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 […]
June 27, 2022
All eyes are set on the European council, where the member states search to agree on a joint position after the European Parliament has voted in favor of a ban on the sales of combustion-engined cars as of 2035. However, the deadline could still be jeopardized. Major countries like Italy, France, and Germany support more […]
June 27, 2022
The European Commission calls on all partners in the aviation sector to join forces in an alliance on zero-emission aviation. Over the next two decades, the Commission says, more than 44,000 new aircraft are expected to be on the market. It estimates the potential market volume for zero-emission aircraft at 26 000 by 2050, with […]
June 22, 2022
Some 50% of all charging points in the European Union are concentrated in only two countries: The Netherlands and Germany. These findings were published in a study by the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association ACEA, unveiling a substantial disparity among the member states. At the same time, signals are appearing that the further rollout of the […]
June 17, 2022
Since the US number one car manufacturer sold Opel/Vauxhall to Stellantis five years ago, its presence on the old continent has been minimal. However, that could change in the (electric) future. GM CEO Mary Barra has recently declared that she thought her company was ready to return to Europe. If so, that will be with […]
June 16, 2022
On Tuesday, Hyundai Belux officially delivered ten units of its hydrogen-driven Nexo to the European Parliament’s professional drivers. Within the framework of the EU Research and Technology Development Project, there is already a fleet of ten Nexos operational since May last year. That fleet is now doubled. MP’s can use the hydrogen cars when they […]
June 14, 2022
Car manufacturing group Stellantis (a fusion between FCA and PSA) has announced that it will withdraw from the European manufacturers association (ACEA) before the end of the year. The group and its relentless boss Carlos Tavares are not happy with the way ACEA has failed to influence the EU decision on banning all ICE cars […]
June 09, 2022
Europe has taken a historic step on Wednesday with the Parliament voting a ban on sales of new cars or vans with an internal combustion engine (ICE), including plug-in hybrids, from 2035 on. Only manufacturers selling less than 10 000 – mostly exclusive sports cars like Ferrari – can apply for a derogation for a […]
June 07, 2022
Renault’s mobility branch Mobilize has delivered 40 units of the Limo model to its first customer, the Spanish ride-hailing brand Cabify. The cars will be operated in Madrid by Vecttor, a subsidiary of Cabify. In autumn, Mobilize will expand its Vehicle-as-a-Service (VaaS) model to Paris, with more European cities to follow in the coming months. […]
June 02, 2022
EV start-up Rimac has raised 500 million euros in a funding round, attracting investment from new players from the financial sector. As not to dilute its share in the Croatian company Porsche stepped in as well, with an undiclosed but double-digit million cash injection. Everybody knows Rimac from its zero-emission supercars, flirting with 2.000 hp […]
June 02, 2022
German villages adjacent to the Dutch border are experiencing a flood of Dutch fuel tourists after the government having lowered the pump prices. With differences of some 25 euros per tank herds of drivers from the Netherlands are crossing the border for a cheaper fill. The German police is patrolling to keep the local traffic […]
June 01, 2022
Lexus took the wraps from its completely redesigned RX, the fifth generation successor of one of the very first SUVs in Europe. The car finally offers a plug-in hybrid version, puts dynamism at the forefront, and introduces a turbo version. Some sacred shrines are scattered to pieces by Lexus. While the Japanese, living in strongly […]
May 31, 2022
As part of a complete network of five hydrogen filling stations, DATS24 opened a second unit in Wilrijk yesterday. The forecourt lies along the busy lanes of the A12 and not far from the city of Antwerp, where garbage trucks drive on the emission-free fuel carrier. The plan for DATS24 to roll out several hydrogen […]
May 30, 2022
Arne Christiani, mayor of Grünheide, has confirmed that Tesla has applied for an expansion of the Gigafactory. The newly developed area must provide the factory with logistics space, parking and a goods station. The expansion covers 100 hectares, but the mayor assumes that the permission will be granted. Tesla’s expansion plans are not new. In […]
May 25, 2022
