August 13, 2025
The world’s largest battery maker, CATL, has launched CTP-battery repairs in China through its Ning Service independent aftermarket brand, costing only a fraction – typically 10 to 20% – of a complete battery pack replacement. Affordable battery repair can be a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) game-changer for electric cars, reducing depreciation, preventing catastrophic repair […]
August 12, 2025
According to Chinese media, Renault is entering a new stage of collaboration with Geely by having its Shanghai R&D team look into using the Chinese carmaker’s new GEA platform to develop new EVs and PHEVs for ’emerging overseas markets’. That’s merely South Korea, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and North Africa. The news wasn’t officially confirmed […]
August 11, 2025
Zeekr’s 9X SUV, the Swedish-Chinese brand’s first plug-in after a series of fully electric cars, breaks cover as China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has published a new list of approved vehicles that will enter the Chinese market. And everything about this SUV is one size up: not only the dimensions, 5,239 mm […]
August 08, 2025
American carmaker Ford is building up suspense in anticipation of what its CEO, Jim Farley, called the company’s upcoming “Model T moment”, referring to August 11th when a new platform for affordable EVs is to be presented. Ahead of that event, Ford just opened a new EV design campus in the historic buildings of Douglas […]
August 07, 2025
According to specialized media like Autocar, quoting inside sources at Volkswagen, the German carmaker plans to kill off the Touareg in 2026 after 24 years heading its 4×4 model line with no direct replacement. Volkswagen is said to focus instead on high-volume models shortly. The ID.5, a sleeker, coupe‑style derivative of the popular ID.4, officially […]
August 07, 2025
Looking for a motorboat that no longer spews clouds of diesel fumes? If you have some $6,450 million (€552 million) to spare, ‘presumed owner’ Bill Gates is putting the ‘Breaktrough’, his 118-meter-long superyacht, up for sale. It’s brand-new and the world’s first ‘zero-emission’ one, utilizing green hydrogen. And apparently, Gates himself never stepped aboard, but […]
August 06, 2025
SAIC Motor is launching the newest version of the popular MG4 hatchback in China, starting at a stunt price of ¥73,800 or some €10,266. That’s nearly half the price – 47.21% lower – than that of the outgoing model, which cost ¥ 139,800 or €19,308. It fuels expectations for a more affordable European successor for […]
August 05, 2025
A joint study by public research university RWTH Aachen and The Mobility House Energy, a German technology company specializing in smart charging solutions and energy management for electric vehicles (EVs), confirms there is only a negligible impact of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) bidirectional charging on batteries. The researchers emphasize that there is still much discussion about the […]
August 04, 2025
From 8 to 12 October, BMW is showing ten of the most iconic M Art Cars from the BMW Art Car World Tour in Belgium, at the Zoute Grand Prix in Knokke-Heist. One of the most well-known of the collection is the M1 Andy Warhol painted in 1979 in only 28 minutes, splashing six kilograms […]
August 04, 2025
Last Friday, BMW Group officially started the series production of its sixth-generation (Gen6) electric motors at the Steyr plant in Austria. These will power the upcoming Neue Klasse models, including the next-generation iX3. Built on the new architecture, the iX3 50 xDrive is the inaugural model to utilize this platform, which is designed exclusively for electric […]
August 04, 2025
Mitsubishi Motors is resuming sales of new cars in Belgium through its Dutch subsidiary, starting in Q4 2025 after four years of inactivity in Europe. The latest offensive will begin with the world premiere in Brussels on September 17 of the fully electric Eclipse Cross, alongside a new Grandis SUV in Mild and Full Hybrid […]
July 31, 2025
The Leapmotor B10 is a compact C-segment electric SUV designed for global markets. Still, especially with the European market in mind, it is intended to offer a blend of performance, technology, and affordability. On Wednesday, ordering opened in most European countries where the Chinese brand is imported by Stellantis, at a starting price of just […]
July 31, 2025
The 15% US import tariff agreed by Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen will significantly impact the financial performance and strategic decisions of Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Porsche among German premium carmakers. These brands are operating with tighter margins and have begun raising prices in the US, typically by 2-3%, to pass on some of […]
July 30, 2025
BYD’s premium luxury brand Denza is prepping its European launch with Z9 GT sales starting in Q4 2025, followed by the hybrid version and D9 MPV in early 2026. It appears that the brand is preparing a four-seater convertible Z9 variant, as Chinese media have spotted it in Suzhou, a city with over 10 million […]
July 29, 2025
Samsung is positioning itself as a full-spectrum AI chip supplier, securing a €16.6 billion deal to manufacture Tesla’s next-generation AI6 chip at Samsung’s new Taylor, Texas, factory. Production is expected to begin in 2026, while the deal runs through the end of 2033. The AI6 chip is designed for use in Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) […]
