Car Rental Statistics in Norway

Norway’s car rental market is shaped by seasonal tourism, established rental brands, rapid electric-vehicle adoption, and the growth of application-based (app-based) car sharing. The strongest current public data comes from tourism, vehicle-registration, rental-category, and car-sharing sources, while older industry benchmarks help explain the traditional market’s role.

Norway’s traditional car rental industry was described as a Norwegian kroner (NOK) 2 billion-plus industry in a report published in 2018.

• Industry turnover was reported at more than NOK 2 billion.
• Value added was estimated at about NOK 750 million.
• Employment was reported at just over 1,000 people.
• Rental cars were especially relevant for tourism accessibility in districts where visitors needed transport from airports to fjords, mountains, and other nature-based destinations.
• The traditional rental market was concentrated among major international brands, including Avis/Budget, Hertz, Sixt, and Europcar.

Note: This benchmark helps show the economic role of Norway’s traditional car rental industry before app-based car sharing became more visible.

Rental customers in Norway can choose across compact cars, sport utility vehicles, electric vehicles, vans, and other vehicle categories.

• Electric cars and compact cars are listed among Norway rental categories.
• Compact cars are highlighted for Oslo, while sport utility vehicles with four-wheel drive are highlighted for countryside travel.
• Oslo rental pages describe a wide range of cars and vans, including utility vehicles for moving, goods transport, and business use.

Note: Vehicle-category pages are useful for showing the types of cars customers can typically choose when planning a Norway rental.

Several Norwegian destinations are relevant to rental-car itineraries because they act as gateways to fjords, Arctic tourism, islands, and hiking areas.

• Bergen is commonly used as a base for fjord trips, including access to the Hardangerfjord region.
• Tromsø is promoted as an Arctic destination surrounded by mountains and fjords, with city-breaks and nature experiences.
• Lofoten is presented as a destination for nature, activities, accommodation, and travel planning.
• Preikestolen, near Lysefjord, is one of Norway’s best-known hikes and receives more than 300 thousand visitors per year.

Note: These destination examples help explain why rental cars can be relevant for itineraries that extend beyond major city centers.