The Italian government has received two offers to acquire a majority stake in the Italian airline ITA Airways, the successor of Alitalia. One offer comes from Lufthansa, joining hands with the Swiss maritime group MSC. The other comes from an American investment group, Certares Management. This offer is backed by Air France/KLM and the American […]
May 19, 2022
Together with Denmark, Germany, and The Netherlands, Belgium will increase the capacity of wind turbines in the North Sea tenfold by 2050, to a total capacity of 150 gigawatts. Prime Minister Alexander De Croo (Open VLD) signed an agreement on this on Wednesday in Esbjerg, Denmark. The sky-high energy prices and the ongoing military conflict […]
May 18, 2022
Volvo Trucks has inaugurated a factory for battery assembly in Ghent, aside from its plant for truck assembly to support its electrification program. The site will not complete cells but put together packs supplied by Samsung SDI. Volvo Trucks already has several all-electric heavy-duty vehicles in its portfolio with the FH, FM, FMX, FE, and […]
May 13, 2022
The Environmental Committee of the European Parliament has voted in favor of a sales ban on internal combustion engines for cars and vans as of 2035. The Committee dismissed synthetic fuels as a solution and didn’t adopt new interim CO2 targets for the automotive industry. The European lawmakers stayed close to the original proposal by […]
May 12, 2022
Some 15 months after creating the Stellantis Group, Group CEO Carlos Tavares makes several new management appointments. Opel boss Uwe Hochgeschurtz, who only took up his post last year, is leaving the brand to replace Maxime Picat at parent company Stellantis. The latter takes over as the group’s head of purchasing and supply chain. “The […]
May 10, 2022
Californian premium EV maker Lucid Motors is landing in Europe on Friday, May 13th, with the opening of its first Studio outside the American continent in Munich, Germany. In an introduction video, the company announces that it will start delivering in Europe in June or July. Lucid also mentions a plan to set up its […]
May 09, 2022
Next month, BMW will launch the i3, but only on the Chinese market. It’s an extended version of the 3-Series marketed in Europe. This i3 eDrive35L will also be built locally at the Chinese BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. and will be offered with a 100% electric drive. For the time being, there are no plans […]
May 06, 2022
The annual report of Car Pass, the organization that has been charting odometer fraud for 15 years, reveals that in the past year 1 578 cases of odometer fraud were detected in Belgium. The biggest problem is still with vehicles that come from abroad, there is even a 2% increase in the number of fraud […]
April 29, 2022
The new Port of Antwerp-Bruges, a fusion of the harbors of Antwerp and Zeebrugge, wants to become “the green entry to Europe”. Its ambitions are not to be sneezed at: Port of Antwerp-Bruges wants to become Europe’s largest international export harbor, and at the same time reconcile economy and climate. Port of Antwerp-Bruges is determined […]
April 28, 2022
Belgian materials group Umicore has struck a deal with Automotive Cells Company (ACC), the battery joint venture between Mercedes, Stellantis, and TotalEnergies. Umicore will supply the battery factories from ACC with next-generation high-nickel cathode material through its Polish factory. The Belgian company now has three major auto groups in its portfolio since it has already […]
April 22, 2022
Brussels-based NGO Transport & Environment states in a new analysis report that the charging infrastructure in Europe will keep pace with the uptake of electric vehicles by 2035, when the combustion engine would be banned. T&E forecasts 10,4 million public chargers for 131 million EVs in Europe by 2035. It counters the persistent warnings by […]
April 14, 2022
Together with Portuguese oil firm Galp, Swedish battery manufacturer Northvolt wants to construct and exploit the biggest factory for lithium conversion in the EU. The two partners have set up the Aurora joint venture to reach that ambition. According to both companies, the lithium conversion process will be the most sustainable in the industry. When […]
April 06, 2022
Up until corona times, aviation was the fastest-growing carbon polluter in the European Union. Still, it is one of the top receivers of free pollution permits relative to their emissions under the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS in short). The EU ETS is a cornerstone of the EU’s policy to combat climate change […]
April 04, 2022
No, it wasn’t an April fools’ joke. On Friday, April 1st, EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton appealed to European carmakers, asking them to continue manufacturing combustion engine cars despite their ban in the EU from 2035. “Even if Europe bans the sale of internal combustion engines, other countries in the world will continue to […]