July 29, 2025
CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co.), the world’s largest battery maker with roughly a 38% global market share in electric vehicle (EV) batteries, stands out on the water, powering China’s largest fully electric tourist boat. The Yujian 77, China’s first fully electric offshore tourist vessel for 358 passengers, is powered by CATL’s marine-grade batteries with a total […]
July 28, 2025
Leapmotor, distributed in Europe by Stellantis, has launched its B01 electric sedan in China, priced from 89,800 yuan (approximately € 10,685) to 119,800 yuan (approximately €14,255) for the top-trim version, offering a 650 km range and LiDAR-based ADAS. In Europe, Stellantis is selling the A-segment T03 electric city car (~€18,600) and a mid-size SUV C10, […]
July 25, 2025
According to Chinese media, battery maker Svolt Energy has started the first trial production of semi-solid-state batteries that will supply BMW Mini’s next-generation models. These are expected to be delivered ‘en masse’ to begin around 2027. BMW added Svolt in mid‑2023, as its third major Chinese battery supplier, alongside CATL and Eve Energy. These newly […]
July 25, 2025
SAIC Motor, the parent company of the MG brand, has officially posted the first pictures of the all-new MG4’s interior on Weibo, China’s microblogging platform, often described as a combined alternative to Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. Gone are most physical buttons below the screen for key controls from the outgoing generation, with just five core […]
July 24, 2025
More bad news for Tesla, as expected. The Californian carmaker posted net earnings of $1.17 billion in the latest quarter, a 16% decrease compared with the same period last year. Revenue fell 12% to $22.5 billion, slightly below analysts’ expectations of about $22.7 billion. On top of sputtering sales comes a significant drop in regulatory […]
July 24, 2025
Green hydrogen ‘distilled’ directly from the air without any emissions, using free solar energy, anywhere in the world, even at the most remote places: it looks genius. And it’s there. Belgian startup Solhyd has outgrown the lab and presented its SM500 module, which can help ramp up to megawatt-scale production. It’s ready for the big […]
July 23, 2025
BYD’s Senior Vice President, Stella Li, who leads the European business for the Chinese automaker, has confirmed to British magazine Autocar that the luxury sub-brand Yangwang is set to launch in Europe. The official launch is planned for 2026, following the introduction of Denza, and will be supported by European production facilities and expanded dealership […]
July 23, 2025
Kia has announced a price for its EV4, its mainstream C-segment EV sedan/hatchback, bridging the gap between mass-market value models (like the upcoming EV2) and higher-tier EVs, such as the EV6 and EV9. Ordering opens today, with the first deliveries scheduled for October. The EV4 hatchback, specifically designed for the European market, is available in […]
July 18, 2025
In China, the first official pictures have emerged of Smart’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV), a version of its latest and largest model, the #5 SUV—a significant shift for a brand that was initially committed to being BEV-only. The Smart #5 EHD (Electric Hybrid Drive) was confirmed by Smart on Thursday, for the Chinese market only, […]
July 17, 2025
The dream of driving a vehicle on clean and ‘affordable’ hydrogen is further sputtering as Stellantis Group announced it will stop development of its light commercial hydrogen vehicles. The series production of a new range of hydrogen–powered vans, which was due to start this summer in Hordain (France) and Gliwice (Poland), has been cancelled. The […]
July 16, 2025
Toyota Motor Europe (TME) says it saw record first-half-year sales in Europe of 635,328 vehicles, of which 491,197 were ‘electrified’. According to TME, “A key factor was continued solid demand for Toyota and Lexus electrified vehicles, which expanded by +6% year-on-year and now represent 77% of TME’s total sales mix.” However, ‘electrified’ in Toyota’s words […]
July 15, 2025
According to Chinese media, BMW has signed a deal with leading Chinese autonomous-driving technology company Momenta for its Neue Klasse smart driving systems (ADAS). Momenta will provide localized L2/L3 smart driving software, including city and highway navigation systems trained on Chinese roads with specific infrastructure. It’s not uncommon for a Western carmaker to work with a […]
July 14, 2025
Xpeng, distributed in most EU countries by Hedin Mobility Group, is opening the order books of the new G6 and G9 in Europe from this week on. The G6 Long Range is available from €46,990 in Belgium and €45,990 in Luxembourg, the G9 Long Range retails from €63,990 and €61,990. The G6 and G9 Standard […]
July 11, 2025
Kia Belux has released specs and put a price on the electric Passenger version of its new PV5, part of the Purpose‑Built Vehicle (PBV) lineup built on the E-GMP.S platform. The PV5 Passenger is offered in a single L2/H1 configuration, with a choice of two Kia’s first electric van, and its first commercial vehicle in any […]
