March 16, 2023
BMW plans at least six model launches within 24 months for the ‘New Class’ electric cars from 2025 onward. To this end, additional plants are to be converted for the production of these electric cars. More concrete information on the platform and the first models will be available in September. Electric cars based on the […]
March 16, 2023
Volkswagen has just presented the ID.2all concept. The long-expected low-cost ID.2 also previews VW’s new design language. The series ID.2. scheduled for 2025 will be “as spacious as a Golf, as inexpensive as a Polo”. The target price lies below €25 000. At the same time, VW announces it will further accelerate its electrification strategy. […]
March 15, 2023
The new BMW head-up display is called BMW Panoramic Vision and represents the reinterpretation of the BMW driver orientation “eyes on the road, hands on the wheel” in the ‘Neue Klasse’. BMW is developing an entirely new technological platform for the ‘Neue Klasse’, whose name refers to the company’s pioneering models of the 1960s. This […]
March 15, 2023
In the next five years, two-thirds of VW Group’s investments will be turned to electric and connected cars. The Group foresees €122 billion in investments in electrification, 68% of its total investment portfolio of €180 billion. The latter is also heightened by 13% compared to earlier multi-annual plans of the Group. At the same time, […]
March 14, 2023
After Poland and Italy, a third EU member state, Germany, rejected the EU’s Parliament’s decision to ban ICE cars by 2035. Inside the German government, there is a serious disagreement between the liberal FDP party and the Green party, both members of the government coalition. The German Digital and Transport Minister Volker Wissing has blocked […]
March 14, 2023
BMW and Volkswagen have reduced the prices of their EVs in China significantly. This comes after several carmakers (Mercedes and Tesla among them) have started offering their electric cars for less to increase sales and reduce inventory in the country. The Volkwagen joint ventures FAW-Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen are lowering the prices of their ID. […]
March 10, 2023
The BMW Group met its forecasted financial targets for 2022 and delivered a solid operating performance in a difficult business environment. The premium manufacturer significantly increased Group EBT (€ 23,5 billion/ +46,4%) and net profit (€ 18,6 billion/ +49,1%) from the previous year, despite a decrease in sales (-4,8%). This positive development can be attributed […]
March 08, 2023
The Egyptian manufacturer, Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles (MCV), is entering the continental European market. The OEM has developed a bus specifically for clients in Germany and has already founded a subsidiary, MCV Deutschland GmbH, for sales, after-sales, and services. The official presentation of the integral, fully electric twelve-meter low-floor bus will take place in March at […]
March 08, 2023
Automotive supplier Onsemi will also use its silicon carbide technology in BMW electric cars in the future. The US semiconductor manufacturer has signed a long-term supply agreement (LTSA) with BMW to use its EliteSiC silicon carbide power module in the manufacturer’s future electric cars. The US semiconductor specialist did not specify the exact number of […]
March 07, 2023
More than two-thirds (68%) of lithium-ion battery production planned for Europe is at risk of being delayed, scaled down, or canceled, a new analysis of Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. Tesla in Berlin, Northvolt in northern Germany, and Italvolt near Turin are among the projects that stand to lose the greatest volumes of their slated […]
March 07, 2023
On Monday, Hyundai Motor Company held a digital world premiere to unveil the all-new Kona, an upscaled multiplayer in the B-SUV segment, led by an all-electric variant (EV) that offers advanced safety and convenience features and class-leading range, according to the manufacturer. Potential customers can choose from EV (standard or long range), hybrid, internal combustion […]
March 07, 2023
The Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, and E-Transit all enjoy high customer demand in the US. That’s why manufacturer Ford is now stepping on the… stream pedal to boost production of its electric (and in some cases non-electric) models. Ford will also offer its Mustang Mach-E electric model in Europe with LFP battery cells before the […]
March 06, 2023
The Japanese car manufacturer Subaru announced a change in its top management last Friday at a Board of Directors meeting. Tomomi Nakamura, the Representative Director, President, and CEO will leave his position to Atsushi Nakamura, current EVP and Chief General Manager of the manufacturing division. Nakamura entered the presidency of the company in 2018. As […]
March 06, 2023
Volkswagen has now officially unveiled the revised ID.3, in which the quality of the interior, in particular, is to be significantly improved. The powertrains remain unchanged (for the time being). Already in December, VW changed the configurator of its compact electric car and added a note that the delivery deadline had already been extended into […]
March 03, 2023
