November 09, 2022
Zero Motorcycles developed an electric adventure model. It immediately gets the largest battery capacity Zero has ever built, achieving a driving range of just under 200 km, making it perfect for use as a commuter vehicle. We drove it. Zero is a small motorbike manufacturer that exclusively builds electrically powered motorbikes. The manufacturer has just […]
September 20, 2022
Bosch has developed an electric motor that can be used for vans and small trucks. By integrating the inverter into the motor housing, the powertrain becomes more compact but, above all, more efficient so that the autonomy of electric vehicles improves. The efficiency of electric vehicles is too often measured by the performance and storage […]
September 19, 2022
If it were up to the Open Vld, car inspection as we know it today would be dropped, and periodic vehicle inspections would be put in the hands of garage owners instead of the current (regional) government-regulated monopoly of technical centers. This was one of the propositions adopted at the annual party congress of the […]
September 19, 2022
For two decades, enthusiasts of the kind have been waiting for it. The neo-retro concept (Microbus released in 2001) that was initially presented with a strong gasoline engine has finally reached its production stage, and even in 2022, the flag more than ever covers the load because neo stands for a 100% electric drive, while […]
September 15, 2022
In March, Opel showed the ElektroMOD study based on the classic Manta. From then on, there was much speculation about whether a derivative production model would follow. Today, the brand announces with the Blitz that GSe will become a sub-brand for the more dynamic electric models. Opel wants to push electrification in all segments so […]
September 14, 2022
Honda has planned to thoroughly decarbonize its Motorcycle Business to the point that it should be carbon-neutral from 2040. Ten electrically powered two-wheelers will be launched worldwide in the next three years. Despite this electrification, the development of thermal engines will also go on. The Japanese manufacturer is serious about the electrification of its motorbikes, […]
September 08, 2022
Kia announces that they are starting a collaboration with a Deutsche Bahn start-up to develop energy storage systems, reusing the battery modules of the Kia e-Soul. The start-up encore/DB already operates a take-back service for used batteries from electric vehicles. Kia says, as one of the main suppliers of electric vehicles in the European market, […]
September 07, 2022
The Dutch government participates in Lightyear. This is done through a consortium, Invest-NL, founded by the Dutch government. Lightyear raises capital of €81 million; it is not known precisely how significant the Invest-NL share is. Lightyear is a Dutch start-up established in 2016 and wants to build electric cars that can be charged through the […]
September 06, 2022
At the Mobility and the Future Mobility Summit in early September 2022, Mercedes is showing four improvements for its technology demonstrator ‘Sustaineer’ based on the Mercedes e-Sprinter. Those make the van more energy-efficient and ecological but also consider the driver’s comfort. The Sustaineer, which stands for Sustainable Pioneer, was first shown a year ago and […]
August 29, 2022
BYD (Build Your Dreams) is launching three models on the European market this year, including in Belgium. NMN was allowed to drive them on a closed test track, so we can get a first impression of what these models have to offer. BYD is no unknown player in the automotive world. A few days ago, […]
August 24, 2022
Chinese BYD (Build Your Dreams) has big ambitions for Europe. It plans to launch three fully electric models (Han, Tang, and Atto3) in the European and Belgian markets before the end of the year. And BYD will be able to bring these models to consumers quickly because it builds not only cars but also batteries, […]
August 17, 2022
Today, XPeng Motors showcased a new ultra-fast supercharger that offers up to 480 kW of charging power so that in ideal conditions, you can recharge up to 210 km in five minutes. With the S4 ultra-fast charger, XPeng Motors has just developed the most powerful fast charger to date. The Chinese manufacturer has successfully recharged […]
August 17, 2022
The brand with the star will further expand its range of electric models. An SUV derivative of the recent EQE saloon will follow and be officially unveiled on 16 October 2022, but Mercedes-Benz is showing the first pictures of the interior of its EQE SUV as an appetizer. Like the EQE, this newcomer will be […]
August 16, 2022
Last weekend, Stoffel Vandoorne became Formula E world champion. The Belgian pilot owes the title mainly to his steady driving style, as he only wound up 1 GP. Mercedes, by the way, is leaving this championship behind after this one. Vandoorne may already be a world champion, but he was not the most spectacular driver […]
August 11, 2022
The first product from the cooperation between three major Chinese industrial groups (CATL, Huawei, and Changan) is a reality. The Avatr brand has drawn the curtain on its first production model, the Avatr 11, primarily intended to attract a premium audience. This all-electric SUV model not only looks futuristic but also has a lot of […]
