Hei Andy,
I spent 5 years in Stavanger and Oslo as a kid, and last visited in 2022 for EVS35. I was disappointed to see when visiting with EVServices.no and talking to Norsk elbilforening members to learn that taking care of older EVs is not very popular, especially with 'early modern EVs' like the iMiEV and ZEO Leaf. The Think, Budd-e and Kewit have a few caretakers, but it seems that our cars are more viewed as disposable.
Is that what you mainly see in Norway?
Regards from Stavanger
Not sure if that will answer the question, but this is how I see the situation, observing and talking to various owners of EVs from 10+ ago.
Few factors behind that:
1. older EV have limited range, in some cases we are talking about 50-60km summer time (so rather short period...). Assuming 1/2 during winter - you have the car which potentially cannot serve you to the work and back without extra charging between. Leafs, Zoe, i-Miev from early production, Smart, MB B-class, etc. That means - nobody want to buy such car, prices are really on the floor.
2. Due to low prices, as well as relatively high labour cost in Norway - any potentially minor service can cost more than current value of the car. This is the moment the car lands in scrap yard.
3. There is no way to avoid point two, as Norway keeps quite detailed and restrictive the mandatory technical inspection. You cannot renew it, if you do not fix stuff. And you can find out it is not worth to fix it, having car which is on the edge of usability (short range).
4. As there is really big selection of EVs in Norway, from all price ranges, also used. People rather buy more modern one, with bigger range, than loose the money on fixing old one. Jumping from older up 100km range cars to 250-300km is typical move.
This issue is probably visible in Norway more than in other countries, due to amount of EVs sold and in use here.
You can think from other dimension about this topic - taxi copros purchase number of Chinese new EVs, and now they are waiting few mounts for some simple parts, that's a waste of money really...
But it should be stated as well - there is plenty of older EVs still in use, you can see them on streets. People using them as long as they can. I can still see few red-white I-Miev's from really first years on the road. At my office there is a Smart for 2, with range maybe 40km. 3rd owner already, still in use summer period. Just a toy, I would say - as a bike - but bike you can use all year long ;-)
