September was yet another record month for Nordic car sales, with three of the four countries recording their highest-ever electric car shares. At the same time, all countries reported strong growth in passenger car registrations, and one model played a particularly big role in the development.
The ninth month of the year was strong for the Nordic passenger car market. Growth was highest in Norway, where 18,733 newly registered passenger cars represented an increase of 30.7% compared with September last year.
The other three markets can also look back on September with satisfaction. In Finland, registrations rose by 16.4% (6,982 new registrations in total), Sweden recorded an increase of 14% (28,415 new registrations in total) and Denmark ended the month with an increase of 13.1%, corresponding to 20,025 newly registered passenger cars.
The strong September also means that all four markets are now showing growth year to date. The increase has been greatest in Denmark at 13.2%, followed by Finland at 5.5%. Sweden and Norway come next, with growth of 3% and 1.7% respectively.
Record after record for electric cars
The electric cars also had an exceptionally strong September. Norway, Denmark and Finland all recorded record-high electric car shares, while Sweden is approaching the record from December 2022.
Norway consolidates its dominance in the electric car segment with a share of as much as 98.8% of new registrations, thereby beating its previous record of 98.7%. Denmark also recorded a new record, with an electric car share of 88.8%. There is reason to believe that the trend could continue towards the end of the year, when announced tax increases for more expensive electric cars are expected.
In Finland, the electric car share set a record for the third month in a row and now stands at 62.1%.
Although the Swedish electric car share continues to rise, at 49.1% it is still slightly below the current record of 51%. Even so, there is no doubt that electric cars are of great importance to developments on the Swedish car market. Andrée Peters, CEO of Bilstatistik.se, explains:
“Electric cars are acting as the driving force behind passenger car registrations in Sweden, and the number has increased by as much as 46% compared with the same period last year. Private buyers are a strong driver, but it is surely also because the state's petrol and diesel subsidies are coming to an end.”
The growing interest in electric cars continues to leave its mark on the Nordic vehicle fleet. In Denmark, soon one in four passenger cars is electric, which corresponds to an increase of as much as 44% over the past year.
In Norway, the electric car share of the passenger car fleet stands at 35%, while Sweden is close to passing the 10% mark. Finland is also developing rapidly, with an increase of 36.6% over the past year. From a low starting point, however, the Finnish electric car share is still a modest 7.6% at the end of September.
At Mobility Denmark, there is surprise that the announced tax increases on electric cars look set to become reality after the turn of the year:
“The car market is in full swing, and the electric car has become the Danes' first choice. This is of great importance for the green transition of the vehicle fleet, which contributes significantly to Denmark reaching its climate targets. It is therefore also remarkable that the government that calls itself the greenest ever is choosing to raise the tax on electric cars from the turn of the year. It is hard to understand why the Danes' embrace of the electric car should be met with a higher tax bill,” says Mads Rørvig, CEO of Mobility Denmark.
Tesla is back on the throne, unchallenged
After a period of mixed results, Tesla has firmly reclaimed the leader's jersey in the Nordic top lists. The Model Y takes first place in all four markets.
Particularly noteworthy are the results in Finland and, not least, Norway. In Finland, almost three times as many Model Ys were registered as the runner-up on the list, the Toyota bZ4X.
In Norway the difference was even greater: there, as many as eight (!) times as many Model Ys were registered as the Volvo EX30 in second place. A convincing result, to say the least.
Status quo for light and heavy trucks
On the light truck market, however, the results were not as impressive, but largely followed the same pattern as so far this year.
Sweden is the market that is developing best, both in September and for the year as a whole. In September, 3,572 light trucks were newly registered, an increase of 16.1%. Sweden is thus 19.8% above the 2025 level so far this year.
In Norway, registrations of light trucks fell by 29.5% in September, which means that the market is 8.8% below last year's level so far this year.
Denmark recorded a more limited decline of 3.8% in September, but with an overall increase of 0.6% it is largely at the same level as last year.
In Finland, new registrations fell by 5.6% in September, and so far this year the market is therefore 12% below the 2025 level.
As for heavy trucks, the month's result means that all four markets are now at roughly the same level as in the corresponding period last year. On the plus side are Sweden and Norway, with increases of 3.5% and 4.3% respectively, while Denmark and Finland are 3.4% and 0.2% below the 2025 level.
In Finland, there are several possible explanations for why the light truck market in particular is struggling to follow the positive growth signals that have characterised the passenger car market in recent months:
“The news about economic growth has not yet reached the light truck market, and the decline in financed purchases and leasing agreements may at the same time reflect companies' difficulties in obtaining financing. Geopolitical tensions and the interest rate level also continue to cast shadows over the outlook,” says Teemu Rennola, CEO of Finland's Value Clinic.
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Figures and data from the article may only be shared with a clear reference to the source:
Danish data: Bilstatistik.dk
Swedish data: Bilstatistik.se
Norwegian data: Opplysningsrådet for veitrafikken
Finnish data: Value Clinic (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, Transport and Traffic Register