August figures show electric blitz: one in five new EU cars is an EV

September 26, 2025

European drivers are buying electric cars at record levels this year, even as the continent’s overall car market shows signs of stagnation. The latest figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) reveal battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) expanding their foothold across the region. Gasoline and diesel models face a steep decline. In August, registrations of BEVs […]

BYD Yangwang U8 driver performs flood stunt during Super Typhoon

September 25, 2025

The Yangwang U8 has been lavishly heralded for its outstanding off-roading capabilities, with its wading potential almost comparable to that of a sailing vessel. One customer thought the flooded streets during Super Typhoon Ragasa would prove an appropriate demonstration. However, he has now been accused of damaging stores and houses in the process. An adventurous […]

Spying while parked? Belgian minister slams Tesla

September 25, 2025

Tesla’s signature ‘Sentry Mode’, an anti-vandalism feature that activates exterior cameras when the car is parked, has come under scrutiny. Belgian lawmakers and regulators question whether the technology violates national privacy laws. Vanessa Matz, Belgium’s minister of digital affairs, told parliament this week that the system, which is designed to monitor the surroundings of a […]

Stellantis halts production at six European plants over weak demand

September 24, 2025

Stellantis is preparing to suspend operations across multiple European plants. Slow demand forces the automotive giant to curb output and recalibrate inventories. The company confirmed temporary shutdowns in France and Italy, while reports in the French business daily Les Échos indicate similar pauses in Spain, Germany, and Poland. At the Poissy plant, west of Paris, […]

Can this upgraded Volvo EX90 fix its damaged reputation?

September 24, 2025

Volvo Cars is pressing reset on its digital platform after a rocky start for its flagship battery-powered SUV EX90. The Swedish automaker has unveiled sweeping upgrades to the 2026 model year, including a jump to 800 V architecture. It also outlined plans to build extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) in the US, as it seeks to rebuild […]

China ramps up EV exports as sales surge in Europe

September 23, 2025

China is intensifying its efforts in the electric car market. The country has unveiled a new strategy that pairs ambitious domestic sales targets with a sharper focus on exports. The new ambitions coincide with a significant increase in sales from Chinese brands in Europe, where their sales have more than doubled in the past year. […]

Porsche in reverse: EV dream stalls, petrol roars back

September 23, 2025

Porsche is dramatically scaling back its push into electric cars, shelving key models and extending the life of gasoline and hybrid vehicles. The sudden reversal comes after a profit warning and has unsettled investors. One of Germany’s most celebrated luxury brands is in turmoil and intends to fight back by looking to its roots. The […]

MotoE to shut down after 2025: lack of fan traction

September 19, 2025

After seven years of racing, MotoE bows out of the MotoGP paddock. The FIM and commercial rights holder Dorna Sports have confirmed that the electric motorcycle series will be suspended following the 2025 season. The reason? Weak fan engagement and a lack of momentum in the performance e-motorcycle market. Launched in 2019 as part of […]

China prepares to outlaw retractable car door handles over safety fears

September 17, 2025

China is poised to ban retractable car door handles by 2027, following a series of fatal crashes that have exposed the dangers of a feature once hailed as a marker of futuristic design. Flush-mounted handles, popularized by Tesla and copied by numerous electric vehicle makers, are designed to sit flat against the car body until […]

Weak EV sales push Ford to slash 1,000 jobs in Cologne factory

September 17, 2025

Ford will cut up to 1,000 jobs at its electric vehicle plant in Cologne, Germany, as part of a restructuring effort aimed at adjusting production to sluggish demand for battery-powered cars in Europe. Operations will be reduced at the site from two daily shifts to a single one starting in January 2026. The Cologne facility, […]

Toyota’s boxy e-Palette EV hits the road

September 16, 2025

Have you seen this face before? Yes, you did. During the Tokyo Olympics, Toyota shuttled athletes with the futuristic, autonomously driving e-Palette, a shipment box on wheels. But the e-Palette didn’t get stuck in its ambassador role. It has now entered the Japanese commercial market not only in its purpose for transport but also as […]

VW pushes back production of electric Golf and T-Roc over budget strains

September 16, 2025

Volkswagen is delaying the rollout of two of its most critical future models, the all-electric Golf and T-Roc. The German carmaker is struggling with rising costs, plant disruptions, and strategic uncertainty regarding its long-term electrification plans. The battery-powered Golf, initially slated for 2028, won’t arrive before the decade’s end, according to sources familiar with Bloomberg. […]