A growing number of companies is producing EVs, but not all are comparably successful. You have the start-ups, and you have the more traditional car companies trying to catch up. Among the start-ups, Geely-daughter Polestar seems to be heading for success. Others, like Nio, are accumulating sales but also losses. Polestar strengthened its financial position […]
March 03, 2023
During a round table, BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse told car magazine Motor.at and others about his view on hydrogen and the plans to ban ICE cars in the EU by 2035. In his view, “hydrogen-fueled cars don’t stand a chance against BEVs except for customers who do not have access to charging infrastructure or […]
March 02, 2023
Like January, February was the best second month of the year for the last three years in Belgium and Luxembourg. 39 883 cars were registered, 23,9% more than last year. Growth was registered in the company car market (+30,8%) and in the individual buyers market (+13,5%). For the first two months of the year, the […]
March 01, 2023
In 2023, the new Mini Countryman production will begin at the BMW Group plant in Leipzig. The crossover model will be offered with pure electric drive and combustion engines. Preparations for the start of production of the first Mini ‘Made in Germany’ are already in full swing. According to BMW, Leipzig is one of the […]
February 28, 2023
US researchers have developed a lithium-air battery with a solid electrolyte, of which the energy density could be increased fourfold compared to today’s lithium-ion batteries. The team said it achieved 1 000 charge and discharge cycles in test cells. Researchers drive the project at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and the US Department of […]
February 28, 2023
Nissan is accelerating its electrification strategy again. The Japanese automaker will launch 27 new electrified models by fiscal 2030, including 19 purely electric ones. That is four more pure electric vehicles than announced with the last strategic plan in November 2021. Nissan’s electrification mix worldwide is expected to increase to more than 55% by 2030, […]
February 28, 2023
There will be no new VW plant in Europe in the foreseeable future. VW CFO Arno Antlitz confirmed in an internal interview that the Trinity production version would be built in Wolfsburg. In the US, however, VW will build a new factory for its new EV brand Scout. The carmaker had considered a new factory […]
February 27, 2023
Audi CEO Markus Duesmann recently uttered that building a new EV plant in the US becomes highly attractive given the new IRA subvention plan for electric vehicles issued by the Biden administration. He added that it is not clear whether Audi will build its own plant or whether it will be part of the Volkswagen […]
February 27, 2023
Over the next two years, Chinese car manufacturer Geely wants to launch seven new premium electric cars under its new sub-brand Galaxy. That includes four long-range hybrids and three battery-electric vehicles. The first three models will hit the road this year. The new Geely Galaxy series will have two model lines – L for plug-in […]
February 27, 2023
BMW plans to build a large assembly plant for high-voltage batteries in Bavaria. The carmaker confirmed the plan but has not yet signed all the contracts. If all goes as planned, they can start building in 2024. An exact location for it has now finally been found. “All Bavarian plants, i.e., Munich, Regensburg, and Dingolfing, […]
February 24, 2023
Vincent Cobée, the current CEO of the Citroën brand, part of the Stellantis Group, will be replaced by Thierry Koskas as of March 1st. Cobée, recently cited in our articles, “has decided to pursue personal projects outside the company”, as it always sounds in official press releases. “In the light of the growing challenges related […]
February 24, 2023
Ford agreed to form a joint venture with LG Energy Solution and Koç Holding to build a large battery cell plant for commercial electric vehicles in Turkey. The plant in Turkey had originally been planned with SK On, but that deal was canceled some time ago. According to the three companies, the groundbreaking ceremony for […]
February 23, 2023
As part of the EU project CEVOLVER (Connected Electric Vehicle Optimized for Life, Value, Efficiency, and Range), Ford engineers have shown that heating surfaces can reduce energy consumption in the interior of an electric vehicle by 13%. This can improve the range of that vehicle by 5%. The test was conducted in an electric delivery […]
February 23, 2023
For the second year in a row, Stellantis has registered a record benefit. The net profit for 2022 reached € 16,8 billion, 26% more than last year. The operating margin reached 13% of turnover in 2022, a figure almost as high as noticeable money-makers under the car manufacturers in 2022, like Mercedes-Benz and Tesla. In […]
February 22, 2023
The BMW Group intends to source aluminum with significantly reduced CO2 emissions from Rio Tinto’s hydro-powered operations in Canada starting in 2024. It has signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect. Aluminum accounts for a quarter of the CO2 emissions in the supply chain of a medium-sized electrified car, and a manufacturer like BMW […]
February 22, 2023
According to the figures of the European Car Manufacturers Association ACEA, in January, the European Union passenger car market grew by 11,3% to 760 041 units, starting the new year on a positive note. However, one must consider that this was mainly due to an unusually modest comparison base in 2022 when the lowest January […]
