Belgian commuters pedal more, even as cars stay king

January 05, 2026

Belgians are increasingly using bicycles for their journeys, including commuting. This trend is confirmed by various mobility barometers and surveys in both Flanders and Wallonia. For the first time, more than half of Flemish people regularly cycle to work. Wallonia lags in this area, but even there, we observe that, for the first time, 6% […]

Dutch drivers flock to Belgium to fill up, paying 40 cents less per liter

January 05, 2026

At the start of this year, fuel prices in Belgium are at their lowest level since the peak prices of 2022. The official maximum prices for fuel have become a lot cheaper than they were a year ago. The fact that prices at the pump in Belgium are so low has not gone unnoticed by […]

From Hefei to Brussels: NIO’s Belgian debut and Hedin’s EV bet

January 05, 2026

When the doors of the Brussels Motor Show open next Friday, the spotlight in Hall 7 will fall on two names that are still unfamiliar to most Belgian car buyers: NIO and Firefly. Their presence is more than just another brand launch at a crowded auto show. It marks Belgium’s official entry point into a […]

Belux registrations: an excellent December limits year decrease to -7.5%

January 05, 2026

According to data from the sector federation Febiac and the federal public service Mobility & Transport, December was a very good month (+23.2%) for new car registrations, limiting the decrease for the whole year compared to 2024 to -7.5%. In 2025, 414,770 new cars were registered in Belgium and Luxembourg, 33,507 fewer than last year, […]

Monarch shelves plans for Antwerp autonomous e-tractor plant

December 31, 2025

The Californian Monarch Tractor, a pioneer in self-driving and ‘smart’ electric tractors, must shelve its ambitious plans. Despite a record round of funding from PMV and other Belgian investors (Belgian industrial families, such as Colruyt, Toye, Adriaenssen-de Spoelberch, Thermote), the American tractor company is imploding from a promising producer of fully electric, autonomous tractors that can plough, […]

Flanders pulls the plug on e-truck purchase aid from 2026

December 31, 2025

From 1 January 2026, companies in Flanders will no longer be able to apply for purchase support when buying a battery-electric truck. The Flemish Government has decided to remove electric trucks from the so-called ‘Ecologiepremie+’, the main regional investment support scheme for environmentally friendly technologies. The decision comes at a time when the electrification of […]

France criminalises speeding of 50 km/h or more over the limit

December 30, 2025

From now on, anyone in France who exceeds the speed limit by 50 km/h or more will no longer receive a simple fine but will be immediately summoned to appear before the criminal court. Just as they would for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they could face a fine of up to […]

‘One in three drugged Belgian drivers takes multiple substances’

December 30, 2025

Almost 30% of drivers caught driving under the influence of drugs had taken more than one substance at the same time, the latest figures from Belgium’s National Institute for Criminalistics and Criminology (NICC) show. Drivers are increasingly testing for multiple drugs simultaneously. The party drug ketamine is also appearing more frequently in drunk driving. Last year, […]

Nearly 2,400 flights canceled at Brussels Airport in 2025

December 29, 2025

In 2025, 2,395 flights were canceled due to strikes at Brussels Airport. The seven-day national union action affected more than 330,000 travelers. According to the airport, these actions cost the Belgian economy approximately 175 million euros. Brussels Airlines says that these seven days of national union action “should not be repeated” in 2026. “We call […]

Green energy matches nuclear as Belgium hits all-time low

December 29, 2025

The results of electricity provider Elia’s annual report aren’t yet complete. Still, it’s already clear that the production of renewables – wind and mainly solar energy in Belgium – will have reached a record high in 2025 – 22.4 TWh. This means that the share of renewable energy in the Belgian electricity mix is ​​now as […]

Brussels LEZ tightening affects prices of used diesel cars

December 29, 2025

From January 1, the low-emission zone (LEZ) in the Brussels-Capital Region will be tightened. Diesel vehicles with Euro 5 standards and gasoline vehicles with Euro 2 standards will no longer be allowed to enter. Brussels car dealers are noticing this tightening, writes BRUZZ. For example, the banned Euro 5 diesels have become a lot cheaper […]

De Lijn raises fare-dodging fines to €127 for first time in a decade

December 23, 2025

Starting next year, fare evaders on the Flemish public transport company De Lijn will pay €127 for a first offense, up from €107 currently. This is the first time in more than ten years that the fines have been increased. More than 2.1 million De Lijn passengers have already been checked this year. On average, […]

