Volvo Cars to cut 3,000 jobs, primarily in Sweden

May 27, 2025

Car manufacturer Volvo Cars, owned by the Chinese Geely group, will cut 3,000 jobs (about 7% of its total workforce), primarily in Sweden. It’s a decision as part of the cost-cutting announced at the end of April. The goal is “to make Volvo cars more resilient in an era where the automotive industry is confronted […]

EU car registrations up 1.3 % in April, EVs and hybrids soar

May 27, 2025

According to data from ACEA, the European Car Manufacturers Association, new EU car registrations fell by 1.2% in April 2025 compared to last year’s first four months. Nonetheless, registrations rebounded with a 1.3% increase last month, showing signs of recovery despite the ongoing unpredictable global economic environment. The battery-electric car market share for April 2025 […]

T&E: ‘Social leasing could provide affordable EVs’

May 26, 2025

Up to 3 million households on low or modest incomes in Europe’s five largest countries (Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and Poland) could switch to electric cars by 2032 thanks to social leasing, according to an analysis by T&E based on data from the Öko-Institut. This scheme, which allows affordable electric vehicles under €25,000 to be […]

BMW shows Speedtop Concept at Como lake

May 26, 2025

At the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2025, the renowned celebration of historic vehicles on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, where the BMW Group has long been a leading actor, the Munich company presented an exclusive new concept car that will subsequently be made available for purchase in a small series. “The BMW Concept […]

Hyundai tests charging robots at Incheon airport

May 26, 2025

Hyundai Motor Group and Incheon International Airport Corporation will deploy AI-powered automatic EV charging robots in South Korea to demonstrate the next stage in automated electric mobility infrastructure. The partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The company aims to commercialize its automatic charging robot (ACR) for electric vehicles through a strategic collaboration with Incheon International […]

Northvolt discontinues production at its main plant (Update)

May 26, 2025

Northvolt, an insolvent battery cell manufacturer, is discontinuing production at its main plant in Skellefteå, Sweden. Most recently, the factory only served a single customer, truck manufacturer Scania. The doors will shut by June 30 at the latest, and 900 people could lose their jobs. However, the company insists that work on the German Heide […]

Xiaomi YU7 SUV unveiled in China

May 23, 2025

On Xiaomi’s 15th anniversary, CEO Lei Jun introduced the company’s first electric SUV, the YU7, marking another step in its automotive transition following the SU7 sedan. Lei confirmed that Xiaomi has delivered over 258,000 units of the SU7. The YU7 is a fairly large electric SUV built on the company’s Modena platform. It measures 4999 […]

Honda to cut back on EV investments

May 22, 2025

Honda has announced that it will reduce its investments in electric cars due to declining demand and focus on the growing demand for hybrid vehicles with new models. Motorcycles will also play a larger role in the company’s plans. The Japanese manufacturer has stated that it will reduce its investments in electrification and software from […]

Eighth generation Lexus ES is coming (Update)

May 22, 2025

An all-new Lexus ES made its world-first appearance a few weeks ago at the Shanghai Auto Show, signalling the introduction of an eighth generation of the global luxury sedan later this year. Lexus has now also provided some details about the battery. While the ES has been a key model for Lexus in North America […]

New Nissan Micra is a compact BEV

May 22, 2025

After a break of almost four years, there’s a successor for the Nissan Micra. The small car will only be launched on the market with an electric drive and is set to be the start of a major product offensive by the Japanese manufacturer in Europe. The Micra has historically been a successful model for […]

Toyota’s new RAV-4 has world premiere in Japan

May 21, 2025

Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) unveiled its new RAV4 on May 21. The model will be launched in Japan before the end of the fiscal year 2025. It’s the sixth generation of a car that debuted in 1993 and has sold 15 million units worldwide, 2.5 million of which were sold in Europe. “Under the concept […]

BMW and Solid Power test drive an i7 with solid-state batteries

May 21, 2025

The BMW Group has integrated large-format solid-state battery cells from partner Solid Power into a test vehicle, a BMW i7. The aim is to test how the solid-state cells behave in everyday road operation. BMW and Solid Power have been working together on solid-state batteries for years. The partnership dates back to 2016. Things turned […]

Popularity of company car still increases, mobility budget gets also more enthusiasm

