Norway’s Shift to Electric Vehicles: An Eco-Friendly Future or a New Illusion?

In 2025, Norway will become the first country in the world where almost no internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles are sold. Electric vehicles (EVs) already occupy more than 93% of the market, and their sales continue to grow. This seems like an important step towards an eco-friendly future. However, a deeper look reveals that this path is not without compromises and missed opportunities.

Progress with Caveats

Norway’s example shows that economic incentives, developed infrastructure, and government support can accelerate changes in the transport sector. Over several years, the country has significantly increased the number of charging stations, the number of available EV models has grown from 10 to 160, and the share of ICE vehicles on the roads has decreased.

But the question arises: how truly eco-friendly is this transition? The production of a large number of EVs, each carrying an average of two to four people, requires a significant amount of rare earth metals, the extraction of which negatively impacts the environment. Moreover, despite the active use of renewable energy sources, a significant portion of the world’s electricity is still generated from coal and gas power plants. This reduces the real environmental efficiency of EVs.

uST Transport as a More Sustainable Solution

Unlike traditional EVs, string rail transport offers a completely different approach to solving the mentioned problem. This is an above-ground transport system that not only eliminates carbon dioxide emissions in its operation but also requires minimal environmental intervention.

Why is uST a more eco-friendly and efficient choice?

1. Minimal impact on nature. The string rail track structure runs above the ground, preserving the natural landscape. The construction requires minimal land, avoiding deforestation, terrain changes, and soil pollution.
2. Energy efficiency. uPods have a larger capacity while consuming significantly less energy to transport passengers. The transport can also carry cargo. The secret of efficiency lies in moving above the ground, the aerodynamic shape of the transport, and the use of steel wheels moving on special steel rails. These and other features of uST solutions minimize resistance and energy loss.
3. Environmental cleanliness. uST transport is fully electric but consumes less energy than EVs.
4. Durability of infrastructure. The string rail overpass is designed to operate for decades, reducing repair and maintenance costs compared to traditional roads.

Room for Improvement

Norway’s efforts to reduce harmful emissions are commendable, but the world needs deeper solutions that change not only transport but also our attitude towards the planet. The chosen approach involves replacing one type of transport with a similar one, rather than fundamentally rethinking transport systems. As a result, high electricity consumption, destruction of natural areas during the construction of new tracks, and other environmental problems will not lose their urgency.

uST technology allows for the creation of routes that organically integrate into the environment without destroying it, avoiding the need to lay millions of kilometers of roads or build charging infrastructure. To truly solve the problems of emissions, congested roads, and resource depletion, a deeper transformation of the industry is needed. uST transport is an example of what the next step could be: efficient, eco-friendly, and safe.