January 25, 2023
Last year was a (or another) tough year for both the passenger vehicle market and commercial vehicle registrations. As a result, the European numbers dropped by 14,6% in 2022, with Belgium being one of the countries that was hit the hardest by supply chain issues. Overall, the number of new commercial vehicles registered in Europe […]
January 25, 2023
The high-speed train operators Eurostar and Thalys merger has entered a new phase. The former exploits high-speed train connections between Belgium and the Netherlands, France, and Germany; the latter between the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and the UK. By 2030, the group intends to transport 30 million passengers annually, or twice as many as in 2022. […]
January 24, 2023
If we can rely on what battery manufacturers are predicting for the next four years, Europe can be self-sufficient in lithium-ion battery cells for its domestic EV production as soon as 2027, and end its reliance on China. That’s the conclusion of NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) after analyzing all recent announcements. That is if […]
January 19, 2023
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted the Belgian Punch Group a €40 million finance contract for further developing hydrogen propulsion systems, like fuel cells and the H2 burning engine, as an environmentally friendly successor for the diesel engine. The investments will be made mainly at the company’s headquarters in Turin (Italy), Punch Group says, […]
January 16, 2023
The Euro 7 ruling keeps throwing oil on the fire. According to the Association of European Auto manufacturers (ACEA), the proposed norm demands a considerable investment for a small ecological trade-off. With practically no impact on the NOx emissions of road transport, the organization pleads that it better should be skipped. However, the Commission put […]
January 12, 2023
According to mobility federation Traxio, the market for second-hand motorbikes experienced an exceptional end of the year. In November 2022, the number of registrations went up by 29,7%. In December, figures even increased to 117,7% (+7 235 units), bringing the annual total to 81 436 registrations (+0,9%). Why this peculiar final sprint? “This unusual year-end […]
January 12, 2023
According to the NGO Transport & Environment, the ‘big bet’ of Europe’s major oil companies on hydrogen as the transport fuel for the future is not so big in reality. A new study on behalf of T&E shows that investments in biofuel refining are eight times bigger. T&E accuses oil producers of not being serious […]
December 30, 2022
Europe is well on its way to undercutting by at least three grams the CO2 emission targets of 116 g/km set by the EU for new car registrations in 2022, according to German automotive data analyst Dataforce’s forecast. It is an improvement of six grams compared to the year before (119 g/km). Eventually, the EU […]
December 20, 2022
Volkswagen Group has told the newspaper Financial Times that it has cut loose its external partners within its CO2 pool. After meeting the CO2 targets last year, with the help of four Chinese carmakers, the output of electric vehicles at the German car giant is now vast enough to proceed on the EV strength of […]
December 14, 2022
The EU members and the European Parliament have agreed on introducing a CO2 tax for non-European companies. The new climate measure applies to the aluminum, steel, and fertilizer sectors and the hydrogen industry. The so-called Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) makes companies outside the EU pay for their CO2 emissions, just as European companies already […]
December 13, 2022
Rivian has pressed pause on the partnership with Mercedes, which sought to jointly build a factory in Eastern Europe to build two large electric vans. Instead, Rivian wants to focus its resources on delivering its consumer products, the R1T and R1S electric vehicles, and its commercial business, building delivery vans for Amazon. In September, Mercedes […]
December 08, 2022
France will ban short-haul domestic flights in favor of the train. The country was given the green light by the European Commission to abolish flights between cities if the link by train offers an alternative solution with trips of fewer than 2,5 hours. But Willie Walsh, the Director General of the International Air Transport Association […]
December 08, 2022
A business coalition of 45 companies is calling upon the EU Commission in an open letter to ensure all new freight trucks are zero-emission from 2035. With exceptions until 2040 for so-called ‘vocational trucks’ in niches like construction, mining, and timber industry having specific driving patterns. Among them are big names like Unilever, Henkel, PepsiCo, […]
December 07, 2022
Commercial Vehicle Charging Europe, the joint venture formed in July 2022 by the Volvo Group, Daimler Truck, and Traton Group, announced on Monday that it begins operating its fast-charging network for heavy trucks, buses, and coaches under the brand name Milence. Milence will initially focus on charging locations in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, […]
December 05, 2022
France will ban short-haul domestic flights in favor of the train. The country was given the green light by the European Commission to abolish flights between cities if the link by a train offers an alternative solution with trips of fewer than 2,5 hours. When the measure was first announced, it was contested by the […]