April 01, 2022
The ongoing invasion of Ukraine is forcing carmakers worldwide to halt their Russian operations. Parts supplies are running very low now, forcing the last operational factories to shut down the assembly lines. Still, a handful of car manufacturers keep exporting to the country to save some sales. On Thursday, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares announced that […]
April 01, 2022
Founded by a bunch of former automotive engineers, the French company Midipile intends to revolutionize urban last-mile deliveries with an electric pedal car made from sustainable materials. To ensure that the zero-carbon cycle is guaranteed, Midipile recuperates all of its vehicles at the end of their lifecycle. In many ways, the Midipile resembles a soapbox. […]
March 30, 2022
Porsche CEO Oliver Blume has hinted at an all-electric 911, confessing that solid-state batteries might be the technology that is up to the task of modernizing the legacy model. Bringing it into zero tailpipe emission territory without compromising on driving pleasure. He shed some light on the future of Porsche’s product line-up while talking about […]
March 29, 2022
Last year, the number of traffic deaths in the European Union increased by 5% compared to 2020. In 2021, 19 800 people died in traffic, or 1 000 more than one year before. Still, these figures were 13% lower compared to pre-corona times. The figures were published on March 28th by the European Commission. The […]
March 29, 2022
Data from thousands of Dutch Mercedes drivers will be used to gather information on the status of roads and help to identify hazardous traffic spots. Mercedes has won a two-year contract with the Ministery of Transport and Public Works, making the info from its cars on the road readily available for the authorities and subcontractors. […]
March 28, 2022
Problems with the delivery of cable harnesses force Volkswagen to postpone the launch of its all-electric ID.5 cross-over coupé by a month. Usually, these parts are sourced from a Ukrainian subcontractor, but the supply has stalled because of the Russian invasion. However, the supplying factory rebooted last week. The ID.5 was scheduled for launch at […]
March 25, 2022
According to Transport & Environment, the bioenergy sector burns every day a grain volume to the equivalent of 15 million loaves of bread to make ethanol for our fuels. The organization calls it immoral to continue driving on biofuels with grain prices skyrocketing. In stark contrast, the ethanol lobby claims this is the time to […]
March 25, 2022
The Japanese carmaker Nissan has announced that it will refrain from investing in Euro 7-compliant pure combustion vehicles. Instead, the Japanese company will only introduce new passenger cars in Europe with partially or fully electric drives from 2023. The company expects 75% of its new cars in the region to be electrified by the 2026 […]
March 24, 2022
Pressure has risen on French companies Renault and TotalEnergies to the degree that both have taken measures to cut their Russian ties. The moves come after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky personally addressed several French companies in a video conference. Renault has now announced that it will suspend its industrial activities in the country and that […]
March 24, 2022
All roads lead to Rome, so the saying goes, and that cliché is once again confirmed. The Via Romae, also known as the Euro Velo 5 cycle route, now crosses the heart of Brussels. On Wednesday, Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) inaugurated the new road signs at the Cinquantenaire Park that show […]
March 24, 2022
Mercedes has acquired a third of the Automotive Cells Company (ACC) shares as an equal partner, a joint venture with Stellantis and Saft (TotalEnergies). ACC also announced that it would increase its output to 120-gigawatt hours per year across its entire production chain. The joint venture will build a third factory in Italy to meet […]
March 23, 2022
At the assembly plant of Spring Hill in Tenessee, Cadillac has started production of its first all-electric vehicle, the Lyriq SUV. The Lyriq is a milestone, internally called “the standard for future Cadillacs.” If you’re waiting for the Lyriq to hit European shores, you’ll have to remain patient. “The Lyriq is a global project and, […]
March 21, 2022
Getlink, the operator of the Chunnel, wants to order a set of trains to lease them to third parties that can step into competition with Eurostar’s Shuttle on the cross-channel journey. The interest is there, says the operator, and if everything goes according to plan, the first trains could be delivered by 2026. The former […]
March 18, 2022