Febelauto to introduce €50 ‘recycling’ contribution on EVs

December 23, 2025

The automotive sector will introduce a new environmental contribution to battery recycling from electric and hybrid vehicles starting in 2026. This was reported by Febelauto, the automotive sector’s management body for end-of-life vehicles and their batteries. This new contribution is in addition to the environmental contribution from the vehicle’s sustainable recycling. For a fully electric passenger […]

Despite international controversy, Belgian rail goes ahead with CAF order

December 22, 2025

As widely expected, the board of directors of Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB has placed its first order for 180 railcars with the controversial Spanish train manufacturer CAF. It concerns an order worth 1.7 billion euros. The choice of CAF caused discontent among competitors such as Siemens and Alstom. At the same time, their involvement in […]

Tesla residual values sink Dutch single-brand leasing firm MisterGreen

December 22, 2025

The Dutch leasing company MisterGreen, which built its entire business around Tesla vehicles, is winding down. Betting everything on one car manufacturer is a risk. The decline in car values has eroded the company’s financial health. MisterGreen is set to close after failing to survive a sharp drop in the value of its Tesla fleet, […]

Fastned surpasses milestone of 50 fast-charging stations in Belgium

December 19, 2025

Fastned, the European pioneer in fast charging, opened two new charging stations this month – one in Genk (carpool parking E314) and one in Veurne (near E40) – thereby surpassing the milestone of 50 fast-charging stations in Belgium. This year, the company opened 16 new charging stations in Belgium. The two recently opened stations are both equipped […]

Belgian rail to index its fares from 1 February

December 19, 2025

The Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB only launched new fares in October, but another fare change is already on the way. On February 1st, the prices for train tickets and season tickets will be indexed. Tickets will then become 2.14% more expensive, and season tickets 2.60%. However, day tickets for car parking for train passengers and […]

BMW Belux CEO prudently positive about 2026

December 19, 2025

For the 5th year in a row, BMW is the undisputed market leader in Belgium, a unique feat worldwide. BMW Belux CEO Alexander Wehr was, of course, thrilled with this result at the traditional yearly overview. When it comes to the future of BMW and Mini in our countries (and abroad), BMW’s top manager remains […]

Zaventem police have been unable to use Tesla for six years

December 18, 2025

It sounds like something out of Kafka, but the Tesla that the Zaventem police purchased six years ago is still standing in the garage and has hardly been driven at all. The reason? There is no registration certificate for Belgium because the documents are stuck with a Dutch leasing company. The car will soon be delivered […]

Traxio: ‘About 15% of Belgian cars drive with unsafe tire combinations’

December 18, 2025

Almost 15% of vehicles on Belgian roads are driving around with unsafe tire combinations. Mobility federation Traxio reached this conclusion based on a survey of 1,000 drivers conducted last summer. The general condition of car tires, however, has improved, Traxio says. The Rolling Wheel study was carried out by the Federtyre (the Belgian federation of tire […]

Wallonia allows charging stations at all motorway parking areas

December 18, 2025

Wallonia lags behind Flanders and neighboring countries in charging station density. To address this situation, the Walloon government has made two decisions. Firstly, (ultra) fast chargers are now also allowed at motorway parking areas without petrol stations. And secondly, to accelerate the rollout of charging stations, “Électromobilité”, or Electromobility, is being set up, a committee […]

Citizens in Ghent map air pollution from wood stoves to traffic

December 17, 2025

In Ghent (Belgium), more than 250 residents will be measuring air quality in and around their homes for three months. This pilot project, called ‘Luchtmeters’ (Air meters), aims to map particulate matter pollution (PM 2.5), an essential source of pollution from wood stoves, traffic, and industry. The pilot is also intended to share experiences and raise […]

Belgian rail steps up fight against fare-dodging

December 17, 2025

Fare evasion on the Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB is clearly on the rise. This is once again evident from the results of a recent large-scale ticket inspection. We are observing a similar trend in neighboring countries, along with higher fines. However, there is one notable exception: Luxembourg, because traveling by public transport there does not […]

Rail freight operator Lineas seeks protection through legal channels

December 16, 2025

Rail freight operator Lineas has been operating at a loss for years. After the Belgian government saved the company from imminent bankruptcy in July with a loan that can be converted into shares, Lineas has now applied for a closed judicial reorganization procedure. This should allow the company to reach a restructuring agreement with its […]

