December 01, 2021
Stellantis, the mother company of the former FCA and PSA groups, is deepening its battery relationship with Mercedes. Both car manufacturers are taking an equity stake in Factorial Energy, an American start-up focused on the R&D of solid-state batteries. Previously the French company took Mercedes on board the Automotive Cells Company (ACC) for the development […]
November 30, 2021
There’s no Tesla without constant enigma. Another big question mark has arisen, now that Elon Musk officially declined 1 billion euros of subsidies from the German state for constructing the planned Gigafactory for battery production near Berlin. Though the European Commission and the German parliament had approved of the support, Tesla’s boss pulled the trigger […]
November 25, 2021
Kia has unveiled the second iteration of the Niro on Thursday in its hometown Seoul on the first day of the biannual Mobility Show. The new model takes on some bold design clues of the Habaniro concept as a statement for Kia’s more sustainable product development. The commercial debut for the new Niro is planned […]
November 25, 2021
Chinese car brand Xpeng has unveiled its fourth model. The G9 is an all-electric high-end luxury SUV, sitting on top of its portfolio that can charge at 480 kW. The car will, of course, be available for the domestic market, but it’s the first time that the manufacturer has developed a vehicle specifically for export. […]
November 24, 2021
Shortly after Volvo announced halting its production for two days, Audi Brussels was also forced to close the gates. However, the reasons are quite different. The Ghent plant stalled because of a shortage of battery modules. In Brussels, an outbreak of the coronavirus among the workforce is causing draconical measures. ‘The sanitary condition of our […]
November 19, 2021
The chip crisis isn’t going anywhere soon, and it shows in the latest registration figures. In Belgium, 25 045 cars were registered for October, 35,3 percent less than last year’s comparable month. According to the European manufacturers association ACEA, October was the worst month in European car sales since recording sales figures. Overall the year […]
November 18, 2021
At the Automobility motor show in Los Angeles sister companies Kia and Hyundai each unveiled their vision of a future large all-electric SUV. The Kia EV9 (see picture below) and the Hyundai Seven are separate concepts, but they build very strongly on the same technology and ideas. Coach doors and a long wheelbase put a […]
November 16, 2021
The latest battery cell from Northvolt answers to one of the most important criticisms against battery production: the unethical and ecologically questionable mining process. The Swedish battery manufacturer has successfully produced its first lithium-ion battery cell made entirely from precious recycled metals. The nickel, cobalt, and manganese used in this cell came from the waste […]
November 12, 2021
This is the Solterra, Subaru’s first battery-electric vehicle that marks the start of goodbye to the brand’s famed boxer engines. If you experience a deja vu from the picture, that’s because the car is almost a mirror model of the recently unveiled Toyota bZ4x. Subaru, which is partly owned by Toyota, worked together with its […]
November 10, 2021
EDUCAM, a sectorial organization for the training of the workforce in the automotive branch, had yesterday opened its first training facility for future garages repairing hydrogen cars. The center, located in Lokeren, wants to prepare professionals for this new challenge that it believes will arrive alongside the massive switch to battery-electric cars. Highly explosive The […]
November 09, 2021
Together with its sub-brand Smart, Mercedes is the first automotive manufacturer that turns its cars into credit cards. It is the next step in facilitating digital payments related to mobility for their car owners or users. The innovation comes from Daimler Mobility, which has teamed up with American credit card company Visa to enable so-called […]
November 05, 2021
“Today is the right time for a revolution at Volkswagen” were the words of CEO Herbert Diess in a speech on Thursday to the workforce at Wolfsburg, the heart of the company. His words hit the crowd like a wall, as he continued with a warning: “A never seen before competition awaits you.” The German […]
November 04, 2021
More details have emerged on Mini’s plans to become a fully electric brand by 2030. As of next year, BMW’s sub-company will launch a new generation of an all-electric platform, and in the year 2025, its showrooms will see the last model equipped with a combustion engine. The target is that by 2027 half of […]
October 29, 2021
Toyota has unveiled the production version of the bZ4x, its first serious attempt at a BEV car for a broad public. And it’s more than the kickstart of an all-electric product offensive because, in one breath, the Japanese carmaker launches an entirely new sub-brand, called bZ or ‘Beyond Zero’. From the start, the new bZ4x, […]
October 27, 2021
One wheel that does it all. Hyundai’s component division Mobis has unveiled the ‘e-Corner Module’, a wheel that doesn’t only steer but has incorporated suspension, braking, and driving systems. And above all, it can turn 90 degrees making it possible for vehicles to move ‘like a crab’, meaning they can drive sideways. Ever imagined an […]