December 05, 2022
Toyota showcased a design study for its new CH-R, making the current looks even bolder. Luxury brand Lexus has released more details on its rival for the Tesla Roadster, the Electric Sport, which will be mated to a manual gearbox despite its battery-powered propulsion. Together with the European premiere of the all-electric Toyota bZ Compact SUV […]
November 29, 2022
In an update on its Luke EV project, Czech start-up MW Motors says it has extensively overhauled its Luka EV. New on the all-electric retro-styled car is a water-cooled motor, a bigger battery pack, better brakes, and a faster charger. And to provide more space and comfort, the interior has been redesigned completely. Chances are […]
November 28, 2022
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has confirmed the decision to expand the Ultra-Low-Emission Zone (ULEZ) to all of Greater London. After the conclusion of a consultation round, Khan has now put a date on the expansion. As of the 29th of August 2023, older polluting cars will have to pay a fee to enter […]
November 16, 2022
Within a few weeks, the European Commission will review the truck’s CO2 standards, and lobbying groups of the industry and the environmental NGOs are bringing the heavy cannons to bear for the last influencers’ battle. So does Transport & Environment, publishing a study proving e-fuels can’t compete with battery electric trucks even in the most […]
November 14, 2022
Last week, the Commission proposed reducing air pollution from new motor vehicles sold in the EU. The aim is to meet the European Green Deal’s zero-pollution ambition while keeping vehicles affordable for consumers and promoting Europe’s competitiveness. The proposal tackles emissions from tailpipes as well as from brakes and tires. The latter will also apply […]
November 09, 2022
A new name and considerably more range. Those two novelties sum up the facelift for the Audi e-tron and its more dynamic coupé-like version, the Sportback. The updated model is easily recognizable by its new nose, featuring a more prominent grille and a led strip between the headlights. At the back, the badge has been […]
November 07, 2022
The French Minister of Transportation, Clément Beaune, pleads for a review clause in 2026 to readdress the end of the combustion engine in Europe by 2035. Beaune joins his compatriot Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs, who told European carmakers to keep investing in and assembling the internal combustion engine. In an interview with […]
November 03, 2022
Europe is warming up twice as fast as the rest of the world. Between 1991 and 2021, temperatures in Europe increased by 0,5°C per decade. These figures are reported by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The ‘State of the Climate in Europe’ report was drawn up together with Copernicus, the EU’s climate research service, and […]
November 03, 2022
General Motors has confirmed its return to Europe with electric cars. This can be deduced from the announcement that Jaclyn McQuaid has been appointed President and CEO of GM Europe. So far, the carmaker has revealed little about its new plans except that they involve a non-traditional approach to mobility centered around electric vehicles. McQuaid […]
October 28, 2022
Thursday evening, the negotiators of the European Parliament and the Member States have reached an agreement to have all new cars and vans sold beyond 2035 to be zero-emission. It’s the ultimate step to have the ban on gasoline and diesel cars, including (plugin-) hybrids, written in stone before final ratification. “This extremely far-reaching decision […]
October 28, 2022
After 100 days in charge of the VW brand, Thomas Schäfer has shed some light on future plans. He announced that the deadline for an all-electric line-up in Europe has been advanced to 2033 and that a 25 000 euros electric car is in the making. However, the brand must also rationalize its production strategy. […]
October 27, 2022
The Spanish government has released details on its funding program PERTE, which must support the transition of its old automotive manufacturing ecosystem into a modern hub for electric vehicle production and battery manufacturing. Volkswagen’s branch, Seat, will receive half of the reserved subsidies, worth almost 900 million euros. This turns Seat into the top recipient […]
October 25, 2022
Allier, in the center of France, awaits one of the most promising mining fields for lithium in Europe. Primarily because of its strategic position and size. The industrial minerals group Imerys announced Monday that it will start mining this lithium deposit by 2027. The site in Allier will be “one of the largest” in Europe […]
October 24, 2022
The new Euro 7 ruling for tailpipe emissions is reportedly not going to be as drastic as feared. It seems that the European Commission is giving some leeway to carmakers who strongly lobbied against stringent measures. The new ruling will most likely eclipse the current standards for gasoline-powered vehicles under Euro 6. According to the […]
October 24, 2022
Several major European cities and NGOs have urged the EU Commission in a letter to push through sales of zero-emission city buses only no later than 2027. They fear without action from the EU, there will not be enough incentive for the bus industry to ramp up production and supply to keep pace with demand. […]
October 21, 2022
