September 30, 2022
The premium car manufacturer BMW expects to hit its target of 10% fully electric sales this year at around 240 000-245 000 BEVscand could see that figure rising to about 400 000 next year, according to BMW Group CFO Nicolas Peter. BMW also expects to reach the higher end of its 7-9% margin target for […]
September 30, 2022
Citroën showed Oli yesterday (to pronounce all:ë), a concept of an EV that wants to be light, frugal and more sustainable and recyclable “as an unconventional answer to the actual tendencies in the automotive industry”. The angular model targets a one-tonne weight, an electric range of 400 kilometers, and a top speed limited to 110 […]
September 29, 2022
Belgian car importer D’Ieteren Automotive is going to import the Microlino in Belgium. The importer sees the microcar as the perfect product to close the gap between two- and four-wheelers in urban mobility. It will be for sale in 2023 and have its Belgian premiere at the Brussels Motor Show in January at €14 900. […]
September 29, 2022
On Wednesday, Volkswagen announced an introductory share price of €82,5 for its Porsche brand’s IPO (Initial Public Offering). Almost 113,9 million shares are put on the market today, representing some 12,5% of the total estimated value of the sports car brand. It’s the most important IPO in Europe in ten years. The relatively low share […]
September 28, 2022
“Car manufacturers are misleading investors by significantly underestimating the total distance traveled and fuel consumption of cars, representing a ‘ticking carbon bomb’ for asset managers,” says the NGO Transport & Environment. The results of a new report issued by the organization show that carmakers’ global emissions are, on average, 50% higher than what they report, […]
September 27, 2022
French carmaker Renault will control 80% of its electric vehicle value chain well ahead of its 2030 target as it develops partnerships in batteries, electric motors, and power electronics. That’s what its CEO Luca de Meo said at the end of last week. De Meo pointed out that the research and development costs were too […]
September 27, 2022
The car-sharing and mobility organization BattMobility, located in Ghent and only offering electric cars, sees its business boom. The 4-year-old company reached 50 000 shared rides last September and noted a severe increase in car-sharers. BattMobility started as a local initiative in a Ghent neighborhood but has become the city’s market leader for electric car […]
September 27, 2022
The Volkswagen Group’s new battery subsidiary PowerCo and the Belgian materials technology group Umicore have established a joint venture for cathode and pre-material production in Europe. From 2025, the joint venture will supply PowerCo’s European battery cell factories with key materials. By the decade’s end, the new partners want to produce cathode and battery production […]
September 26, 2022
Before the inline skaters kicked off the competition over the full distance at the 2022 BMW Berlin-Marathon on Saturday afternoon, a small fleet of fully-electric BMW CE 04 took on the fastest 42 kilometers on the international running calendar. Like the biggest marathon in Germany, the two-wheeler is a genuine Berliner: it is manufactured at […]
September 14, 2022
Miles Mobility, the largest German car-sharing company, launches its car-sharing per kilometer principle in Ghent. Brussels and Antwerp will soon follow. The company has been active since 2017 in major German cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, and Munich, among others. There it has more than 7 000 cars on offer. In Belgium, Opel delivers 500 […]
September 13, 2022
Renault is getting ready to sell electric vehicles in Latin America starting next year. The list comprises Megane E-Tech Electric, Kangoo E-Tech Electric, and Master E-Tech Electric coming to Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Mexico. More countries will follow shortly. Meanwhile, it has already introduced the Kwid E-Tech Electric, the rest of the world’s version of […]
September 12, 2022
Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE) has unveiled a new electric vehicle platform specifically for hypercars called EVR. It is designed for a peak power of 1 650 kW and enables acceleration from 0 to 100 km/hour in less than two seconds. Williams Advanced Engineering unveiled the architecture at the Cenex LCV (Low Carbon Vehicle Show) in […]
September 12, 2022
The motor show in Detroit, officially known as the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), will now take place in September and is following a new concept. The media day is next Wednesday, on the 14th of September, and after some professional days, the show opens to the public from 17 to 25 September. Being […]
September 09, 2022
German car manufacturer Opel, part of the Stellantis Group, plans to reduce its workforce by 1 000 jobs. A voluntary redundancy plan has been started that allows employees to retire early or get a payout. This was not the first round of redundancies at Opel. Two years ago, 2 100 additional jobs in Germany were […]
September 09, 2022