October 27, 2021
Stellantis has announced that it will transform some of its French plants to make the electric shift. The group says that “it anticipates the effects of the energy transition by assigning new activities to sites that were until now mostly dependent on the combustion engine.” The sites involved are Trémery-Metz (a site for combustion engines), […]
October 22, 2021
As announced earlier this week that Energica would end its contract as the exclusive manufacturer for the MotoE, the all-electric racing class of the MotoGP World Championship, speculation began about who would fill the gap. Mystery solved. As of 2023, Ducati will step in and provide the zero-emission racing bikes for the championship. The deal […]
October 22, 2021
Tesla beat analysts’ expectations with its Q3 results. The net income of the American electric car company rose to $1,62 billion (€1,39 billion), which is almost five times higher than the earnings in the same period last year ($331 million or €284 million, + 389 percent). The results were announced on Wednesday after the stock […]
October 20, 2021
Announced simultaneously, both Stellantis and Toyota have unveiled their plans to build a battery plant in the United States. Separately, that is. Both facilities will be producing cells and batteries from the lithium-ion family. Stellantis is teaming up with Korean manufacturer LG Energy Solutions, formerly LG Chem, while Toyota will be co-building with its metals […]
October 20, 2021
Opel escapes legal prosecution in Germany for an earlier investigation regarding manipulating some of its diesel engines. The company has coughed up a fine of 64,8 million euros to settle the case. However, a spokesman underlined that this doesn’t imply a notion of guilt. The carmaker maintains its official position and states that all the […]
October 18, 2021
Leasys, a car rental and mobility branch within the Stellantis Group, has unveiled details about its electrification strategy for the near future. The starting point for the company is to turn their short-term rental fleet electric while pushing zero-emission mobility across its services along the line. The electrification will be a step-by-step process, financed by […]
October 06, 2021
“Drive on sunshine.” That’s the punchline introducing the PHEV version of the new Grand Cherokee. Electrification is a first for the model. However, the move toward such a driveline is nothing more than an obligation for the American off-road brand if it wants to continue to market cars in Europe, where emission rules are amongst […]
October 06, 2021
According to Reuters news agency, Norway is installing a new cabinet, which most likely will affect the way EVs are taxed in the country. A center-left wing is set to take office in Oslo, under the supervision of Jonas Gahr Støre. His party favors a 25% added value tax for EVs for the part of […]
September 20, 2021
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US’s official measurement and verification body for consumption figures of cars, has a new winner. According to the agency, the Lucid Air can cover a distance of 520 miles – or roughly 837 kilometers – in its Range version on a single charge, sitting on the standard 19-inch wheels. […]
September 20, 2021
Ford has started pre-production of its first all-electric pickup, the F-150 Lightning. It is assembled in its specially erected Rouge Electric Vehicle Center, which Ford only started building one year ago in Michigan. The model should hit the market in spring 2022. Due to soaring demand, Ford will make an additional 250 million dollar investment […]
September 17, 2021
Of course, it’s no surprise that the upcoming 5 Series will get an all-electric version when BMW unveils the next generation in 2023. BMW already revealed plans about an i5 last time the IAA was held in Frankfurt. In the wake of the new IAA, in BMW’s hometown of Münich, the German news site Focus […]
September 15, 2021
Demand for electric Volvo’s is going strong. To meet that growing demand Volvo Cars Ghent is scouting for an extra workforce of 500 people More specifically, the factory is looking for operators and troubleshooting technicians who can fix the tooling. “These profiles are in very high demand in the sector”, says Barbara Blomme, pr for […]
September 15, 2021
The booming market for second-hand cars in Belgium demands new measurements. According to the Secretary of State for Consumer Protection, Eva De Bleeker (Open VLD), an upgraded version of the famous Car-Pass is needed. She announced her plans on Tuesday at the Eurostar 2000 used car garage in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw. “We want to make the Car-Pass […]
September 08, 2021
At the IAA in Münich, BMW doesn’t fail to meet the middle name ‘Mobility’ that the show carries. The German car brand and its motorbike department Motorrad both showed their take on the future for two-wheelers. And that’s apart from the Concept CE2 that toes the line between a scooter and a motorbike. So yes, […]
September 08, 2021
The chances are that cargo bikes will become a much more common sight in Brussels and its surroundings. This is because the region of Brussels has launched the Cairgo Bike fee. Companies that chose a cargo bike, or a bike trailer, can benefit from a fee of several thousands of euros. For cargo bikes, the […]
