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How the pop band A-ha created Norway's rEVolution
through a campaign of civil disobedience
Jaan Juurikas
October 03, 2024
Today, I'll take you back a bit in history. To the year 1989, to be exact.
These guys, together forming the band A-ha, were on top of their game. As I write the story, the 'Take on Me' started playing in my head immediately. Back then, it was one of the most popular bands in the Universe. In today's terms, the song in my head has 1.5 billion views on YouTube.
What's it got to do with EVs?
The two leading Nordic environmental movements weren't successful in pushing the EV technology, so they approached The Band to advocate for the cause.
Together, they went to Bern in Switzerland to attend the Tour de Sol exhibition in 1989, where they saw a converted Fiat Panda:
THEN: Morten Harket (left) and Magne Furuholmen from A-ha with Prof Rostvik (second left) and Frederic Hauge (right)
It had two seats and went 45 km (28mi) on one charge, after which it had to be charged for 48 hours, the group says on an interview in Norway (video).
BBC covered the story very well here, so I'll just quote you the gems I found:
A-ha, together with environmental groups, imported a similar car into Norway and used the first modern-day EV on the country's roads to launch a campaign of civil disobedience, making a point about how it needed to embrace an alternative to polluting fossil fuel vehicles.
They racked up fines as they drove the car through toll booths, parked illegally and refused to pay vehicle taxes, arguing that this new form of sustainable transport should be free of these levies in order to make it more attractive.
"The idea was to embarrass the government to the extent that only a year after we first drove the car they started implementing the world's best incentives, that we had demanded."
In fact, the campaign went on for about seven years until all the incentives were adopted. The car was impounded by the government and bought back by supporters at least a dozen times.
BBC brought the group back to recreate the photo now, with what seems to be the Fiat 500e:
NOW: Morten and Magne from A-ha recreate their 1989 photo for the BBC Disclosure programme, with Prof Rostvik and Frederic Hauge
As you know, about 35 years later, Norway is the first country in the world that is very, very close to only selling fully electric vehicles, with an EV market share in sales over 90%.
Well played, A-ha.
Well played indeed.
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