May 20, 2025

According to a monitoring report of the Belgian governmental service for social security (RSZ), there were 572,416 company cars in Belgium, which can also be used privately by company employees. The number of cars still increases (+10.9 % compared to 2022), as does the number of companies offering a company car (+3.6%). “Despite all the […]

Citroën recalls former manager Xavier Chardon as new CEO

May 20, 2025

Xavier Chardon, who has led Volkswagen Group France until now, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Citroën brand, effective June 2, 2025. He will report to Jean-Philippe Imparato, Enlarged Europe Chief Operating Officer, Stellantis, who is currently overseeing the multinational group as it searches for a new CEO after Carlos Tavares’s departure. At […]

VW confirms upgraded MEB+ electric platform for 2026

May 19, 2025

In contrast with earlier speculations, Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer has confirmed plans to further develop the MEB platform with the MEB+, following longstanding rumors of a refresh. The platform refresh will begin with the launch of the new ID.2 next year. Following the launch of the ID.2, Volkswagen will begin moving all of its electric […]

Renault presents AWD ‘off-road’ concept of its new R4 Electric

May 19, 2025

French car manufacturer Renault will reveal an off-road show car based on the Renault 4 E-Tech Electric on the sidelines of the French Open tennis contest. Compared to the production model, the small off-roader features a second engine on the rear axle and more ground clearance. The electric R4 is not yet on the road; […]

Autonomous car specialist Waymo recalls more than 1,200 vehicles in the U.S.

May 16, 2025

Waymo has recalled 1,212 self-driving vehicles in the U.S. following minor collisions with fixed roadside objects such as gates and chains. That is the majority of the company’s fleet. Strangely, the issue seems to have already been fixed. The recall is apparently due to software limitations that caused minor collisions with roadside objects such as […]

Toyota adds estate version ‘Touring’ to bZ4X offer

May 16, 2025

Toyota is set to launch an estate car version of its all-electric SUV model, the bZ4X, next year. It will be called the BZ4X Touring and will be 14 cm longer than the standard car. Its European launch is planned for the first half of 2026. The bZ4X Touring features 33% more trunk space than […]

Dr. Nicolas Peter is the new President of BMW AG’s Supervisory Board

May 15, 2025

At a meeting of the Supervisory Board held following BMW AG’s Annual General Meeting, Dr. Nicolas Peter was elected chairman. 86.21 percent of shareholders had voted earlier to appoint Dr. Peter to the Supervisory Board for a four-year term. Dr. Nicolas Peter served as a member of BMW AG’s Board of Management responsible for the […]

Stellantis’ new DS N°4 available as EV, PHEV and HEV

May 15, 2025

The Stellantis brand DS Automobile has introduced the DS N°4, a revision of its compact hatchback. The new lineup, a second in the N° nomenclature, features a fully electric E-Tense with a range of 450 kilometers, as well as PHEV and hybrid versions. DS Automobiles says it has focused on technological development with this revision, […]

Audi comes with new entry-level model of e-tron GT

May 14, 2025

Roughly a year after the major facelift of its electric Gran Turismo, Audi is expanding the e-tron GT line-up with a new powertrain variant. Following the S and RS models, it has introduced a new ‘base model’ with 430 kW of power and a starting price of €108,900 in Germany and €110,500 in Belgium. Since […]

Nissan scraps another 10,000 jobs and planned battery plant (update)

May 14, 2025

All alarm bells are going off at Nissan. Japanese media reported that Nissan Motor Co. plans to cut about 20,000 jobs globally as part of a ramped-up restructuring campaign under the new CEO, Ivan Espinosa. Last week, in an effort to speed reforms and conserve cash, Nissan announced it was canceling plans to build a […]

Official invitation for car inspection comes via eBox

May 13, 2025

Since last week, Belgian car owners have been able to receive their official invitation for the obligatory car inspection in their eBox, an official and secure electronic mailbox used by the government. Until now, invitations to present your car (older than four years) for official inspection in one of the agreed inspection centers were mainly […]

Stellantis opens ‘Online Compensation Platform’ regarding its PureTech engines

May 12, 2025

Car manufacturing group Stellantis has launched an online compensation platform for European clients with unforeseen reparation costs related to their 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech engines. Several generations of these engines (also known as EB) confronted their owners with excessive oil consumption or a premature degradation of the timing belt. This additional compensation scheme is meant […]