August 09, 2022
From 16 August, vehicle inspection centers in Flanders must resume their normal activities and stop accepting customers by appointment only. This is what Flemish Minister for Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) has decided. The minister is also demanding an audit of the operation and customer satisfaction of the facilities after the complaints piled up in […]
August 08, 2022
The Tesla Model X and Model S are available again in Europe after almost two years. Both top models of the American EV manufacturer were unavailable for a while, and orders outside the US were also put on hold since the end of 2021. A chain of events was at the root of this curious […]
August 03, 2022
French Forsee Power and German Vitesco are joining the motorbike battery swap consortium formed by the major players in the motorbike sector. The consortium includes motorbike manufacturers and technology suppliers and now counts 21 members willing to jointly develop a new business model. The Japanese and Italian motorbike manufacturers have joined forces through the Swappable […]
August 01, 2022
BMW has scaled up battery production at its Leipzig plant. The additional battery production line will enable the Leipzig plant to assemble battery units for the i4, after it had previously mainly produced batteries for the iX. The second production line for battery modules has just started up at the Leipzig production site, which began […]
July 28, 2022
Germany is going to phase out the eco-bonus for electric vehicles. From 2023 onward, incentives for PHEVs will disappear and support will focus mainly on cheaper electric cars bought by private customers. The support measure would continue until 2024, but the subsidy pot will also be reduced yearly. Germany is currently very generous with eco-bonuses […]
July 25, 2022
Porsche recalls the Taycan again, which concerns all models including the Cross Turismo and the Sport Turismo. Worldwide, over 40 000 vehicles have been affected this time. There is a possible problem with the wiring harness under the front seats of cars built between July 2019 and May 2018. This is not the first time […]
July 19, 2022
The full electric convertible segment seems to be in progress, as Mini shows a one-off of the Cooper Convertible SE that they presented in South Carolina at a local Mini event, ‘Mini takes the States’. If and when an electric Mini Convertible will be launched is currently unclear. For now, the British manufacturer wants to […]
June 30, 2022
Citroën is developing an additional model to be positioned between the existing C4 and the C5 X. The new model will be baptised C4 X and will feature a 100% electric drive. Depending on the market, versions with combustion engines will also be offered for sale. In practice, the C4 X is an evolution based […]
June 28, 2022
Only a week after Audi proudly announced that it is the market leader in Belgium in terms of pure electric vehicles, the e-tron assembled in Vorst (Brussels) appears to be completely sold out on the Belgian market. Audi is experiencing an excellent year in terms of electrically powered models. During the first months of 2022, […]
June 27, 2022
Ford Pro, the commercial vehicle division of the American manufacturer, presented the Ford Pro Electric Supervan at the Festival of Speed in Goodwood, UK. Based on the E-Transit Custom, the boosted van can sprint from 0 to 100 km/hour in just two seconds. For Ford Performance, this particularly fast van is to showcase the potential […]
June 23, 2022
After a few striking teaser images, Peugeot has drawn the veil on the new 408, which is considerably larger than the 308 with which it shares its platform. Remarkably, Peugeot is planning two plug-in hybrid motorizations, with which the manufacturer is aiming at the business driver. The 408 is expected on the Belgian market in […]
June 22, 2022
D’Ieteren Automotive sees mobility from a broader perspective. In addition to the classic car distribution activities of the VW Group brands, it invests in sustainable mobility solutions such as sharing platforms (Poppy), bicycles (Lucien), charging infrastructure (EDI), and now energy supply with the acquisition of Go-Solar, a specialist in solar panels and home batteries. With […]
June 16, 2022
From 1 July, the emission measurement for diesel cars in the Belgian annual technical inspection will be changed. From then on, diesel cars will have to pass a new test procedure to map out the emission of particulate matter in the exhaust gases. The new system counts the particles that are present, making it possible […]
June 15, 2022
Schaeffler presented an innovative drive unit for electric vehicles at the Electric Vehicle Symposium in Oslo. Schaeffler says that the ‘four in one electric axle’ system is compact and up to 14% more economical than a “conventionally” built electric vehicle. Schaeffler is a major supplier of automotive components. The group with Scandinavian roots began with […]
June 14, 2022
As emissions from internal combustion engines (ICE) are reduced due to stricter standards and electrification, other sources of pollution such as brake and tire dust are taking the lead. For example, rubber tires emitting while wearing fine particles into the air are thousands of times more polluting than tailpipe emissions from (recent) cars. New research […]
