Norwegians say they want to avoid Chinese electric cars, but their sales are soaring.

In Norway, 31% of electric car drivers surveyed say they avoid Chinese brands for political reasons, up from 23% a year earlier. This doesn’t stop manufacturers owned by Chinese groups from gaining ground: they accounted for a quarter of newly registered electric cars between January and July 2026. So how can this discrepancy be explained?

Distrust toward Chinese brands is rising

Norway is a good place to observe the evolution of the electric vehicle market. Vehicles with higher wattage have dominated new registrations for many years now. Yet, the origin of vehicles remains a sensitive issue for some buyers. In the annual survey by the Norwegian Electric Vehicles Association, 31% of respondents said they wanted to avoid buying Chinese cars for political reasons. That figure was 23% in 2025.

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Nearly 15,000 drivers participated in this study conducted between March 31 and May 3, 2026. The association highlights growing concerns regarding the security of personal data. Note that these results measure intentions expressed, not the actual reasons behind each purchase. Additionally, the same respondent could mention multiple brands or countries.

A quarter of sold electric vehicles are Chinese-made

In the market, the trend is in the opposite direction. Between January and July 2026, 20,566 electric vehicles from manufacturers owned by Chinese companies were registered in Norway, accounting for 25% of the total. Their share was virtually zero in 2019.

But…

It should be noted that this figure includes manufacturers such as BYD, Xpeng, Nio, and MG, as well as Volvo, Polestar, and Smart—whose European origins may obscure perceptions of their owners. That’s the whole nuance. Also, those who express reluctance are not necessarily the ones who buy these cars.

When making a choice, the price or features of the vehicle may carry more weight than political concerns. This is the interpretation put forward by the Norwegian association, though the survey does not allow for an exact measurement of each factor’s impact. For comparison, the proportion of respondents who say they avoid Tesla for political reasons dropped from 43% to 24% in one year.

Opinions therefore change quite rapidly. Vehicle registrations, on the other hand, also depend on what is available at the time of purchase.