The BMW Group is set to launch a new era of e-mobility from models of its ‘Neumodels e Klasse’ using newly-developed round battery cells optimized for the new architecture. “The newly-developed sixth generation of our lithium-ion cells will bring a huge leap in technology that will increase energy density by more than 20%, improve charging […]
September 08, 2022
Nissan acquires an essential stake in battery manufacturer Vehicle Energy Japan. Following the transaction, the company will become a subsidiary of Nissan, in which existing shareholders like Maxell and Hitachi Astemo will also have a stake. After selling its majority stake in battery producer AESC in 2018, Nissan is returning to its own battery production. […]
September 07, 2022
In August, 1849 new speed pedelecs were registered, 77% more than last year. So far, the market for speed pedelecs has increased by 34,6% compared to the first eight months of last year (11 717 units against 8 705). Also, second-hand is doing very well: the market rose 130%. “The registrations of speed pedelecs this […]
September 07, 2022
The Flemish axial flux electric motor developer Magnax has closed a new financing round of € 20 million. The money will be used to accelerate product development, enlarge the engineering team and expand support for customers and partners. “In the EV space, e-Motor technology is evolving rapidly,” says co-founder Daan Moreels. OEMsrecognizeg the very interesting […]
September 06, 2022
The 100th-anniversary edition of the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) will be held from 14 to 22 January 2023. Organizer Febiac proudly announces that already 18 of the 20 most important brands on the Belgian market have confirmed their participation. Others can still jump in… The Brussels Motor Show has always been one of the major […]
September 06, 2022
The board of the VW Group approved Porsche AG’s IPO when the capital market’s evolution is not disturbed too much. The Board of Surveillance of the Group has also agreed. The actual Initial Public Offering is scheduled for the end of the year; from the end of September on will be given by the intention […]
September 06, 2022
On August, 28 917 cars have been sold in Belgium and Luxembourg, a 7% increase after 14 months of regress. Of course, this can’t compensate for the lesser figures in the cumulated first eight months of the year (-12,7%), but it’s a sparkle of hope for the sector. We can observe the same tendency in […]
September 02, 2022
As of Thursday, September 1st, Oliver Blume acts as CEO of both Porsche and the Volkswagen Group. He succeeds Herbert Diess as announced and sets the course right from the start. German media has learned that Blume will reduce the Board of Management to take decisions more quickly. Specifically, this concerns Hildegard Wortmann (Sales) and […]
September 01, 2022
As of today, the new CEO of Renault Brand Belux and Renault Belgium Luxembourg is Martin Domise. He is the successor to Jérôme Pannaud, who has been in charge of the region for four years. Martin Domise was born in Amiens (northwest of France) in 1989 and studied at the famous commercial school HEC in […]
September 01, 2022
Toyota, the world’s number one car manufacturer, has announced that it will invest 5,3 billion euros in launching its own battery production. The plants will be built in Japan and the US, and production will start between 2024 and 2026. The investment is partially included in the big investment envelope that Toyota decided on last […]
August 31, 2022
Hyundai recorded 37 446 pre-orders for its new Ioniq 6 on the first day of the reservations in South Korea. This is significantly more than was the case with the Ioniq 5 on the first day of its pre-sales launch (23 760) and more than ever before in the manufacturer’s history. Hyundai presented the Ioniq […]
August 31, 2022
The French government seems to be persevering in its plans to subsidize electric vehicle leasing. Thanks to government support, all-electric vehicles could become available for as little as €100 per month. The news came up after a television appearance by Budget Minister Gabriel Attal. Such an EV leasing scheme would also follow an election promise […]
August 30, 2022
A Greenpeace East Asia research report shows that 93% of Toyota’s manufacturing facilities are at high risk from the consequences of climate change. Honda and Nissan also occupy positions high up in the ranking; Volkswagen and Renault are in the lower parts of the operations risk comparison. This conclusion is based on an analysis of […]
August 30, 2022
In light of the recent events and their impact on the energy market, we chatted with Grégoire de Pierpont, CEO of Enerdeal, an installer of solar energy systems at the industrial level. “Our company has existed since 2009 and is mainly active in Belgium and Luxembourg but also in Africa. We install medium to large […]
August 29, 2022
Ford is reopening US order banks on Tuesday for the Mustang Mach-E with updated prices and features. Ford had put an order freeze on all variants of the current model year of its all-electric Mustang Mach-E in the United States. Problems with the supply chain, the overwhelming demand, and the possible overheating of battery connections […]
August 29, 2022
Kia has started the final test program of the EV9. It has announced its world premiere for the first quarter of 2023. Test drives with camouflaged prototypes are currently taking place in Namyang, South Korea. Last year, at the LA motor show, Kia showed the first concept of the EV9; now, the production version is […]