September 01, 2021
It was already announced that the British sports car manufacturer Lotus was moving its all-in focus to electric, but now more detailed plans have been released. A pervasive transformation is taking place. Lotus is going global and is preparing the products and infrastructure to make it happen. First, the product strategy. Under the Vision80-plan (Lotus’ […]
September 01, 2021
At Eurobike in Friedrichshafen, which is opening doors today, Schaeffler will be presenting a new ‘bike-by-wire’ system called Free Drive. It’s an innovative drive system for e-bikes that dispenses with the usual chain or belt. There’s no mechanical connection between the generator and motor anymore. The new technology offers less wear, has compact dimensions, and […]
August 30, 2021
At the motor show in Münich, Renault’s mobility arm, Mobilize, will reveal its first product. It’s called the Limo, and it’s an all-electric, D-segment-sized sedan that will be made exclusively available through subscription. But whereas similar formulas, like Lynk&Co, aim at private customers, the Mobilize Limo should be regarded as a response to the ride-hailing […]
August 26, 2021
No, it’s not a fata morgana. The organization behind the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS), one of the oldest events in its genre worldwide, has agreed with Qatar Tourism to hold a similar motor show every two years in Doha. On Wednesday, both partners held a press conference at the capital of the Arabian peninsula, […]
August 25, 2021
New details have emerged on Russia’s ambitions regarding their adoption of a marketplace for EVs. Targets have been set about the development of production, the creation of infrastructure, and the built-up of competence. Also, an experiment is starting with free passage for electric cars on toll roads. As we reported before, electric vehicles are a […]
August 25, 2021
Several customers in Europe took delivery of their Model Y on Tuesday. In Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, but also in Belgium, an excited Gunther Depooter was handed over his car. “It’s perfect. Much roomier than a Model 3, and it looks really great,” he added. Deliveries for Europe have now officially started, one month later […]
August 19, 2021
On Wednesday, the Volvo Group was handed over its first carbon-free steel. The supplier is Swedish steel company SSAB Öxelund who uses Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology (HYBRIT) to replace coal and coke during production. SSAB’s goal is to decarbonize the steel industry and to commercialize green steel. They plan to have all their traditional furnaces […]
August 18, 2021
BYD has started sales of its new compact city car, the Dolphin, in its homeland China. Though the car itself has been unveiled before, the commercial launch gives more insight into its technical details. And we mustn’t be mistaken; it’s cheap but high-tech. Underneath that small bodywork and the hugely affordable price tag resides technology […]
August 13, 2021
Bosch, the world’s largest automotive supplier, announced that it wants to be a top tier in delivering industrial equipment for battery production. The company aims to more than double its sales in this field by 2025, good for a revenue of 250 million euros. Next, it invests 70 million euros in its facility in Eisenach […]
August 12, 2021
Mercedes is adding a new feature to its extensive list of Car-to-X-warnings. While its drivers are already alarmed when there’s a broken-down vehicle, a skiddy section, accidents, or heavy weather conditions along the route, the newest functions include potholes and crosswinds. The chassis control can pick up these potentially dangerous road events on the latest […]
August 12, 2021
Monterey Car Week is waking up the automotive industry during lazy summertime. On Wednesday, Audi opened up eyes around the globe with its grand tourer Skysphere; today, Pininfarina takes over with some nice shots of their Battista hypercar trashing along some coastal routes of California heading toward the stage of Monterey Car Week. Apart from […]
August 11, 2021
Audi is bringing somewhat of a peculiarity to Monterey car week. Their concept car Skysphere, a modern interpretation of the swooping grand tourer lines of the old but infamed Horch 853, is several cars in one. Take that literally. Actuated by electric motors and a telescopic nose structure, this sports car can actually be redimensioned. […]
August 11, 2021
One year after the official launch, BMW will be unveiling a new and upgraded version of the all-electric iX3 at the IAA Mobility in Münich next month. This must be one of the fastest facelifts in automotive history. It seems like a sign as if something was wrong with the original model produced by BMW […]
August 06, 2021
Sources quoted by the Reuters news agency said Russia intends to implement a subsidy program for electric cars as soon as next year. EV customers would be refunded 25% of the purchase price with a ceiling of 7 210 euros (or 625 000 roubles), but only if the car is produced in Russia. With the […]
August 05, 2021
Recycled materials, faux-suède, solar panels on the roof… The Fisker Ocean is an electric SUV that likes to show its ecological devotion in every detail. No surprise then that the company based in Los Angeles also had some demands for the specific tires it wanted to use. Fisker has found such a sustainable partner in […]