Cybertruck’s flop mirrors Tesla’s declining US market grip

September 15, 2025

Tesla’s Cybertruck was meant to redefine the electric pickup market. Instead, it has become a cautionary tale for the EV maker, exposing the cracks in its once-dominant position. Just months after launching a cheaper rear-wheel-drive version (in April 2025), Tesla has quietly scrapped the model from the configurator, acknowledging what the market already knew: buyers […]

Hyundai to build first European Ioniq model in Türkiye

September 15, 2025

Türkiye is rapidly becoming a growing force in Europe’s fast-expanding EV market. Reportedly, Hyundai has also chosen the country to start assembling the Ioniq 3 as of 2026 in a bid to make the model more affordable due to lower wages and a beneficial trade deal between Türkiye and the EU.  The decision was revealed […]

Amazon’s Zoox launches first robotaxi service in Las Vegas

September 12, 2025

Amazon-backed Zoox officially launched its autonomous robotaxi service on the Las Vegas Strip this week, marking a new milestone in the ride-hailing industry. What makes this rollout different is that Zoox is the first company to provide fully driverless rides to the public in a purpose-built autonomous vehicle. For now, all rides are free and […]

Von der Leyen backs EU kei-car idea to fence off Chinese competition

September 12, 2025

Europe is warming up for the arrival of kei-cars, a symbol of affordable mobility in Asia. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has thrown her weight behind calls from Renault and Stellantis for a new generation of cheap, lightweight cars, pledging to work with manufacturers to make them a reality. But […]

Hongqi unveils Model Y rival and promises 15 new EU models by 2028

September 11, 2025

Chinese luxury carmaker Hongqi has announced that its latest electric SUV, the EHS5, will come to Europe as part of an ambitious plan to launch 15 new electric and hybrid models by 2028. The brand, known in China as the ‘Red Flag’, hopes the car will help it break into a crowded market dominated by […]

GAC officially enters Europe with Aion V

September 11, 2025

Chinese state-owned automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) has officially entered the European market with the launch of its first global model, the Aion V electric SUV. The debut took place at the IAA Mobility show in Munich, where the company presented five models. The Aion V had previously been unveiled at the Paris Motor Show […]

Driving the BYD Seal 6 DM-i Touring: the brand’s new bestseller?

September 10, 2025

BYD is reputed as an electric vehicle brand. However, in Belgium, its best-selling model features a plug-in hybrid driveline. After the Seal U DM-i, the Chinese carmaker is now doubling down with the Seal 6 DM-i, available as a sedan or an estate. Both come with some striking numbers, but is the ride just as […]

Polestar 5 finally breaks cover as brand’s flagship GT

September 09, 2025

After half a decade of anticipation, Polestar has unveiled its long-awaited flagship, the Polestar 5, at the IAA Mobility show in Munich. First previewed in 2020 as the Precept concept, the electric performance GT has now entered production form with power figures and technology that put it directly in contention with Porsche’s Taycan and BMW […]

Volkswagen showcases solid-state breakthrough with Ducati prototype

September 09, 2025

Volkswagen has offered a glimpse of what could be the next big leap in battery technology, unveiling a Ducati motorcycle powered by solid-state cells at the IAA Mobility show in Munich. The demonstration, featuring a modified MotoE racer, marked the first time QuantumScape’s lithium-metal batteries have been shown working in a real vehicle. The cells, […]

Tesla promises Musk $1 trillion payday — if he delivers

September 08, 2025

Tesla’s board is betting that no one but Elon Musk can transform the automaker into the world’s most valuable company. To keep him in place, it has proposed a record-breaking compensation package that could eventually hand Musk $1 trillion if he clears a daunting list of financial, operational, and strategic milestones. Yes, that’s one followed […]

Volkswagen pictures affordable EV future with trio of concepts

September 08, 2025

Volkswagen and its sister brands, Cupra and Škoda, have unveiled three interpretations of the previously announced ID.Polo, designed to move the group’s EV strategy into the mainstream. Shown on the eve of the IAA Mobility show, the Volkswagen ID. Cross, Cupra Rava,l and Škoda Epiq preview a family of affordable, small EVs that will enter […]

Dacia adds LPG Hybrid 4×4 to Duster and Bigster range

September 05, 2025

Dacia is pushing deeper into electrified drivetrains with the debut of its new Hybrid-G 150 4×4 system, an LPG-compatible, all-wheel-drive hybrid setup. It will be available on both the Duster and the Bigster by the end of the year. At the heart of the new system is a 1.2-liter three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine, producing 140 […]