ILVO: Flemish gardens store more carbon than cultivated fields

December 16, 2025

Flemish arable land, intensively cultivated and driven over by heavy machinery, has the lowest soil carbon stock per hectare, particularly in the topsoil. Even the average Flemish garden performs better. Frequent tillage, heavy machinery, and limited long-term organic inputs accelerate the decomposition of organic matter, thereby increasing CO₂ emissions. This is evident from the latest […]

Lack of funds prevents Brussels from maintaining its roads

December 16, 2025

Last year, the Brussels-Capital Region spent 3.2 million euros on resurfacing its 800 kilometers of regional roads, well below the region’s own targets. According to De Standaard and BRUZZ, the structural resurfacing program requires an annual budget of approximately 10 million euros to maintain the road network. Every year, at least 10% of Brussels’ regional roads, […]

BYD sets industry benchmark with 250,000-km EV battery warranty

December 16, 2025

Chinese carmaker BYD has announced one of the most generous battery warranties yet. The world’s best-selling EV maker promises a coverage of 250,000 kilometers, up from 200,000 kilometers previously. The increased mileage seems bold, even disruptive, but behind the figure sits a more complicated story about trust, technology, and the yearly mileage European customers cover. […]

Renault Twingo E-Tech Electric: Belgium gets the €19,500 price

December 16, 2025

Renault has put a number on its promise to democratise electric city cars. As promised, the new Twingo E-Tech Electric starts at €19,500 in Belgium, making it one of the very few fully electric cars from a mainstream European brand to slip under the symbolic €20,000 threshold. And that, more than any design cue or technical […]

Belgian rail network fully equipped with cruise control

December 15, 2025

All main lines of the Belgian rail network, covering 6,399 km, are equipped with the ETCS safety system. This train-speed control system continuously monitors speed and intervenes when a train exceeds the speed limit. The rollout by rail network operator Infrabel, which involved installing more than 48,000 beacons in the tracks and equipping more than […]

Last element of Scheldt tunnel successfully immersed

December 15, 2025

On Sunday, the eighth and final element of the immersed Scheldt tunnel in Antwerp was successfully lowered into place. This is a technically demanding operation in which massive concrete tunnel sections are floated into position, then carefully sunk and connected on the riverbed. The final element was inserted between elements six and eight, and there was only 25 centimeters of […]

Skyworth wants to prove that budget-EVs can charge fast

December 13, 2025

Best known until now for televisions and household electronics, Chinese Skyworth has set its eyes on the Belgian car market. To stand out in the plethora of Chinese newcomers, the brand promises an 11-minute charge with grace from the 800-volt network. The question remains whether its K800V SUV can earn enough trust with sharp numbers […]

Brussels Motor Show has high hopes for 2026 edition

December 12, 2025

According to organizer Febiac, the Brussels Motor Show 2026 is alive and kicking. This 102nd edition will feature a record number of participating exhibitors (64), while two-wheelers are back again, with an additional 28 exhibiting companies. Frank Van Gool, CEO at the sector federation Febiac: “Records are always lovely for statistics, but to me it’s […]

Vias: ‘In half of cases, emergency services arrive within 12 minutes’

December 12, 2025

The speed at which emergency services respond is crucial for the survival of road accident victims. The Vias Institute therefore analyzed the time elapsed between answering the emergency call after an accident with injury and the arrival of emergency services at the scene.  In Belgium, emergency services arrive at their destination within 12 minutes (11 minutes and […]

Alstom to slash 150 jobs at Bruges train plant

December 12, 2025

French train manufacturer Alstom plans to cut 150 jobs at its factory in Bruges from mid-2026. Earlier this year, Alstom lost out on a large train order from the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB, which opted for the Spanish company CAF. The unions feared that this would lead to job losses at the Bruges factory, […]

Farmer vs. oil giant trial: TotalEnergies rejects blame for climate chaos

December 11, 2025

TotalEnergies’ lawyers have, in turn, presented their arguments in the so-called ‘Farmer case’, the lawsuit brought by Hugues Falys, an organic farmer from Hainaut, against the French oil giant. Falys holds the energy company responsible for climate change and, consequently, for the storms and droughts that have significantly impacted his business. According to them, a […]

Belgium’s flight tax clash escalates as Ryanair warns of million-passenger cut

December 10, 2025

There has been a flood of reactions to Ryanair’s threats to reduce passenger numbers at Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi by 1 million. Is this a bluff, a negotiating tactic, or will the higher flight tax in Belgium indeed jeopardize Europe’s largest airline’s profit targets? Whichever way you look at it, the International Air […]

