The world´s best place for EV tourism

– Boasting charging opportunities for more than 60 cars, we welcomed a crowd of EV drivers to world famous tourist spot Geiranger, Norway, says Christina Bu of Norsk elbilforening. Watch movie here!

Beyond 50 electric vehicles (called elbil in Norwegian) with more than 100 people on board, from all over the country, showed up for the EV festival based at historic Hotel Union and Norsk fjordsenter in the last weekend of August. Not only Norwegian EV drivers took their vehicles into the lovely fjord and mountain scenery last weekend: Renault Zoe owner Harm Otten came all the way from the Netherlands to join the rally. 

The world famous UNESCO World Heritage Site Geiranger was – unofficially – crowned the best developed place for EV tourism: The village with a population of about 250 now offers more than one charging point for each tenth citizen. 

– This is probably a world record and the reason why we crown Geiranger as the best village in the world for EV tourism, says Christina Bu, secretary general of the Norwegian EV Association (Norsk elbilforening).

– Not just a metropolitan phenomenon

The EV Festival also constituted the first part of the association’s 20th anniversary (see fact file below).

To promote development of charging infrastructure in rural areas, and at the same time EV tourism, this year´s event was located in scenic Geiranger.

– With our EV festival we would, once again, like to place the focus on the EV not being just a metropolitan phenomenon. We have proved emissionfree EV tourism in a wonderful, rural scenery is not just possible. It is perfect, says Bu.

Vast charging opportunities

After the grand opening of the EV charging park at Norsk fjordsenter, which now offers both quick charger (CHAdeMO and CCS) and 24 flexible charging stations (11-22 kW AC), all participating EVs took on the steep slopes to famous landmark Dalsnibba, situated 1,476 meters above fjord level. In addition a total of 34 temporary charging points made sure all participants at the festival were able to be fully charged. 

– There was no range anxiety at all, and EVs crowded the parking lot at busy Dalsnibba for a change – instead of just fossil fuelled cars and tourist buses, says Bu.

In other words: The future also arrived at the famous landmark that historic Saturday. 

See large and scenic photo album from the EV festival on Flickr!

FACT FILE: Norsk elbilforening

• Norsk elbilforening (Norwegian EV Association) was founded in November 1995.
• Norsk elbilforening´s primary goal is to promote zero emission transport solutions.
• We support the introduction of vehicles that run fully or partially on renewable energy. 
• Norsk elbilforening is an independent consumer organization (NGO) and today has almost 27.000 members.
• Norway now has more than 60.000 battery electric vehicles (BEV) and around 7.000 plug-in hybrids (PHEV). 
• This means 2,5 percent of the total passenger car fleet is now chargeable.