June 13, 2022
At the 35th (EVS) Electric Vehicle Symposium in Oslo, German Vitesco Technologies, a spin-off from Continental, presented a new generation of electric motors. These no longer use a permanent magnet, but a second (controlled) electromagnetic field to bring the motor in motion. With this technology, far fewer rare earth metals are required for their manufacture. […]
June 09, 2022
Belgian bus manufacturer Van Hool has just launched a new model range of zero-emission public transport buses and coaches for local transport at the Paris European Mobility Expo. Bus manufacturer VanHool is a family business from Belgian Koningshooikt (near the city of Lier), 75 years old in 2022, and primarily builds vehicles for Europe and […]
June 08, 2022
Fiat has announced in a press release that a new Doblò will soon be available on the Belgian market. This third generation of the famous van will also be offered with an electric drivetrain. The renewal of the Doblò fits in the rationalization of the product range within the Stellantis group. Following Fiat’s integration into […]
June 02, 2022
Renault is extending its range of electrically powered vans with an EV version of the latest Kangoo, the Rapid E-Tech Electric. The arrival of an electric version of the newest generation Kangoo is a logical step. After all, the manufacturer also has a Master E-Tech Electric on offer in the larger van segment. This Kangoo […]
May 19, 2022
Mercedes is joining forces with Sila Nanotechnologies, who developed an innovative battery with a much higher density (+30 to 40%) than what we see today in lithium-ion EV batteries. The first of these would be for the future electric G-Class. Alternative to hydrogen Sila Nanotechnologies is a start-up from Silicon Valley in California that uses […]
May 19, 2022
In a press release, the American EV manufacturer announced that also in Belgium, certain Tesla superchargers would be made available to electric vehicles of other brands. This means that 141 additional fast-charging points will now be available in Belgium. Tesla drivers are not complaining Tesla announced last year that it would open up its charging […]
May 18, 2022
At the IAA 2021, Porsche lifted the curtain on the Mission R, the electric version of the Cayman. Today, the South German sports car manufacturer indicates which direction the electrically powered coupé will take, as Porsche shows the first prototype with stunning specifications. The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance is the base for this concept […]
May 17, 2022
After the ID.3, the ID.4, ID.5, and the ID. Buzz, it looks like the next in line of VW’s electric ID. products will be the compact ID.2. Earlier, VW already showed a concept version in the form of the ID. Life. So it looks like the production version of that ID. Life will not be […]
May 17, 2022
SOLiTHOR, a spin-off of the Leuven-based research company Imec, will develop and market solid-state batteries under the brand name SOLiTHOR. These batteries should also be usable in automotive applications within five to ten years because they are safer, weigh less, and, above all, are cheaper than the current generation of batteries. Ten years of research […]
May 12, 2022
Both the new and second-hand motorbike markets were hit like the car market. Last month, the number of new motorbike registrations fell by 20,3%, while the second-hand market did even worse with 24,2%. The figures come from the automotive federation Traxio. The declining new motorbike market is partly due to delayed deliveries of ordered motorbikes. […]
May 12, 2022
Following the market launch (2019) of the LiveWire One, the first electric-powered Harley Davidson, today, the manufacturer announced that there will be a second model, the ‘S2 Del Mar’, which will be positioned below the LiveWire One. It is expected to hit the market in mid-2023 and will cost less than 15 000 euros. The […]
May 09, 2022
Taiwanese scooter manufacturer Kymco has plans to bring its range of electric scooters to Europe. The two-wheelers will be sold through the ionex brand and use battery swap. The arrival of an electric scooter of Kymco origin is not big news, as the manufacturer is already present in our market. However, the appearance of an […]
May 09, 2022
Next month, BMW will launch the i3, but only on the Chinese market. It’s an extended version of the 3-Series marketed in Europe. This i3 eDrive35L will also be built locally at the Chinese BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. and will be offered with a 100% electric drive. For the time being, there are no plans […]
May 06, 2022
The annual report of Car Pass, the organization that has been charting odometer fraud for 15 years, reveals that in the past year 1 578 cases of odometer fraud were detected in Belgium. The biggest problem is still with vehicles that come from abroad, there is even a 2% increase in the number of fraud […]
April 29, 2022
Wiesmann is a small and eccentric German manufacturer that builds refined and British-looking roadsters and relies on proven BMW engines for its drive. However, the manufacturer is switching to an electric Thunderball model that combines classic looks with a super-modern electric drive. The German manufacturer disappeared from the market for a while but seemed to […]