All eyes on Brussels: Opel’s new Astra and the fight for its future

December 10, 2025

When the doors of the Brussels Motor Show open in January 2026, all eyes will turn to several ‘world premieres’, and one of them is Opel. The German brand is preparing the fully updated Opel Astra range, including the Astra Electric and the Astra Sports Tourer Electric. And fittingly, Brussels itself has grown in strategic […]

Dutch agree to allow Belgian farmers without tractor G-license (update)

December 10, 2025

Belgian drivers born before 1 October 1982 will not need to obtain a G driver’s license to operate agricultural vehicles in the Netherlands. A new bilateral agreement was announced by Belgian Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) and his Flemish colleague Annick De Ridder (N-VA). From 1 January 2026, these farmers may use an EU […]

New intermodal bridge transforms access to Brussels Sint-Job Station

December 09, 2025

In the Brussels municipality of Ukkel/Uccle, the new Carsoel Bridge over the Schaerbeek-Halle railway line has officially been put into service. The new bridge at Sint-Job station looks like a small square and is set to become a central intermodal hub, designed to promote sustainable transport. The revamped mobility project at the station, which welcomes […]

Belgian old seat belt exemptions no longer valid as of January 1st, 2026

December 09, 2025

From January 1st, 2026, medical exemptions authorising the use of seat belts will cease to be valid in Belgium. Anyone who benefits from an old exemption, issued before March 1st, 2022, and whose state of health still justifies the impossibility of wearing a seatbelt, will have to submit a new application. An exemption is only […]

Traffic fines are increasing by 10% – for safety or treasury?

December 08, 2025

Fines for traffic violations will soon increase by 10%; court fines will even increase by 25%. This was confirmed by the office of Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden (CD&V). In concrete terms, this means that a minor first-degree offense, such as forgetting to signal, will now cost €63.80 instead of €58. A second-degree offense will increase […]

Brussels begins test-drilling in Maximilian Park for heating network

December 08, 2025

In the future, Brussels’ Maximilian Park will also serve as a source of heating and cooling for the surrounding buildings. Test drilling will begin today as part of the park’s energy transition in the North District. Be.SHARE, a project for a low-temperature network, aims to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in the district by replacing fossil […]

Vias study: ‘Why we don’t like each other on Belgian roads’

December 08, 2025

According to a recent study by the Belgian road safety institute Vias, there really is an “affective polarization” in traffic ─ negative feelings and hostility ─ between different groups of road users. People clearly rate their own group more positively than others, with particularly negative feelings toward e-scooters and cyclists. In an urban context, these tensions […]

Fiat Grande Panda and Dacia Bigster winners of VAB’s family car election

December 05, 2025

For the 39th edition of the Family Car election by Flemish mobility club VAB, the participating journalists and VAB members could choose from two pricing categories. In the past, there was a third category for electric cars, but it has since been abolished as more affordable BEVs have entered the market. This year, (partial) electrification […]

Europe agrees to adopt Belgian Car-Pass system to combat odometer fraud

December 05, 2025

There is an EU agreement for a system like the Belgian Car-Pass, at least if it is up to the European transport ministers. With this initiative, Europe aims to tackle odometer fraud in second-hand vehicles across the European Union. The mandatory registration system is primarily based on the operating principles of the Belgian Car-Pass, a […]

New analysis offers a sharp snapshot of Europe’s fast-shifting EV market

December 05, 2025

Despite the (mostly German) carmakers’ lobbying to hit the brakes and give ICE another chance, Europe’s electric-vehicle landscape is shifting fast, and a new analysis from TradingPedia offers an unusually detailed snapshot of which brands and models are winning the race in 2025. TradingPedia, a Bulgarian financial analysis platform that frequently works with industry datasets, […]

Poppy launches new flexible, short-term private leasing formula

December 04, 2025

Poppy, the D’Ieteren-owned mobility provider with its iconic red cars, is today launching Poppy Lease, a 100% digital, flexible offering for Belgian private individuals and the self-employed. The project actually started three years ago under the name MyPop as a test phase. Belgium lags far behind its neighbours in private leasing. A study by Renta, […]

Nissan Belux deploys plans for 2026

December 03, 2025

A lot is going to happen for Nissan Belux in 2026. The recently launched Micra and Leaf are ready for sale; other BEVs are coming. Secondly, Nissan will again be present at the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) in January. Thirdly, Nissan Belux, part of Nissan eNEST (Benelux plus three Scandinavian countries), will be selling the […]