February 21, 2023
In addition to the battery and the electric drive, Volkswagen Group Technology is now also developing the pulse inverter and the thermal management itself for its electric drives. This was announced at the company’s Tech Day 2023. As with other components, the VW developers have opted for a modular system. The first application will be […]
February 21, 2023
In an interview with the British car magazine Autocar, Dacia Vice-President for Sales, Marketing, and Operations Xavier Martinet says that a much greater emphasis needs to be put on weight efficiency when designing (EV) cars. “If we’re serious about collectively reducing emissions, then excessive weight should not be acceptable.” Martinet made his statement when he […]
February 20, 2023
Mercedes-Benz sold some 2 million vehicles last year, a 5% increase compared to 2021. Turnover increased by 12% and reached € 150 billion, while the benefice was more than a third higher, landing at almost € 15 billion. For 2023, anticipations are a bit subdued, due to delivery shortages, higher costs and an unsure overall […]
February 17, 2023
Yesterday, Renault published its financial results for last year. The French car manufacturer revived in 2022, compensating for serious sales regress and the costly Russian retreat with significant price hikes and a very profitable Dacia. The turnover of Renault Group has progressed by 11,4% to € 46,4 billion, and the operating margin has doubled to […]
February 17, 2023
VW’s main plant in Wolfsburg has been awarded the contract for an additional electric model from 2026. The vehicle is to be an electric SUV model the size of a Tiguan. The new electric model will bridge the gap until the future core model Trinity is ready for launch. The planning of the Trinity was […]
February 16, 2023
The Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini (Lega Nord) is vehemently opposed to the decision of the European Parliament to ban the sales of new cars with an internal combustion engine in 2035. Salvini calls it a ‘folly’ and a ‘bad intended choice’ to which Rome will oppose itself. The member states already agreed with the […]
February 15, 2023
Shoichiro Toyoda, the honorary chairman of Toyota Motor Corp. who transformed the Japanese automaker into a leading global brand, died of heart failure on Tuesday, the company announced. He was 97. Shoichiro was a third-generation scion of the founding family. He is credited with establishing a culture of quality control that helped Toyota evolve into […]
February 15, 2023
Following the positive feedback on the unique specimen presented in the summer of 2022, Mini is now going ahead with a small series of the all-electric Cooper SE Convertible. From April 2023, the car will be available to open-air lovers in Europe in a limited number of 999 vehicles. “Three years ago, we launched the […]
February 15, 2023
It is now officially confirmed that Ford Motor Company is again planning to cut thousands of jobs. Some 3 800 across Europe before 2025, but the biggest part of it will be in Germany (2 300) and the UK (1 300). The proving grounds in Belgian Lommel also seem to be threatened. The American number […]
February 14, 2023
The future Toyota CEO (as of April 1st), Koji Sato, declared on Monday that he wanted to accelerate the group’s development of electrification. However, he also pointed out that the number one car manufacturer in the world had a “communication problem” over its electrification strategy until now. At the end of January, Toyota’s heir and […]
February 13, 2023
Mercedes-Maybach is introducing its first model with a plug-in hybrid drive. This is essentially the Maybach variant of the plug-in hybrid of the Mercedes S-Class. The first fully electric model from Maybach will also be presented before the end of 2023. The plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Maybach S 580 e, now presented, offers a purely electric WLTP […]
February 13, 2023
The German Volkswagen Group plans to expand its software investments, digital services, and electromobility investments. That’s the result of a supervisory board meeting when it weighed investments for the next five years. Related discussions were delayed as the IT development (grouped under the Cariad daughter) ran into development problems, and the first EV products encountered […]
February 10, 2023
Porsche’s new electric flagship should be launched in 2027 and will be a seven-seater, off-road-capable luxury crossover. Porsche previously announced that it is working on an electric SUV positioned above the familiar models. Now, the first technical data have surfaced. According to information from the British magazine Autocar, the SUV will be more than five […]
February 10, 2023
BMW Group is reportedly negotiating with the British Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to receive a £75 million (± €84,5 million) grant to continue production of the electric Mini at its plant in Cowley on the outskirts of Oxford. This comes after British media reported in October that the German carmaker could […]
February 09, 2023
Citroën CEO Vincent Cobée is clear: the energy transition will lead to another smaller, lighter type of car. It could prelude the end of the current hype: the big, boxy SUV. BEVs need more aerodynamic shapes and as less weight as possible. Unfortunately, that’s hardly the case for SUVs. The Citroën boss is fairly outspoken […]