MG realizes strong growth on Belgian and European market

May 12, 2025

In the first quarter of 2025, the Chinese manufacturer MG realized substantial growth in Europe and the Belgian car market. In Europe, it sold 78,505 cars during Q1, a 33.5% increase in sales compared to 2024. In Belgium, MG registered 35% more registrations in the same period. With the noticeable progress of another Chinese brand, […]

China weighs on BMW Group’s Q1 results

May 08, 2025

German carmaker BMW Group reported a 26.4% drop in first-quarter net profit to €2.2 billion, as weak demand in China weighed on earnings. Revenues fell 7.8% to €33.8 billion as global vehicle deliveries dropped 1.4% to 586,117 units, driven by a decline in China amid intense market competition. “Given the sustained demand for its attractive […]

Volvo to launch new ‘extended range’ PHEV, the XC70, in China

May 08, 2025

The new Volvo XC70 mid-size SUV is Volvo Cars’ first extended-range plug-in hybrid. According to the Chinese CLTC standard, it provides a pure electric range of up to 200 kilometers, making it Volvo Cars’ longest-range plug-in hybrid. The new XC70 is designed to meet the demand for longer-range PHEVs in China, where it will be […]

Ford struggles to find the right EV course

May 07, 2025

Ford presented its business figures for the first quarter and reported a 200% increase in sales for its electric car division. As a result, turnover is also higher, and the loss is lower than a year ago. However, the loss still totals $850 million, and the manufacturer seems to be struggling with its EV future. […]

All-new Jeep Compass debuts in Europe first

May 06, 2025

Today, the all-new Jeep Compass debuted in Italy and will be manufactured at the Melfi plant, a key hub for Stellantis’ electrification strategy. The new Compass evolves with an expanded engine range, which includes three powertrain options: e-Hybrid, e-Hybrid plug-in, and full electric with up to 650 km range. The latter also offers four-wheel drive. […]

Belux car registrations down 4.7% in April and -9.2% for the first four months of 2025

May 05, 2025

The federal service Mobility & Transport and the sector federation Febiac have shared their data about the number of vehicle registrations in April 2025. In the same period, 37,812 cars were registered, 4.7% less than a year ago. Noticeable: the market of individual car buyers rose (again) by 7.7%, the professional market of company cars […]

Trump approves exemptions on car parts tariffs after industry complaints

May 04, 2025

US President Donald Trump softened some of his automotive tariffs on Tuesday, following industry complaints. Trump signed off on orders that will stop separate levies “stacking” on top of each other, thereby reducing the overall tariff level on vehicle imports. The orders state that vehicles assembled in the US will qualify for partial reimbursements on […]

New Citroën C5 Aircross also comes in full electric version

April 30, 2025

Citroën has presented the second generation of the C5 Aircross, which is based on the new Stellantis platform STLA-Medium and will also be available as a BEV version ë-C5 Aircross. The second-generation ë-C5 Aircross will launch in two versions: The ‘Standard Range’ variant runs on 157 kW drive power and 73 kWh usable battery for […]

Volvo Cars to cut investments and revise forecasts and strategy (update)

April 30, 2025

Volvo Cars reports a group operating income (EBIT) of SEK 1.9 billion (€173 million) for the first quarter of 2025, following a drop in wholesales (-6%) and adverse currency effects. The result also reflects the current turbulence in the world and a challenging external environment for the automotive industry. To protect profitability, drive structural efficiencies […]

Skoda finally decides on an EV strategy for the Indian market

April 29, 2025

After much deliberation over different platforms and product strategies to enter India’s EV market over the last two years, Skoda appears to have come to a decision. The company has allegedly begun working on its first locally manufactured EV for this important emerging market. According to a recent report from the Indian newspaper Business Standard, […]

Is the Range Rover EV finally coming?