August 04, 2021
The US-European marriage between PSA and FCA seems to be a fruitful one. Posting the company results of Stellantis on Tuesday, chief executive Carlos Tavares announced a big net profit for the first half of the year, despite the concerns of chip shortage and the worldwide pandemic. With that blooming outlook, it was announced that […]
July 30, 2021
Audi is expanding the range of the Q4 e-tron with two interesting versions. The 40 e-tron, which has the longest range in the series, and the 45 quattro, which adds the advantage of a more affordable all-wheel drive. In Belgium, both versions can be ordered in the two available body types: a classical SUV and […]
July 16, 2021
To study the advantages of the technology, BMW has launched a pilot project on bidirectional charging, also called V2G or Vehicle-to-Grid technology. ‘Change direction’ says the writing on the bodywork of the here pictured BMW i3, the compact electric car from Münich of which its maker proclaimed that they “will continue to build it as […]
July 14, 2021
Two plug-in hybrid versions are driving the launch of Opel’s Astra. A field player in the popular compact class, which is one of Europe’s best-selling segments. In its sixth generation, the Astra adopts the EMP2 underpinnings from its sister models in the Stellantis group, the Peugeot 308 and the DS4. Specific details on an all-electric […]
July 09, 2021
Together with parent company Geely Holding, Volvo Cars has now officially created its joint venture for future powertrain operations, as was announced earlier. The new company is called Aurobay and aims to be a global supplier of complete powertrains, including next-generation internal combustion engines, transmissions, and hybrid solutions. Volvo Cars, which will focus exclusively on […]
July 07, 2021
Renault has released more details about its hydrogen collaboration with Plug Power, baptized HYVIA. Already by the end of this year, the joint venture, which serves as an appendix to Renault’s electric branch, will be offering three vans in different sizes, equipped with a zero-emission fuel cell. The biggest van Renault offers is the Master […]
July 02, 2021
The agency model for sales of electric cars is becoming a rising star. Audi has confirmed that it will follow to adopt the model for its e-trons as of 2023, following in the footsteps of sister company Volkswagen that already went through this struggle with its dealers for the cars in its ID range. The […]
June 30, 2021
The increasing demand for SUVs and the rebound of gasoline engines pushed CO2 emissions of new cars upward only three years ago. But that tide is changing. Research by the European Environmental Agency (EEA), the European watchdog for environmental affairs, concludes that CO2 emissions of new passenger cars have been pushed back by 12% in […]
June 25, 2021
The digital revolution in the automotive business is also showing side-effects at the world’s largest supplier for the industry: Robert Bosch Gmbh. The German company announced a major management shake-up at the top and is parting with several key figures. Among them is Dr. Volkmar Denner (64), CEO. The contract of Denner has been terminated […]
June 23, 2021
The electric fever keeps rising at a steep curve. CEO of Daimler, Ola Källenius, is pressing his board room. According to several sources, he wants to make a stronger mark on the transition toward an electric fleet. Previous plans for turning the company all-electric by 2039 need to be outpaced, presumably by five to six […]
June 11, 2021
Is range anxiety a myth? It seems so, according to a new survey conducted by Nissan. EV-drivers tend to drive even more kilometers a year than drivers with an ICE car. The Japanese carmaker interviewed more than 7 000 European EV drivers from the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, […]
June 11, 2021
It has bolder looks, is partly electric, and with the designation, ‘new’ Volkswagen means its Multivan is radically new. The people’s van no longer sits on the underpinnings of the utilitarian Transporter, which will in the future be based on the Ford Transit. Still, it uses an extended version of the mechanical architecture of the […]
June 09, 2021
“As of June 3, 2021, Jerome Guillen, President, Tesla Heavy Trucking, of Tesla, Inc. (“Tesla”), departed Tesla. We thank him for his many contributions and wish him well in his future career.” Nope, that’s not a tweet by Elon Musk. Instead, via a filing for the American Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Tesla announced officially […]
June 04, 2021
“At ABB, we want to lead by example across our own operations”, announced Theodor Swedjemark, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer of the Swedish-Swiss power and automation technology group. He’s hereby referring to their commitment to electrify their entire car fleet, of more than 10,000 vehicles, by 2030. That ambition might be in line with expectations, […]
June 04, 2021
The transportation and logistics sector is moving towards a zero-emission scenario just as rapidly as the car sector. But since fuel cost has a severe impact on their business models, the switch is much more significant. The willingness from the sector is already in place. According to a survey conducted by the bank ING (jointly […]