August 26, 2022
Opel has announced that a van-sized camper based on the battery-electric Zafira-e Life will be launched next year. The ‘Crosscamp Flex’ presented at the Caravan Salon from 27 August to 4 September is still a prototype. The camper was built based on an Opel Zafira-e Life with a 75 kWh battery pack. Opel does not […]
August 26, 2022
Under the slogan ‘Premium meets Responsibility’, the Belgian car importer BMW Belux has donated once again seven new cars (BMW and Mini models) to technical schools all over the country. For 2021 and 2022, this brings the score to 30, as 23 were already given last year, totaling a value of almost €1,5 million. Furthermore, […]
August 25, 2022
The Mexican government has founded a state-owned company to extract and market lithium. According to a decree by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the raw material is to be produced and distributed exclusively by Litio para México (lithium for Mexico). The company aims to start operations in six months at the latest. According to the […]
August 24, 2022
During a three-day visit to Canada, the German chancellor Olaf Scholz has tried to realize as many deals as possible in the domains of raw materials and energy production with the North American country. In his wake, Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz signed agreements with the Canadian government to secure access to crucial battery raw materials […]
August 24, 2022
Ford Motor Co. is preparing to cut as many as 8 000 jobs in the coming months to boost profits and help to fund its push into the electrified vehicle market. That’s what news agency Bloomberg has heard; other sources (like the Wall Street Journal) talk of at least 4 000 job cuts. On Monday, […]
August 22, 2022
The Belgian traffic safety institute VIAS (formerly BIVV/IBSR) will see its financial activities screened by an external audit. That has been communicated by the Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad. “The audit aims to be able to make an accounting and content-related distinction between the investigative and research activities […]
August 19, 2022
BMW M, BMW’s sports car division, has unveiled a technology carrier based on the BMW i4 M50 with a modified body in which “innovative drive and chassis control systems” are to be tested. These developments could later be used in an electric sports car. BMW’s sports subsidiary intends to use the technologies to launch “the […]
August 19, 2022
The Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) will again be canceled in February 2023. On Thursday, the organizers mentioned geopolitical and economic uncertainties as the main reason for many brands’ strong hesitation or complete refusal to participate. So instead, the organizers now focus on the first Doha edition and put all their hopes on a Geneva […]
August 11, 2022
Ford’s all-electric vehicle sales reached a new record. In July, the company sold 7 669 BEVs, 169% more than a year ago and 4,9% of the total volume (also a new record). The company says that its BEV growth rate is outpacing the market’s average and that the brand is now the 2nd biggest player […]
August 10, 2022
Mercedes-Benz has released the SUV offshoot of the all-electric EQS for sale. Prices in Germany start at €110 658 for the EQS 450+. The EQS SUV can now be ordered in three drive variants, and the first vehicles are expected to reach European customers this December. For all technical details, we refer to our previous […]
August 10, 2022
Chevrolet has reduced the price of its Bolt EV by up to $6 000 in the US this summer. Owners of previously bought Bolt vehicles are apparently offered the same credit… if they waive all rights to sue GM over the vehicle. The website Jalopnik reported that owners who bought their Bolt before the price […]
August 09, 2022
In France, sites and apps providing road guidance will have to inform their users about the negative impact of their trip on the environment and their health. In addition, they will have to propose less polluting routes and possible alternatives to the car for their voyage. When a user searches to plan a route, the […]
August 08, 2022
The bi-annual Paris Motor Show, the ‘Mondial de l’Automobile’, will take place from 17 to 23 October this year at the usual spot in Paris (Porte de Versailles). One may notice the shortened period, and the organizers hope to attract half a million visitors in these seven days, also because the after-sales show Equipauto will […]
August 08, 2022
The Democrats in the US Senate have presented a new bill on the tax credit for electric cars. This bill still foresees the amount of a $ 7 500 reduction, but the upper limit of 200 000 electric cars per manufacturer is removed. This would make Tesla and GM eligible again. The law has now […]
August 05, 2022
Toyota Motor Corporation kept its profit outlook for the current year, while investors expected an upgrade. However, the immediate result was a share price fall of 3%, as the stock market always wants higher results. Toyota’s top managers point at the ‘many uncertainties ahead’. “We are not confident enough to raise guidance,” they say, as […]
August 05, 2022