Trump’s executive order cuts Japanese auto tariffs to 15%

September 05, 2025

President Donald Trump has eased trade tensions with Japan by reducing tariffs on imported vehicles to 15%, aligning them with the ceiling agreed upon with Europe. The decision ends weeks of uncertainty for Japanese automakers that depend heavily on the American market for sales. The executive order, signed on Thursday, lowers duties on Japanese cars […]

Volvo sets date for EX60 reveal, targets longest range yet

September 04, 2025

Volvo is preparing to launch what could become its most important EV yet. The EX60, a midsize electric SUV set to debut January 21st, 2026, in Stockholm, will deliver the most extended range of any Volvo to date and go head-to-head with the Tesla Model Y, Porsche Macan EV, and Mercedes-Benz GLC with EG Technology […]

Tesla pivots to AI and robots as EV sales tumble

September 04, 2025

Tesla has unveiled the fourth chapter of its much-hyped ‘Master Plan’, a manifesto that typically outlines a roadmap for the company’s future. However, for the first time, the plan no longer focuses solely on electric transport and clean energy. Actually, the document reads more like an essay on artificial intelligence, humanoid robots, and Elon Musk’s […]

Is Mercedes pulling the plug on EQE Sedan and SUV in 2026?

September 03, 2025

Weak demand and dwindling profits are reshaping Mercedes’ electric plans. According to the British website Autocar, this will lead to the discontinuation of the EQE sedan and its sibling, the EQE SUV, in 2026—a remarkable decision, as these models were only released in 2022. Instead of the planned facelift, they could be facing the axe. […]

Smart confirms Fortwo successor with all-electric #2 due in 2026

September 02, 2025

Smart will return to its roots with a new two-seat city car that revives the spirit of the Fortwo, the diminutive model that defined the brand for more than two decades. The company, now a 50/50 joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely, confirmed that the electric-only Smart #2 will debut in late 2026 as the […]

Leapmotor finally picks Spain over Poland for European production 

September 01, 2025

Chinese electric vehicle maker Leapmotor has selected Stellantis’ assembly plant in Zaragoza to establish its first European manufacturing base. While the car group’s Tychy plant had already produced some vehicles from Leapmotor, Poland has politically fallen out of favour and seems to have lost its assembly slot to Spain. The rumors were growing over Leapmotor’s […]

BYD rides sales surge but margins shrink in price war

September 01, 2025

BYD, the world’s biggest maker of electric vehicles, is selling record numbers of cars but has reported its first fall in profits in more than two years. The toll of a fierce price war in China’s car industry turns BYD’s strategy into a balancing act. The Shenzhen-based carmaker sold almost 2.2 million vehicles in the […]

Could Mazda’s radical six-stroke engine make EVs obsolete?

August 29, 2025

Mazda has once again turned to unconventional thinking in its pursuit of cleaner combustion. The Japanese automaker, which builds on a solid reputation of daring powertrain experiments, has filed a patent for a six-stroke internal combustion engine that doesn’t emit any local CO2. So no, it is not running on e-fuels. Ready for something completely […]

Lotus to cut 550 jobs as weak sales and tariffs bite

August 29, 2025

Lotus Cars’ reputation for navigating from one crisis period to another doesn’t seem to come to rest under Geely’s Chinese ownership. The company confirmed to the BBC that it will reduce its workforce at its headquarters in Hethel by more than 40%. The company cites that US tariffs, rising costs, and faltering demand are the […]

Stellantis puts Level 3 autonomous driving on ice

August 28, 2025

Stellantis has quietly shelved its first in-house Level 3 advanced driver-assistance program, called Auto Drive. Rising costs, technical hurdles and uncertain consumer appetite have urged the group to pause or abandon development, according to a report by Reuters. The Franco-Italian-American group, which owns Jeep, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroën, had trumpeted its “AutoDrive” programme earlier this […]

Volvo confirms XC70 plug-in hybrid SUV coming to Europe after China debut

August 28, 2025

Volvo Cars’ new XC70 plug-in hybrid SUV will not be limited to China after all. The automaker has confirmed that the long-range model, originally unveiled with a focus on the Chinese market, will also be offered in Europe, expanding its role within the brand’s global electrification strategy. The XC70 revives one of the most familiar […]

Suzuki starts global shipments of its first electric Indian-built eVitara

August 28, 2025

Suzuki Motor Corporation has begun shipping its first battery-electric vehicle, the eVitara, worldwide. The company hosted a dispatch ceremony at its Gujarat facility in India, where the compact SUV is produced. The event drew high-level participation, underscoring the importance of the launch for both Suzuki and India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister […]

