throughout the car’s entire life cycle, from production to repair, and through reuse and recycling.
The way we relate to the car and the way the car relates to its surroundings is changing. An increasing degree of self-driving will place new demands on the driver, the road, the environment and legislation. Mobility as a service (Maa S) will, especially in cities, affect how we use different mobility solutions.
Consolidating the car’s place in the new mobility becomes important as the demands for flexibility and seamlessness between different forms of transport will grow.
Climate targets 2030 and road traffic If we are to secure the car’s place in society, emissions from road traffic must be gradually reduced completely. The first major milestone will come in 2030. Norway has committed to cutting CO2 emissions by 55 percent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels.
Road traffic currently accounts for 8.7 tonnes of CO2 of Norway’s total emissions of 48.9 million. From 2015 to 2021, emissions from road traffic have been reduced by 15.7 per cent, but we need to go from 8.7 today to over 3.5 million tonnes in 2030 to achieve a 55 per cent reduction.
Avinor, Lane No, The Directorate of Railways, The Coastal Agency, State Highways Authority and New Roads projections in the basis for the new NTP 2025 – 36 shows that road traffic will emit more than 5 million tonnes of CO2 in 2030 without further measures than those we already have.
The analyzes carried out show that it is not possible to reduce emissions from road traffic by 55 per cent (from 1990) with realistic measures and the use of means by 2030.
The report states that the climate targets can only be achieved if the transition to emission-free powertrains in all segments is significantly accelerated and the use of biofuel increases sharply. It is not considered possible to achieve a 55 per cent reduction by reducing transport volume with increased fuel pricing or equivalent price measures, without us simultaneously carrying out an offensive electrification and/or mixing in biofuel.
BIL will supplement the Swedish Road Administration’s work by presenting scenarios for how emissions cuts from road traffic can be achieved by escalating the transition to zero emissions in the vehicle fleet towards 2030.
Background – Green bottom line for green investments
Both for businesses and for families, financial sustainability is a prerequisite for making green choices. The key to Norway’s achievement of becoming a world leader in the electrification of the passenger car fleet lies precisely in the fact that a predictable policy was pursued over time that rewarded climate-friendly car choices. BIL believes that this lesson must be taken forward in the green shift on the roads.
Positive incentives make it possible for both consumers and businesses to choose the most climate-friendly technology that meets their needs.
Through moderate and predictable car taxes for passenger cars and aggressive purchase incentives for commercial vehicles, the transition to zero emissions can go faster.
The zero-emission car in use
For passenger cars, the development of charging infrastructure has progressed to the point where it can essentially be managed according to market principles. For heavy transport, the situation is completely different.
In the government’s National Charging Strategy, which was presented in December 2022, the need for fast chargers for heavy transport is estimated at 1,500 – 2,500 in 2030. In 2023, there will be one publicly accessible fast charging station for heavy vehicles.
The development of a full-scale charging and filling infrastructure across the country that enables emission-free driving for all vehicle groups is urgent.
A network of filling stations for hydrogen must also be established, preferably co-located with rapid charging infrastructure for battery-electric trucks. At the same time, framework conditions are needed that facilitate a significant increase in the production of and access to biofuel for use in the transport industry.
BIL is concerned that emission-free choices must pay off for businesses through positive incentives. We are skeptical of negative incentives, such as high usage and fuel taxes.
Sustainability from cradle to grave
In future, the car industry will not only be measured by zero emissions in use. The industry must promote sustainability throughout the car’s entire life cycle, from production to repair, and through reuse and recycling.
Several car manufacturers have already announced that they are working towards climate neutrality or zero emissions in production by 2030.
Questions surrounding the use of used parts for repairs, sustainability through maintenance and scrapping age will challenge the industry. The industry must promote sustainability throughout the car’s entire life cycle, from production to repair, and through reuse and recycling. The car industry thinks about sustainability and takes its responsibility from cradle to grave. We need to get better at telling that story.
Through wholly owned Autoretur AS, Norway’s only publicly approved return scheme for vehicles, manages Norwegian car importers producer responsibility. Autoretur has very good figures to show with a total recycling rate of 97.8 (2022).
The car tax system of the future
Today’s car tax system is adapted to the internal combustion engine and is about to expire. In the coming years, a tax system adapted to the zero-emission car must take shape.
BIL’s primary position is that future car taxes should undergo a broad investigation. All car-related taxes, both on purchase and use, should be seen in context.
There must be a well-thought-out balance between taxes on purchases and taxes on use, and the necessity for the tax system to facilitate a green transition.
BIL believes that a modern car tax system must be long-term, predictable and holistic. It should promote mobility and recognize the value of high mobility, both for society and for individuals. A modern car tax system promotes the climate goals through positive incentives, and makes it possible for it to pay off to make climate-friendly vehicle choices both for businesses and families.
It is important that we have a tax system where the purchase tax does not become so high that the rate of replacement of the car fleet is reduced. This will slow down the green shift.
Sources: In the work to develop the Motor Vehicle Policy Strategy 2025-29, BIL has used a number of sources and reports.
Road traffic’s value creation: Menon Economics has commissioned the Norwegian Road Administration to prepare the report “The value of the road” (2023). The report shows a value creation from road traffic of NOK 1,100 billion per year.
The car industry’s social accounting: With the help of figures from Statistics Norway, the car industry has developed a social account that shows the extent of car use and the value creation from the car industry.
Climate emissions from road traffic: The Norwegian Public Roads Administration has taken a closer look at greenhouse gas emissions from road traffic in 2030 with current policy, and what the effect of new measures will be. The report is part of the basis for new NTP 2025 – 36.
Sustainable mobility: The technology committee has looked at what creates sustainable freedom of movement and mobility.
More about car taxes: A more detailed description of the structure and scope of car taxes can be found in the tax proposal in the state budget for 2023.
Investigation into road use tax and tolls: The Norwegian Road Administration and the Swedish Tax Agency have carried out a concept selection study on road pricing and tolls.
National charging strategy: The Ministry of Transport has drawn up a strategy to strengthen the charging infrastructure in Norway.