April 29, 2025

The new 2025 Range Rover Electric has completed its second round of winter tests, ahead of its planned release later this year. Technical details have now been confirmed, and the 800-volt SUV runs on a 117-kWh battery with cell-to-pack architecture. The launch of the long-awaited newcomer is planned later this year. The first technical data […]

Volvo EX30 rolls of the line in Ghent

April 28, 2025

Volvo’s factory in Ghent has just started production of the fully electric EX30. The model was previously only built in China, but the Belgian factory will now support production capacity for European sales. The plant of the Geely-owned Swedish car manufacturer will also begin producing the EX30 Cross Country later in 2025. Volvo states that […]

Alliance partners Renault and Nissan score very differently in Q1 2025

April 25, 2025

The two most important members of the Alliance, Renault and Nissan, posted very different results for Q1 2025. Renault holds strong in a challenging environment, while Nissan is struggling to survive and is still looking for a partner. Renault Group recorded 564,980 sales in 2025 Q1, up 2.9% versus 2024 Q1. In Europe, Group sales […]

EU car registrations -1.9% in Q1, BEV share 15.2%

April 24, 2025

According to data from the European car manufacturers’ association ACEA, new EU car registrations declined by 1.9% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to Q1 2024, with March 2025 figures showing a slight 0.2% year-on-year (YOY) decline as the global economic context remains particularly challenging and unpredictable for auto makers. In Q1 2025, the […]

New bZ7 aimed at Chinese market, Toyota builds factory in Shanghai

April 23, 2025

On Wednesday, the Toyota bZ7 all-electric sedan debuted at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show as the first joint venture (GAC-Toyota) car equipped with Huawei’s HarmonyOS cockpit system, and developed specifically for the Chinese market. The official launch is expected to occur later this year. A Toyota bZ7 concept car previously appeared at the 2024 Guangzhou […]

VW Group presents first AUDI and new ADAS system in Shanghai

April 23, 2025

Volkswagen Group’s premium Audi brand is fighting back with a range of new, more extended versions of its models designed for the Chinese market, where wealthier consumers with chauffeurs often sit in the back of their cars. It also showcased the first vehicle of a new model line with a different logo from its famous […]

Volkswagen starts new model offensive in China

April 23, 2025

With no less than three concept cars from its three China joint ventures, VW provided a taste of the model offensive that will start in 2025 on the eve of Auto Shanghai. A total of 30 new vehicles are to be launched on the market by 2027. The three announced VW studies are the ID. […]

Renault 5 Turbo 3E can be ordered from now for at least €155,000

April 22, 2025

Renault is opening reservations for the Renault 5 Turbo 3E ‘mini-supercar’ on 22 April 2025, from 9 a.m. (CET). A modern, electric reboot of the legendary Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2 of the 1980s, the new vehicle will be available for €155,000, including VAT as an introductory price, excluding options, accessories, and personalisation choices. […]

Different reactions to US tariffs from Audi, GM, and the Japanese

April 22, 2025

Reactions to the automotive import tariffs in the US differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Audi is considering producing in the US, GM has no plans to move from Mexico to the US, and Mazda is decreasing its US production. In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume said the […]

Subaru unveils second EV, the Trailseeker, and updates Solterra

April 22, 2025

Subaru of America unveiled its second electric SUV, the Trailseeker EV, at the New York International Auto Show. The model is scheduled for sale in the US starting in 2026. Meanwhile, the brand’s first EV, the Solterra, received a facelift. It’s not clear yet if and when the Trailseeker will come to Europe. Trailseeker EV: […]

BYD Seal U successor revealed in China

April 18, 2025

BYD has officially registered its new Sealion 06 model with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), revealing plug-in hybrid (PHEVs) and pure electric versions (BEVs) of this latest Ocean series lineup. It’s worth noting that while this SUV is known as the Sealion 6 in China and some international markets (like Australia and […]

English sports car manufacturer Lotus is on its own again

April 18, 2025

Lotus Technology Inc. has announced that Geely, the majority owner of its vehicle manufacturing business Lotus UK, exercised its put option earlier this week to sell its 51% stake in the latter company back to the former company. In other words, Geely steps out, and Lotus Tech has to buy back 51% of Lotus UK’s […]

Kia EV3 is World Car of the Year 2025

April 17, 2025

At the New York International Auto Show, the World Car of the Year and other winners in different categories were revealed. The overall winner is the Kia EV3, chosen by 96 international automotive journalists from 30 countries out of 52 contenders. This is Kia’s second consecutive World Car of the Year win and the third […]