Lizy’s used-car leasing proclaimed ‘Scale up of the Year 2025’

December 02, 2025

On Monday, the Brussels-based company Lizy, which specialises in the digital leasing of reconditioned used cars, received the ‘Scale-up of the Year 2025’ award, marking a milestone for a company that has reshaped one of Europe’s most traditional sectors. The award is granted by EY Belgium, in partnership with BNP Paribas Fortis, L’Echo, and De […]

Kia picks Brussels for its Europe-only ‘affordable’ EV2 world premiere

December 02, 2025

Kia officially confirmed on Tuesday that its all-new EV2 will make its world debut at the 2026 Brussels Motor Show in January 2026, a decision that places Europe firmly at the center of the brand’s electric ambitions. The EV2 has been designed from the start as a European car. It will be the smallest member […]

Brussels North Station recognized as a monument

December 01, 2025

Large parts of Brussels North Station have been recognized as monuments. These include the clock tower, the facades in natural stone and beige brick, the large ticket hall “with its monumental U-shaped staircase,” the seven platforms, and the remaining wooden benches on those platforms. The North Station, located in the Brussels municipality of Schaerbeek, was […]

Doel 2 nuclear reactor permanently disconnected from grid after 50 years

December 01, 2025

After operating for 50 years, the nuclear power plant Doel 2, on the banks of the river Scheldt, was finally shut down on Sunday evening. It is the fifth Belgian reactor to be disconnected, after Doel 1 and 3, and Tihange 1 and 2. Doel 3 was disconnected in 2022, Tihange 2 was shut down […]

More than 5,000 Airbus A320s get major safety software update

December 01, 2025

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has issued a software update for its A320 Neo aircraft. This was prompted by a recent incident involving a JetBlue Airways Corp. aircraft. According to Airbus, this incident showed that intense sunlight can affect critical control data, potentially forcing the airplane into an unexpected dive. Initially, there was talk of a […]

Brabant lowers blood alcohol limit for driving licence revocation

November 28, 2025

In the province of Flemish Brabant, driving licences will now be revoked at a blood alcohol level of 0.35 mg/l, down from 0.50 mg/l. With this measure, the public prosecutor’s office of Leuven and Halle-Vilvoorde aims to further increase road safety in the province. The measure to lower the blood alcohol threshold comes on the […]

Bolt’s shared e-scooters break records in Antwerp

November 28, 2025

While micromobility in Belgium usually slows down from the end of September – due to the weather and shorter days – the Bolt shared e-scooter platform in Antwerp is seeing continued growth, with a record month in October. Since the launch of the fleet of about 1,000 e-scooters in Antwerp in March of this year, usage […]

Ryanair: ‘Belgium shoots itself in the foot with new tax on air travel’

November 27, 2025

According to Ryanair, Belgium is pricing itself out of the market now that the De Wever government has decided that the flight tax will be €10 for all flights from 2027, while other countries are reducing or completely scrapping their taxes. However, the Irish low-cost airline’s comment should be taken with a grain of salt. […]

BMW Belux delivers largest ever order of 723 electric cars to PwC

November 27, 2025

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Belgium has placed an order with the BMW Group Belux for 723 full electric vehicles. With this order, PwC will add 300 new Mini Aceman models to its fleet, along with 423 BMW iX1 eDrive20 models. This brings the total composition of PwC Belgium’s fleet to 90% electric and/or hybrid vehicles, of which […]

How Kia’s EV3 propels the brand to the front of Belgian EV market

November 26, 2025

On the Belgian car market, where company cars account for more than 60% of registrations, no electric model has made a louder entrance this year than the Kia EV3. With 39% of its cars sold being purely EVs, Kia scores higher than the Belgian market average of 33%. And by launching a new EV4, EV5, […]

Judges to be replaced in the Belgian farmer vs TotalEnergies case

November 26, 2025

The trial in the case brought by Hugues Falys, a farmer from Hainaut, against oil giant TotalEnergies has only just begun, but has already taken a surprising turn. The judges who were to preside over the case will be replaced. The reason for this reshuffle? One of the three judges on the court has withdrawn […]

Belgian air passenger tax to double from 2027 for flights over 500 km

November 25, 2025

From 2027, the air passenger tax in Belgium will increase for flights over 500 kilometers from €5 to €10 per departing passenger. This is the second time in this legislative period that the federal government will increase the tax on airline tickets. Brussels Airlines points out that it cannot pay the additional tax out of its […]

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