July 11, 2025
As the guardian of the iconic British brand name MG, the now Chinese brand from SAIC Motors is trying to steal the show at the Goodwood Festival of Speed these days with a bunch of new models and concepts. Next to a Cyberster Black version of its ‘hot’ EV roadster and a concept of a […]
July 10, 2025
Chinese top EV maker BYD has announced that its cars, equipped with God’s Eye ADAS systems, will be able to park themselves completely autonomously without the need for a driver. BYD is so confident that it says it will pay for any damages the car may cause, including hitting other vehicles. On the Chinese Weibo […]
July 10, 2025
Who’s talking about ‘range anxiety’ when driving an American Lucid Air? The latter just set a new Guinness World Record by driving an Air Grand Touring EV through the Alps from St. Moritz, Switzerland, to Munich, Germany, without a single charging stop. The trip included a mix of alpine passes, highways, and secondary roads. Lucid, […]
July 09, 2025
German truck maker Daimler Trucks, one of the leading companies globally in the sector, has announced that it will cut 5,000 jobs in its homeland, Germany, by 2030 to become more market resilient and improve its profitability. In Germany, the company employs around 35,500 employees, of whom around 28,000 in its Stuttgart hub. Sluggish economic […]
July 08, 2025
Stellantis is launching the new Jeep Compass 4xe, in Europe, a successor to the current PHEV, which promises enhanced off-road capability. That includes a 195 hp engine, a 10 mm raised suspension, a dedicated off-road driving mode, dual off-road bumpers, an anti-scratch Bumper Shield, a matte anti-glare hood sticker, a rear tow hook, and 19-inch […]
July 08, 2025
According to a new study by the clean transport and energy lobbying group Transport & Environment (T&E), the European car industry, which is responsible for €330 billion of the EU’s GDP and employs three million people directly or indirectly, faces an agonizing choice. It can boost and ramp up EV production with proper EU support, […]
July 07, 2025
The Flemish Government has presented a new climate plan for 2030, which is expected to appease the European Commission and avoid heavy fines. One of the most visible new measures is the intention to push down electricity prices by shifting 362 million euros in taxes to the natural gas invoice by 2028. Families heating with […]
July 03, 2025
The American research organization BloombergNEF (BNEF), widely regarded as an authority in global analyses across various domains, including electric mobility and clean energy, expects EV sales to surge this year like never before, with a 25% increase to 22 million vehicles. Nearly two-thirds of those 22 million will be sold in China, 17% in Europe—a […]
July 02, 2025
Leasing company Ayvens, formerly LeasePlan/ALD Automotive, is one of the first major leasing companies to actively promote extending the typical EV leasing contract from four to six years. “The combination of technical reliability and limited maintenance costs makes an extension of leasing contracts extra interesting today – both for the environment and the wallet,” Ayvens says […]
July 01, 2025
Dutch navigation software specialist TomTom, which grew out of one of the world’s two pioneering digital mapping companies with a strong connection in Belgium, is forced to cut another 300 jobs from its 3,600 employees worldwide to “prepare for the future.” That future will be increasingly based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomous driving, as […]
June 27, 2025
It was announced as China’s latest Tesla Y-killer, and it lives up to the expectations, creating a virtual ‘stampede’ within minutes of its official launch on Thursday. Xiaomi claims to have received over 200,000 confirmed orders in three minutes for its newest YU7 electric SUV, a vehicle that resembles a Ferrari Purosangue and nearly outperforms […]
June 26, 2025
After some embarrassing failures in the past to do it alone, such as Volkswagen’s, eleven giants from the German automotive industry have realized they need to join forces in developing the software that will increasingly define the car of the future. Under the impetus of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), they signed […]
June 25, 2025
Firefly, Chinese premium EV maker NIO’s sub-brand, launches its own ‘BaaS’ offer in China, allowing customers to buy an EV and rent the battery instead of purchasing it. This ‘Battery-as-a-Service’, already offered by NIO and its other brand, Onvo, reduces the initial purchase price by more than 30%. The starting price of its – for […]
June 23, 2025
Chery Group—China’s largest vehicle exporter—announces a second model, alongside the Omoda 5 (ICE and EV), the flagship SUV, the Omoda 9 SHS. This one isn’t fully electric, but it is a plug-in hybrid with an electric range of 145 km, and it is offered for €52,900. The Omoda 9 is known in China as the […]
June 19, 2025
Having your car braking automatically in an emergency at 130 km per hour and coming to a complete standstill without hitting the obstacle. Some cars can do that today, and Xpeng shows how to do it with its newest G7 SUV equipped with a Turing AI chip, even at night. Xpeng shared a video on […]
June 18, 2025