Analysis of Belgian new car market for Q1 2025

April 17, 2025

According to data from the sector federation, Febiac, and the government services, 120,940 new cars were registered during the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of 10.5% compared to 2024. We already showed these results earlier; now is the time to get into the details about who buys what. In 2023 and 2024, Belgium had […]

Stellantis had a turbulent annual meeting yesterday

April 16, 2025

2024 was disappointing for the Stellantis Group, President John Elkann told the annual shareholders meeting in Amsterdam on Tuesday, adding that a new CEO to replace Carlos Tavares, who quit in December, will be named by the middle of this year. The remuneration of the former CEO for 2024 also caused some turmoil. “I would […]

Global electrified vehicle sales grew 29% in Q1 2025

April 16, 2025

Rho Motion, a leading EV research house, revealed that 1.7 million electric vehicles were sold globally in March 2025, with 4.1 million sold in Q1 2025. The EV market grew by 29% in March 2025 compared to March 2024 and increased by 40% compared to February 2025. For Q1 overall, the growth rate was also […]

320,000 Belgians can claim compensations from VW for ‘dieselgate’

April 15, 2025

About 320,000 Belgians who bought a car with ‘fraud software’ from the VW Group can finally claim indemnification. Nine years after the court case started, an agreement exists between the Belgian consumer organization TestAankoop/TestAchats and Volkswagen. In those nine years, Volkswagen finally admitted that it had sold some 11 million diesel cars with engine type […]

Belgian federal government gives hybrids more breathing space (Update)

April 15, 2025

The Belgian federal government gave hybrid cars more breathing space in its Easter agreement. The authorities now think that a battery electric car is not yet the right solution for everyone and are providing more room to hybrids. Organisations that promote EVs or environmental associations see the new rules as a serious step back. The […]

Next fully electric Mazda will be CX-6e SUV

April 14, 2025

At the Brussels Motor Show in January, Mazda showed the all-new Mazda 6e, the European version of the EZ-6, the already existing Chinese model developed in cooperation with Chinese car manufacturer Changan and based on the Changan Deepal SL03. The Japanese carmaker will perform the same exercise for its first entirely electric full-size SUV. With […]

VW and Polestar benefitting most from Tesla sales slump?

April 11, 2025

The Volkswagen Group increased its global BEV deliveries by 59% to 216,800 vehicles (commercial vehicles and buses/trucks included) in the first quarter compared to Q1 2024. Polestar’s Q1 sales were up 76% compared to last year. For the Volkswagen Group, things went very well in Europe and the US, but not in China. We can […]

Almost one out of five new cars sold by BMW Group is an EV

April 11, 2025

The BMW Group delivered 109,516 all-electric cars in the first quarter, an increase of 32.4% and an 18.7% share of total deliveries. Electric car sales increased in Europe in particular. And more than one in three vehicles delivered by the Mini brand was purely electric. Across all drive types, the BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce brands […]

Stellantis production in Italy lowest in almost 70 years

April 10, 2025

Trade union FIM CISL said Tuesday that Stellantis Group’s production in Italy has worsened and is now at its lowest level since 1956. It said Stellantis production worsened significantly in the first three months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, which had already been “a black year.” Minus 36% Some 109,900 units […]

T&E: ‘Renewable diesel’ sold by oil majors can contain fraudulent palm oil’

April 10, 2025

A new study from the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) shows significant irregularities in the reported consumption of palm residues used in renewable diesel (HVO) being sold by oil majors. A new T&E study shows that a key ingredient in the ‘renewable diesel’ sold in Europe is likely fraudulent. Nearly twice as much palm oil […]

Every fourth Porsche is now electric, but overall sales are slower

April 09, 2025

Porsche significantly increased the proportion of electrified vehicles sold in the first quarter of 2025: 71,470 vehicles (-8%) were handed over to customers worldwide between January and March, 38.5 percent of which were electrified, and more than 25 percent fully electric. Porsche states these electrified vehicles are divided into 25.9% battery-electric cars and 12.6% plug-in […]

Kia and LG join forces to create ‘Spielraum’ concepts

April 07, 2025

Kia Corporation and LG Electronics announced a partnership to collaborate on implementing mobility space solutions based on the PBV (Platform Beyond Vehicle) technology. The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Kia pavilion at the 2025 Seoul Mobility Show. They unveiled concept models for mobile work and recreational spaces incorporating advanced home appliances […]