BYD ships first Thai-made EVs to Europe in bid to dodge tariffs

August 27, 2025

China’s BYD has started exporting electric cars from its Thai factory to Europe. In anticipation of the start of its production site in Hungary, the Chinese EV maker uses this bypass to skip its 17.4% excess tariffs. As products imported from Thailand into the EU are exempt from import levies, the new route is expected […]

Mercedes-AMG GT XX ‘around the world in eight days’ smashing EV records

August 26, 2025

Mercedes-AMG has pushed the limits of zero-emission performance with its GT XX concept, the forerunner of the brand’s first purely electric sports car. The futuristic four-door saloon has effectively driven the circumference of the Earth, without ever leaving southern Italy. Over the course of just over a week, two prototypes of the GT XX circled […]

Hyundai & Kia unite with South-Korean battery makers to counter China

August 25, 2025

Hyundai and sister brand Kia have forged an unprecedented alliance with South Korea’s three largest battery producers in a bid to strengthen electric vehicle safety and restore the nation’s competitive edge against China’s growing dominance. At Hyundai’s Namyang R&D Center, both automakers signed a memorandum of understanding with LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK […]

Is Antwerp-based e-truckmaker Windrose facing bankruptcy? 

August 22, 2025

Windrose Technology, the Chinese electric truck developer headquartered in Antwerp, might face insolvency. One of its senior executives publicly accused the company of failing to pay employees, while staging misleading announcements. Windrose’s Director of Customer Success and Operations, Kyle Maki, wrote on LinkedIn that the company is now 90 days behind on payroll and has […]

Dark Knight meets electric drive: Mahindra BE 6 Batman Edition

August 22, 2025

Indian vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra is rolling out an electric SUV that looks more at home in Gotham City than on Mumbai’s streets. Meet the BE 6 Batman Edition, a limited-run vehicle developed in partnership with Warner Bros. As Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy inspires it, it is very cinematic indeed. And it saves […]

Elon Musk shelves his plans for an ‘America Party’

August 21, 2025

Elon Musk has quietly abandoned his brief attempt to carve out a new political movement in the US. According to the Wall Street Journal, he has shelved his plans for an “America Party”. However, it isn’t just Tesla’s struggle with falling sales, lawsuits, and deepening investor unease that has shaped its decision. The billionaire, who […]

VW sued over accidents related to touch-sensitive steering wheel controls

August 21, 2025

Volkswagen is facing a class-action lawsuit in the United States over one of its most derided designs: steering wheels fitted with capacitive touch buttons. Two American customers claim the controls are beyond irritating. They are straightforwardly dangerous.  The lawsuit accuses Volkswagen of knowingly selling cars with controls so sensitive that drivers could activate crucial functions […]

Tesla backtracks on turn signal stalk removal and retrofits it

August 20, 2025

Tesla is reversing one of its most controversial design decisions. Two years after stripping the Model 3 of its traditional steering column stalks in the Highland refresh, the automaker is now reintroducing the turn signal lever—at least in China. The decision is not about giving customers options, but instead admitting a design flaw due to […]

Tesla’s longer, six-seat Model Y L hits Chinese showrooms

August 19, 2025

Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L, its stretched six-seat variant of its best-selling crossover. The model is built exclusively for the Chinese market, where the carmaker works hard to reinvigorate demand. Chinese customers like being driven while sitting on the rear bench, and Tesla now wants to serve them that treat without too […]

Leapmotor races ahead of rivals with record sales and first profit

August 19, 2025

Leapmotor, a once-overlooked Chinese electric vehicle start-up part-owned by Stellantis, has surged to the front of China’s fiercely competitive EV race. The carmaker posted record sales, its first-ever profit, while its expansion into Europe is growing at a rapid pace. What explains its success? The outlook is positive. The Hangzhou-based company delivered more than 221,000 […]

From Belgian comics to cars: Geely debuts the Smurf micro-EV

August 18, 2025

Geely Group’s Livan Automotive has pulled the covers off its latest entry in China’s booming micro-EV segment. It bears a name that is all too familiar to the Belgian public: the Livan Smurf, named after the beloved comic characters from Peyo, is a compact, four-seat hatchback priced to compete directly with bestsellers like the Wuling […]

Chevrolet’s Corvette of the future: loud looks, quiet sound

August 18, 2025

For seven decades, the Chevrolet Corvette has been defined by one thing above all: a thundering V8 soundtrack. But if the brand’s latest pair of concept cars is any indication, the future of America’s most famous sports car may kill that. Though not entirely. Unveiled at The Quail, a motorsports gathering during Monterey Car Week, […]