April 29, 2022
On the eve of the sixth E-Prix in Monaco, which will take place next weekend, the third generation of Formula E cars has just been presented. These new racing cars will be seen on the inner-city streets of major cities from 2023 onward. The vehicles will be faster, lighter, and more efficient. The future of […]
April 21, 2022
After Toyota showed several electric models in recent months, it is up to Lexus now, its luxury subsidiary, to unveil the first EV of its future lineup developed from the start as a 100% electric-powered model. This RZ is an SUV model based on the e-TNGA platform it shares with the Toyota bZ4X and Subaru […]
April 20, 2022
Belgian logistics player BD Logistics has asked Antwerp University to develop a tool to calculate the CO2 emissions of its urban delivery activities using a standardized calculation method. The calculation tool perfectly estimates the carbon impact of a specific delivery or shipment. This technology would also allow consumers to compare different players or means of […]
April 14, 2022
Like many manufacturers, Porsche is working on a bidirectional V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) charging system. This means the vehicle can store electricity in its battery, but it can also feed power back into the grid at peak times to balance the grid. The question is whether this system offers a structural solution, or is it just a […]
April 13, 2022
Porsche is sticking to its ‘Road-to-X’ strategy, whereby the manufacturer believes that by 2025 half of all new Porsches will be electric, and by 2030 that figure will be 80%. As more electric vehicles leave the showroom, the need to prepare the workshops for these vehicles also increases. Contrary to what is often claimed, an […]
April 12, 2022
At its first ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) Conference, Mercedes presented an ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions by more than half, Well to Wheel (WTW), being thus over the entire life cycle of each car, by the end of this decade. In addition, 70% of the energy used must be renewable. There needs to […]
April 11, 2022
At Ford’s Otosan production site in Turkey, production of the 100% electrically powered Transit will get started. Ford has big plans to electrify its commercial vehicle fleets, and the market is also responding positively, with 5 000 orders already in the Ford Pro order book. Ford is running a broad pilot project with pre-production models […]
April 06, 2022
Mercedes announced today that it has reached the milestone of 25 000 pure electric vans. It’s an important goal for the German manufacturer because it is determined to become a leading manufacturer in the field of fully electrically powered vans. “At the end of 2021, we were the market leader in the midsize and large […]
March 30, 2022
The EV9 on display today previews the next EV from Kia and shows the design language of future Kia models. The EV9 is expected in dealerships as early as 2023 and will be positioned above the existing EV6. What stands out is a very angular design with a massive, straight front, a fairly upright windshield […]
March 24, 2022
Mini is now developing its fifth generation and, just like the current generation, it will have an electric version. The emphasis seems to be on this zero-emission version, as the manufacturer is already running the arctic winter tests with the new e-Mini in Arjeplog, Sweden. Mini also promises to present a concept study of a […]
March 16, 2022
Mercedes has opened its order book for the EQE, the electric equivalent of the E-Class that rests on the new EVA platform that it shares with the larger EQS. The EQE 350+ can be bought on the German market from €70 626 and should be at the dealerships by the end of April. At the […]
March 14, 2022
ElectricBrands AG, the German manufacturer of a kind of modular EV minibus called XBUS, is a new player entering the Belgian market in 2023. The compact and electrically powered four-wheeler is available as a passenger car, van, camping car, and is affordable at a starting price of €17 672. Importer for the Benelux is Dutch […]
March 10, 2022
Michael Fux has just received his Hispano Suiza Carmen Boulogne. This is the first example to go to the US. The manufacturer came to life again in 2019, when it showed a prototype of the Carmen at the Geneva Motor Show. Now, the first car, a special version of the Carmen, has been delivered. The […]
March 09, 2022
This autumn, Renault will launch the Austral. This SUV will hit showrooms in autumn by sharing styling elements with the recently launched Mégane E-TECH. In addition, it will be launched with three different hybrid powertrains. This successor to the Kadjar, like its predecessor, shares its platform with the Nissan Qashqai. It should be noted, however, […]
March 07, 2022
Volvo is today showcasing a wireless charging solution for its electrically powered vehicles. In addition, a small fleet of Volvo XC40 electric taxis will use a wireless charging solution using induction technology in their car parks in Gothenburg, Sweden. To be clear, Volvo will not be offering a wireless charging solution for production models tomorrow […]