On Wednesday, the European Parliament adopted the new ‘Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation’, abbreviated as AFIR, which set forth minimum requirements for charging infrastructure and hydrogen refueling all over Europe. In the new AFIR regulations, every member state is required to build charging stations for EVs at least every 60 kilometers on highways. For hydrogen stations, […]
October 21, 2022
The Chinese manufacturer BYD has finally launched its attack on the European market. After starting in Norway two years ago, BYD now wants to deliver its vehicles to Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The markets in Austria, France, and Great Britain are still to follow in 2022. To do so, it will […]
October 21, 2022
Despite the remaining obstacles, 30% of French people are considering buying an electric car and 54% a hybrid. Only 12% of French people say they are “attached” to the internal combustion vehicle. This is evident from an online survey of about 1 300 people conducted by Odoxa, a French polling company. In 2035, when it […]
October 18, 2022
At the press day of the Paris Motor Show on Monday, CEO of Stellantis Carlos Tavares lashed out at European policy concerning electrification. He stated that a ‘made in Europe’ label should receive preferential subsidies. He also repeated his warning on the social implications of abolishing the combustion engine, claiming electrification is too expensive for […]
October 17, 2022
According to Transport and Environment (T&E), sales of European electric vehicles are cooling because current CO2 rules are not compelling enough. The organization also warns that this could erode the competitiveness of European car brands, with Chinese newcomers absorbing an important piece of the market. In the first half of 2022, sales of electric cars […]
October 13, 2022
According to data from the European constructors’ federation ACEA, 6 of 27 EU countries have less than one EV charging point per 100 km of road, with fast charging availability also below the level needed to support the growing electric vehicle market share. It’s not the first time that the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) […]
October 12, 2022
For the second time this year, 35 000 young Europeans have a chance to win a free train ticket to travel around Europe. The so-called autumn call is open until 25 October at noon to applicants from Erasmus+ countries. To win a ticket, young people are invited to apply on the European Youth website and […]
October 10, 2022
US giant Amazon plans to more than double its fleet of electric vehicles making deliveries in Europe. The multinational technology company that focuses on e-commerce, among others, is planning an investment of more than 1 billion euros over five years, it announced on Monday, to work on decarbonizing its transport network in Europe. Amazon, the world’s largest […]
October 03, 2022
The 100th-anniversary edition of the Brussels Motor Show (BMS, 14-22 January 2023) will host the Award Ceremony for the election of the Car of the Year (COTY) for 2023. In past years, the ceremony took place at the beginning of March at the Geneva Motor Show. The Swiss Motor Show didn’t take place in the […]
September 26, 2022
In a joint letter to EU policymakers, Mazda, a coalition of fuel makers, and CLEPA, the European association of automotive parts suppliers, ask to safeguard an additional route to defossilize transport next to electrification. According to the alliance, the high cost of raw materials, geopolitical uncertainty, and a complex roll-out of sufficient charging infrastructure across […]
September 23, 2022
With the launch of the G9, Chinese EV maker XPeng is trying to make up for a difficult year. The detailed specifications unveil a high-end SUV with a charging capability that dethrones the Porsche Taycan as the fastest in the world. In August, XPeng Motors showcased a new 480 kW ultra-fast supercharger so that, in […]
September 22, 2022
The European Commission has given 13 member states the green light to boost hydrogen projects with up to €5,2 billion in state funding, an exception to the standard policy because considered an ‘Important Project of Common European Interest’ (IPCEI). The Hy2Use state funding project was jointly prepared and notified by thirteen Member States: Austria, Belgium, […]
September 21, 2022
Wednesday, 21st of September, Belgian circular materials technology company Umicore inaugurated its carbon-neutral production facility for cathode-active materials for electric vehicles in Nysa, in the south of Poland. It will be Europe’s first ‘gigafactory’ with a complete circular and sustainable battery materials value chain. The gigafactory will supply battery materials to Umicore’s car and battery […]
September 19, 2022
Despite the stormy climate at the stock exchange, with a recession looming and profit warnings ringing alarm bells, Volkswagen is launching an IPO of its goldcrest Porsche on the 29th of September. Referring to its most iconic sports model, 911 million shares will be made publicly available, representing a quarter of the company. On Sunday, […]
September 15, 2022
The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has conducted a study on the viability of decarbonizing European road transport with hydrogen trucks by 2030. It appears that, even with dropping (green) hydrogen prices and more stringent CO2 reduction measures, subsidies will still be needed to bridge the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) gap between renewable […]
