How did Norway become the electric car superpower? Oil money, civil disobedience – and Morten from a-ha

Although Norway leads the world in EV uptake, its wealth is built on petroleum, which still accounts for 52% of exports. Photograph: Ryhor Bruyeu/Alamy

I’m kneeling on the snow outside the king’s house, impersonating a 1980s heart-throb, with a man named Harald and an electric car. It’s a situation that probably needs some explanation.

Harald isn’t the king, although the king of Norway is also called Harald; we just happen to be outside the monarch’s residence, a handsome red manor. I’m in Stavanger to find out how, in a world where transport contributes about 20% of CO₂ emissions, Norway came to lead the world in electric car take-up. In 2023, 82.4% of private vehicles sold in the country were electric. In January, the figure was 92.1%. The goal is to hit 100% by next year.