Denmark passes 700,000 electric cars

Danes have well and truly embraced the electric car. Denmark has now passed 700,000 electric passenger cars on its roads, according to new figures from bilstatistik.dk, with the fleet growing by more than 100,000 cars in under five months.

Average emissions have collapsed since 2020

Alongside the growth in electric car numbers, average CO2 emissions from newly registered passenger cars have fallen sharply. New cars registered in 2020 averaged 117 grams of CO2 per kilometre. By 2026, that figure has dropped to just 26 grams.

Electric cars have become one of the biggest drivers of Denmark’s green transition. Mads Rørvig, CEO of Mobility Denmark, describes passing 700,000 electric cars as a huge milestone, noting that Danes have clearly said yes to the electric car, a shift now directly visible in falling CO2 emissions. He adds that the electric car is no longer a niche product, but has become the preferred new car choice among Danes.

Average CO2 emissions from new cars, 2020-2026

A warning to politicians not to hit the brakes

The breakthrough in electric car adoption is first and foremost down to Danes choosing them in large numbers, but the shift has also been supported by political frameworks that have kept electric cars economically accessible for ordinary families.

New tax increases could now make electric cars more expensive and slow the growth that has brought Denmark to 700,000 electric cars. The expert group reviewing the future of car taxation is expected to present its first recommendations within the coming months, giving the government a clear opportunity to remove uncertainty and keep the green transition moving.

Mobility Denmark is urging the government to permanently abolish registration tax on electric cars. Rørvig argues that Denmark has a green success story that politicians could still undermine, calling it entirely wrong to celebrate electric car number 700,000 by making the next one more expensive. He adds that if the government wants to be the greenest ever, it should follow through by scrapping the registration tax on electric cars.

Top 20 electric car models on Danish roads

Source: Mobility Denmark, based on data from bilstatistik.dk as of 9 September 2026.