September 08, 2022
The sky-rocketing gas prices are making another victim. As a raw material for the production of AdBlue, Germany’s biggest manufacturer of the additive SKW, Piesteritz warns of a shortage. The projected bottleneck could severely impact the logistics sector. The urea-based fluid AdBlue became a prerequisite for trucks and passenger vehicles with the Euro 6 norms […]
August 25, 2022
While Europe is in a catch-up race for battery cell production, it holds a top position worldwide for producing electric motors used in electric cars and wind turbines. However, because of the sector’s strong dependence on imports for its rare earth materials, Europe has kickstarted the REEsilience project. This must investigate local sourcing while setting […]
August 19, 2022
The Chinese carmakers aren’t taking Europe by storm. Only 5,4% of the electric cars on the continent come from a Chinese manufacturer, and the significant majority is attributed to only two brands. Covid-19 restrictions in the homeland are also clipping their commercial span width. Figures from German data company Matthias Schmidt shed light on the […]
August 19, 2022
The new VW ID.Buzz has popularity written all over its nose. Having opened the car configurator in May 2022, the German car manufacturer has already sold most of this year’s planned output. With already 1 000 orders, Belgium is growing a solid and dedicated fan base for the electric flower power van. It shouldn’t be […]
August 05, 2022
Has the famous VW Golf reached a dead-end? In an interview with German newspaper Welt Volkswagen brand CEO Thomas Schäfer admitted that the future existence of its core model no longer is to be considered a certainty, unlike in the past. The German automaker’s new CEO, Thomas Schäfer, expressed strong caution about the Golf’s future, […]
August 01, 2022
BMW has scaled up battery production at its Leipzig plant. The additional battery production line will enable the Leipzig plant to assemble battery units for the i4, after it had previously mainly produced batteries for the iX. The second production line for battery modules has just started up at the Leipzig production site, which began […]
July 27, 2022
The French government has abolished the decree imposing technical control for motorbikes over 125 cc from 2023. President Emmanuel Macron is thus fulfilling his promise, even though the measure should be compulsory from this year according to a European directive. According to the French Minister for Transport, Clément Beaune, “other methods can effectively achieve the […]
July 22, 2022
The number of low-emission zones (LEZs) in Europe has increased by 40% over the past three years. The statement comes from the European Clean Cities Campaign, a coalition of NGOs whose goal is to achieve emission-free mobility in major European cities by 2030. In Belgium, only Brussels has announced a complete phase-out of fossil fuels […]
July 14, 2022
The world’s largest car industry supplier, the German Bosch Group, has announced it will invest €3 billion in semiconductors between now and 2026. It is encouraged by the recently emitted European ambitions to secure Europe’s autonomy in the field. “We are preparing ourselves for an ever-increasing demand for chips,” said Bosch CEO Stefan Hartung on […]
July 08, 2022
Six years after Tesla completed its first Gigafactory, Volkswagen has begun building its own in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony. The construction start marks the roll-out of no less than six battery cell factories for Europe under Volkswagen’s PowerCo umbrella. “Today is a good day for the automotive industry and Europe.” Those were the words of German […]
July 08, 2022
On Thursday, the European Parliament agreed to set a roadmap for the sector to fly on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from food waste, animal fat, or hydrogen, and CO2 instead of pure fossil kerosine. The MEPs went further than the EU Commission, setting the bar to 85% added SAF by 2050 instead of the […]
July 07, 2022
The Members of the European Parliament (MEP) no longer object to the controversial proposition of the European Commission to give some investments in nuclear energy and natural gas a green and sustainable label. From now on, they will get a green label in the classification system for investors. According to the European Commission, gas and […]
July 07, 2022
With a market share of 18% or 1 744 520 newly registered cars in Europe, the ‘electrically chargeable’ car uptake has multiplied tenfold in the last five years. That means almost one in five cars sold has a plug (BEVs and PHEVs), compared to one in ten (10,5%) the year before. It’s one of the […]
July 06, 2022
On Tueday, the EU agreed on the Commission’s updated proposal to toughen emission ratings for plug-in hybrids (PHEV) by 2025 to mimic better the actual amount of CO2 they emit on the road, being sometimes three times higher than assumed. The so-called ‘utility factor’, used to calculate the share of electric driving in estimating CO2 […]
June 29, 2022
Early in the morning on Wednesday, the 27 member states of the European Council approved the ‘Fit for 55’ climate plan of the Commission, reducing CO2 emissions for cars by 55% by 2030 and 100% by 2035. Despite the last-minute maneuvers of car-producing countries like Italy to postpone the date, the 27 stick to 2035 […]