February 08, 2023
Plug-in hybrid cars are still presented as a climate solution. Still, tests on the newest generation of PHEVs indicate they pollute significantly more than claimed on city and commuter routes, says the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E). Two years ago, T&E discovered that the PHEV technology polluted significantly more than advertised on longer routes. Now […]
February 08, 2023
It was already a sneak preview at the Brussels Motor Show, now BMW officially presents the updated editions of its successful Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) X5 and Sports Activity Coupé (SAC) X6. The refreshed drive system line-up includes new combustion engines, a latest-generation plug-in hybrid system, and 48 V mild hybrid technology for all other […]
February 07, 2023
According to a report by the European manufacturers association ACEA, in 2022, global new car registrations reached more than 66 million units, as sales recovered in the last quarter of the year. Overall, more than 68 million passenger cars were manufactured worldwide in 2022, an increase of 7,9% from a year earlier. This was nonetheless […]
February 07, 2023
On Monday, at a press conference in London the ‘new Alliance’ was presented. The aim is to have a more balanced relationship and start a new joint project after a long period of turbulence and disagreements within the Alliance. Mid-January, the seven independent members of the Nissan Board of Directors agreed with the planned restructuring […]
February 06, 2023
The European new car market recorded another year-on-year decline in 2022. According to JATO Dynamics data for 30 markets (EU-26 + UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland), volume totaled 11 309 310 units, down by 4,1% compared to 2021 and the lowest level since 1985. After 14 years, the VW Golf had to give its crown […]
February 06, 2023
The BMW Group is accelerating its ramp-up of e-mobility, and is poised to gain even more momentum with its next vehicle generation, the ‘Neue Klasse’. The BMW plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, will produce fully-electric models for the New Class in the future and is setting up its own high-voltage battery assembly for this […]
February 03, 2023
Volvo Cars plan to turn its S60 and S90 sedan models into fully electric cars. The two sedans are part of a plan to launch at least six new electric models by 2026, according to people familiar with the plans. According to the Reuters news agency, insiders revealed that the six new models include the […]
February 02, 2023
In January 2023 39 847 cars were sold in Belgium and Luxembourg, and that’s 17,4% more than in the same month last year. The positive sales trend emerging since August last year is thus continuing, but we’re still far from the pre-corona figures, with 51 074 cars sold in January 2020. The cars registered in […]
February 02, 2023
Ford lowers its prices for the Mustang Mach-E in the U.S. as a reaction to Tesla. The starting price for a Mustang Mach-E is now $ 45 995 ($ 900 lower than before, (-2%), and a GT Extended Range now costs $ 63 995, a whopping $ 5 900 less than before (-8,5%). Tesla decided […]
February 01, 2023
The specialized sports car manufacturer Lotus, now a part of the Chinese Geely automotive group, will have an Initial Public Offering (IPO) this year, 75 years after it was founded. The IPO will occur on the Nasdaq stock market via a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). Lotus will be housed under the umbrella of L […]
February 01, 2023
Ahead of the unveiling of the Green Deal Industry Plan, Luca de Meo, the new President of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and Renault Group CEO, is urging EU leaders to put in place an ambitious and structured automotive, and industrial policy, to rival those of other world regions. Concerned about the EU industry’s […]
January 31, 2023
Volvo Cars has appointed Jeremy Offer as Global Head of Design. “Jeremy is bringing with him 35 years of design experience across multiple industries,” says the press release. Jeremy will report to chief executive Jim Rowan and be part of the Group Management Team. Jeremy Offer will assume the position of Global Head of Design […]
January 30, 2023
The second generation Toyota C-HR will be produced at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) in Sakarya. It will be the first plug-in hybrid passenger car to be produced in Turkey. In addition, TMMT will be Toyota’s first European plant to start producing PHEVs and the first to be equipped with a battery production line. “The […]
January 27, 2023
Citroën has unveiled its first electric car to go on sale in the Indian market. The new ë-C3 is based on the ICE version, which the French brand launched in India last year, and will hit showrooms in February. The Citroën ë-C3 is powered by a 29,2 kWh battery pack, offering a claimed range of […]
January 27, 2023
Japanese car manufacturer Toyota has announced a change at the top of the group. Koji Sato, COO of the group and president of the Lexus brand and the motorsport subsidiary Gazoo Racing, will become Toyota’s new president and CEO on 1 April 2023, replacing Akio Toyoda in this role. Toyoda (66), the grandson of group […]