BNP Paribas in advanced talks to acquire Mercedes-Benz leasing arm Athlon

August 14, 2025

According to Bloomberg, BNP Paribas is in late-stage negotiations with Mercedes over the acquisition of its European leasing subsidiary Athlon. The deal would further consolidate the fleet management landscape after ALD Automotive and LeasePlan merged to Ayvens.  Earlier this year, news broke that Mercedes was scouting for a possible buyer for its leasing arm, Athlon, […]

Polestar 3’s Guinness World Record: 935 kilometers on a single charge

August 14, 2025

Polestar has etched its name into the record books, with a standard version of the 3 covering 935.44 kilometers on a single charge, claiming the Guinness World Record for the longest distance driven by an electric SUV without recharging. Sedans like the Lucid Air or the Mercedes EQS covered even more distance in the past. […]

Are EV totems the future of charging – or just a taller way to sell ads?

August 13, 2025

A new kind of charging station is cropping up in the US — and you can’t miss it. Quite literally. Dubbed ‘EV totems’, these tall poles pair electric vehicle chargers with high-definition advertising screens mounted several meters above the ground. The idea is part infrastructure upgrade, part digital billboard. Blink, the American firm rolling out […]

Toyota to withdraw Prius from Dutch market after nearly three decades

August 12, 2025

After 28 years, the curtain is coming down in the Netherlands on one of the world’s most iconic hybrids: the Toyota Prius. From September, the model will be removed from the line-up. Outside the Netherlands, the Prius will remain in production and on sale. The decision draws particular attention as the current generation of the […]

Lithium prices soar after CATL suspending major Chinese mine

August 12, 2025

Global lithium markets are surging after the world’s largest battery manufacturer, China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), suspended operations at one of the country’s biggest mines. The shutdown followed after the Beijing administration blocked the mine’s permit to curb industrial overcapacity. The Jianxiawo mine is no small working field. It accounts for an estimated 5-6% of […]

BYD’s 3,000 hp Yangwang U9 Track Edition shatters horsepower record

August 11, 2025

BYD’s luxury performance brand Yangwang is preparing to unleash one of the most powerful electric cars ever built. New regulatory filings in China reveal a Track Edition of its U9 supercar boasting more than 3,000 hp. Lotus Evija and Rimac Nevera: beware! China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) regularly discloses models ahead of […]

Tesla withdraws from IAA Mobility and kills off Dojo supercomputer

August 11, 2025

Tesla will be a no-show at next month’s IAA Mobility trade fair in Munich, a striking absence from one of Europe’s most high-profile automotive events. The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), which organizes the biennial show, confirmed the U.S. electric vehicle maker’s decision but did not explain. Tesla hasn’t commented officially yet on […]

GM and Hyundai to build new electric van in US by 2028

August 08, 2025

The deepening ties between General Motors and Hyundai for the American market are materializing. Their new vehicle collaboration will kick off with a jointly developed electric van launching by 2028 in the US, followed by four additional zero-emission models. The van—intended to sit beneath GM’s existing BrightDrop lineup—will be based on a Hyundai platform, likely […]

Lyten buys Northvolt and resurrects European battery dream

August 08, 2025

Lyten, a US-based battery start-up backed by Stellantis, has agreed to acquire the remaining assets of the collapsed Swedish battery maker Northvolt. The company stated that it aims to continue the plans already in place by previous management. The buy-in restores Europe’s faltering ambitions of building a homegrown battery industry, although under American wings. The […]

Febetra: Belgian haulers struggle to maintain foothold in EU market

August 07, 2025

Belgian road transport companies are losing ground in the European long-distance freight sector. The findings are based on new data released by Eurostat and highlighted by the Belgian transport federation Febetra. The trend is worrying as the country’s strategic central location makes it a natural logistics hub for the continent. The picture painted by the […]

Xpeng’s new P7 surges: 10,000 orders in under seven minutes

August 07, 2025

Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has set a new internal sales record with the launch of its new-generation P7 saloon, drawing more than 10,000 pre-orders just 6 minutes and 37 seconds after bookings opened. The response marks the fastest uptake for any Xpeng model to date. It highlights Xpeng as a new force to be […]

Snail tactics for Chevy Silverado EV’s range world record of 1,059 miles

August 06, 2025

Its size and bulky design speak against it, but General Motors managed to set a record with a range for the Chevrolet Silverado EV. The pickup clocked up an astonishing 1,059.2 miles, or 1,705 kilometers, on a single charge. That’s the longest distance ever driven by an electric road car without plugging in. That figure, […]

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