A sulfide-based solid-state battery that promises a range of over 3,000 kilometers and can be charged in as little as five minutes? It’s hard to believe, given that we’ve been hearing for years that solid-state batteries are still a decade away, but when a giant like Huawei files a patent for it, there’s no smoke […]
June 17, 2025
Genesis, founded in 2015 as an independent luxury brand of South Korean Hyundai, was initially active only in its home country and the United States, later expanding to Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Germany. It is now focusing further on Europe, entering the markets of France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands with first deliveries expected […]
June 13, 2025
Chinese carmaker Xpeng has launched its G7 SUV in China, anticipating future models, including a sleeker, sportier successor to the original P7 flagship sedan, in Q3 2025. With 4,892 mm in length, 1,925 mm in width, and 1,655 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,890 mm, it sits neatly in between the G6 and G9 […]
June 13, 2025
Marelli, a major automotive supplier to Nissan, Stellantis, and other companies, has approximately 50,000 employees worldwide across 170 facilities. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US beginning this week. It says to be one of the first major victims of the tariff wars due to its import/export-focused business. Under Chapter 11, a […]
June 12, 2025
How do they do it? While one of the main complaints in Europe about electric cars is that it’s impossible to build a compact, fully electric vehicle that is affordable and profitable, the Chinese prove the opposite. Latest example: Chery’s QQ Domi compact city car was launched in China at a starting price of 59,900 […]
June 11, 2025
A new report commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW) clearly shows the cost advantage of a new electric moped or scooter over its sibling with an internal combustion engine (ICE). In the Netherlands, all new light mopeds sold have already had to be electric since this year. Users of an […]
June 10, 2025
It appears that BYD is bringing another heavy cannon to bear in the ongoing price war with the new, fully electric Seal 06 sedan, boasting a 470 km (CLTC) range, launched in its homeland at a starting price of 109,800 yuan, or approximately 13,400 euros. The differences include a few centimeters in length, reduced power, […]
May 26, 2025
Many people are still wondering why, for Christ’s sake, one should go electric instead of staying with the combustion engine (ICE) that has been finetuned to nearly perfection in the last 130 years. The reason is quite apparent: electric cars are superior in nearly every aspect. The Smart #5 Brabus we had the opportunity to […]
May 13, 2025
Chinese premier EV maker NIO has its flagship sedan, the ET9, certified for steer-by-wire (SWB), a first for Europe, after the regulator in its homeland did the same in December 2024. There is no longer a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the turning wheels. Still, NIO claims its system is fully redundant, making […]
May 09, 2025
With more drama than some critics feel is appropriate, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump announced a deal that brings the 27% tariff on British cars imported into the US virtually back to 10% like before and slashes the 25% tariff on steel. The price: 13.000 tons of tax-free US beef […]
May 08, 2025
It was initially intended to be an all-electric version only, but now the new Audi A6 e-tron has an e-hybrid quattro PHEV flavor, too. That one has a 2.0 TFSI engine and a beefed-up battery of 25.9 kWh (net 20.7 kWh), a gain of roughly 45 percent compared to its predecessor, to offer an electric […]
May 07, 2025
Italian sports carmaker Ferrari is in roaring good health. Net revenues in the first three months of 2025 topped 1.79 billion, up 13.0% versus the prior year, and total shipments of 3,593 cars were 33 more than in the same period last year. Ferrari will announce six new models, which include the newly launched 296 […]
May 06, 2025
KU Leuven Solar Team, the university student team that grabbed the world title twice in 2019 and 2023 in the toughest solar race on earth, the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia, has presented in Antwerp its trump card to prolong its title: the Infinite Apollo. The new weapons of the solar car are a […]
April 30, 2025
Belgian startup energy provider EnergyVision launches a new campaign to attract new clients by offering a free wallbox installation at home, worth 2,000 to 2,500 euros, for a minimal subscription price of €10 monthly. In addition, the energy company also launches a ‘happy hour’ at its public charging points on sunny days with overproduction, with […]
April 29, 2025
Flemish mobility organization VAB has again put 45 electric bicycles on the rack to nominate the ‘2025 eBike of the Year’. In this eleventh edition, a professional jury of mobility journalists and a family jury crowned four laureates in distinct categories. Winners are the Giant Expressio E+0 (€2,899) in the ‘Economy’ category with a price […]
April 25, 2025
In Shanghai, Chinese EV carmaker NIO has presented the flagship of its affordable sub-brand Onvo, the L90 large SUV. It’s pretty big, compared to its smaller sibling, the L60, with a length of 5,145 mm, a width of 1,998 mm, a height of 1,786 mm, and a wheelbase of 3,110 mm. Space and low price […]