In a statement commenting on the half-year results of the BMW Group, CEO Oliver Zipse also talked about the future new class, the ‘Neue Klasse’. He has confirmed that the first two models to be launched are an all-electric sedan and an SUV. So there will also be a “sporty SUV” at the launch alongside […]
August 03, 2022
The Italian high-end sports car manufacturer Ferrari has adapted its financial forecasts due to record earnings in the second quarter of 2022. From April to June 2022, it sold 3 455 sports cars, 28,7% more than the year before, while turnover jumped to €1,29 billion (+24,9%). “The results of the first six months of 2022 […]
August 03, 2022
“In a highly volatile environment, the BMW Group remained on course in the first half of 2022,” says the German premium manufacturer. The company emphasizes that this was achieved despite severe challenges, including continued supply chain disruptions and bottlenecks for semiconductors and specific supplier parts. Meanwhile, the company introduces an entry-level i4 eDrive35 in North […]
August 02, 2022
Turkey’s EV manufacturer Togg has taken a critical step toward series production. It released the first test cars straight off the lines in the Gemlik industrial center, southeast of Istanbul. CEO Gürcan Karakas told some German media more about the ambitious schedule. “At the beginning of November, we will have perfected the processes and then […]
August 02, 2022
According to the registration figures released by the importer organization Febiac, the Belux car market is not yet recovering. With -5,2% of new car registrations compared to 2021, the decline has been softly reducing, but for the first seven months, there is a cumulated regress of 14,8%, compared to the year 2021 already receding. The […]
August 01, 2022
Energy provider Eneco Belgium has been refused a permit to build a battery storage site in an industrial park in Ville-sur-Haine. The municipal council of the Roeulx commune has blocked the demand. This seems to be the newest example of the growing straddle between local and regional or national authorities. According to Eneco, the council’s […]
July 29, 2022
For the first quarter of its new fiscal year, Nissan has registered a regress in benefits but stays prudently optimistic about the year to come and hopes to sell 4 million cars. Partner Renault Group upgrades its 2022 financial outlook and accelerates its transformation. Both companies, the largest partners in the Alliance, are finally crawling […]
July 29, 2022
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is entering the second phase of testing its all-important next vehicle, the fully electric Spectre coupé. All-in-all, 2,5 million test kilometers have to be run before the company gives the green light for production and commercialization of the car at the end of next year. The next location is the French Riviera. […]
July 29, 2022
The car manufacturing group Stellantis (14 brands) has registered a record operating margin of 14,1% for the first six months of 2022. It reported a net profit of €8 billion (+34%) and a total turnover of €88 billion (+17%) despite lower sales, at 2,9 billion units (-7%), in a declining market. The reasons are the […]
July 28, 2022
The British brand Mini, part of the BMW Group, presents the Concept Aceman, an initial preview of its future model generation’s new design. In this concept car, Mini wants to show design-based and technological innovations that outline the brand-typical driving pleasure of the future. “The Mini Concept Aceman provides an initial glimpse of a completely […]
July 26, 2022
The German supermarket chain Lidl will offer the Elaris Finn two-seater in Germany and Austria at a lease price of €222 per month. It’s a pilot project; other countries will follow later, eventually. The German supermarket giant is an electric believer. Earlier, it proposed free (fast) charging on its parking premises for its clients. But, […]
July 26, 2022
After the stock market’s closing, Volkswagen announced a complete surprise on Friday evening. CEO Herbert Diess is leaving the company at the end of August. On 1 September, Porsche boss Oliver Blume will take over and lead both companies in parallel. The market reacted negatively on Monday, questions arise everywhere if the new CEO will […]
July 25, 2022
Renault’s sports car subsidiary Alpine gives a glimpse at its electric future with a concept car. The Alpine A110 E-ternité is based on the brand’s combustion sports car but has been rebuilt for the study as an all-electric open sports car with 178 kW of power. The cells of the 60 kWh battery for a […]
July 22, 2022
In Belgium and Europe, the sales of electrified cars represented almost one-third of total sales for the second quarter of 2022. The European association of car manufacturers has just published the Q2 results. The electrified models continue their growth path in a general car market that is still regressing compared to last year due to […]
July 20, 2022
The English sports car producer Lotus, now part of the Chinese Geely automotive group, has completed the construction of its vehicle plant in the Chinese city of Wuhan. It has just produced the first example of its all-electric Eletre SUV model, the first to be built there. The Wuhan factory is designed for an annual […]