By 2025, there will be an electric Maserati across the entire range, and by 2030, the last car with a combustion engine will have left the factory. That was the CEO of Maserati Davide Grasso’s message in a nutshell on Thursday’s media briefing on the financial results of the carmaker for 2021. Grasso also released […]
March 18, 2022
The Ministers for the Environment of the European Union have reached an agreement in Brussels on the rules for using and reusing industrial batteries and batteries for domestic use. Future batteries should be more sustainable, reusable, and have a longer life-span. This implies that the production, use, and processing of used batteries has to become […]
March 17, 2022
Audi took the wraps from the A6 Avant e-tron concept as a prelude to its annual media conference. The station wagon is the second concept hinting at Audi’s electric future in the mid-size executive class, sharing most of its technology with the A6 Sportback e-tron unveiled in Shanghai last year. The message? Audi is not […]
March 16, 2022
According to an analysis by Wells Fargo, global car production could shrink with up to 700 000 units during the first half of the year or 15% of Europe’s output. With 17 factories, Ukraine is one of the top producers of wire harnesses, which is in particularly high demand for building EVs. Due to the […]
March 15, 2022
The European Union is envisioning a total ban on exporting to Russia premium and luxury cars from brands like Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Porsche, among others, as part of its fourth package of sanctions. According to Bloomberg news agency, it would apply to all models above €50 000. It also would include […]
March 15, 2022
According to the statistics of the European manufacturers’ organization, ACEA, almost one-third (31,2%) of the newly registered buses in the EU are already powered by alternative fuels. The other two-thirds are still diesel-powered. Overall in 2021, 68,8% of all new buses registered in the European Union ran on diesel. However, electrically-chargeable buses posted strong growth, […]
March 14, 2022
Today, Ford announced significant strides toward an all-electric future in Europe, which will see the company transform and offer a new generation of seven all-electric, fully-connected passenger vehicles and vans by 2024. “I am delighted to see the pace of change in Europe – challenging our entire industry to build better, cleaner, and more digital […]
March 03, 2022
In February, more than three-quarters of the Norwegian registrations were EVs. Moreover, the Ioniq 5 was the best-selling model in the Scandinavian country. The result stands in deep contrast to the European picture, where EVs entering the market have plummeted to half their share at the end of 2021. Though the Norwegian registration figures from […]
March 03, 2022
On both sides of the frontline, the automotive industry has to take measures to cope with the consequences of the hostilities in Ukraine. While local production in Russia is mostly suspended until further notice, international car export to the country is grinding to a halt. Meanwhile, the sanctions lead to the temporary closure of assembly […]
March 02, 2022
Toyota Motor Europe (TME) has sent its first batch of Yaris cars across the channel by train freight. This stepping stone will lead to a broader logistics network that ultimately connects the European plants of the car manufacturer by rail. As a result, it targets a significant CO2 reduction. In France, Toyota’s Valenciennes Vehicle Logistics […]
February 28, 2022
Belgian rail network manager, Infrabel, and rail company NMBS/SNCB will be able to invest an additional 445 million euros in the coming years thanks to European and federal money. The money comes on top of the investments via the traditional allocations they receive. For Infrabel, it is 357 million euros, for NMBS/SNCB 88 million euros. […]
February 28, 2022
The EU Commission has granted 10 million euros to the European Battery Alliance (EBA) Academy to come up to speed. The latter, part of the renewable energy agency EIT InnoEnergy, intends to supply support for the industry to train, upskill and reskill some 800 000 workers needed by 2025 to meet demand in the battery […]
February 23, 2022
A decision has not yet been taken, but Volkswagen has admitted that it is preparing a framework to get the Porsche brand publicly listed. The German group has to reach an agreement with its largest shareholder, Porsche SE, a separate legal entity that despite its name has nothing to do with the sports car business […]
February 21, 2022
Voyah is the latest Chinese car manufacturer to hit the European market. The premium EV brand is opening a flagship store in Oslo. With the first batch of its SUV Free to arrive in June, customers should get their deliveries in Q4. Following the example of BYD, XPeng, and Nio, the company intends to expand […]
February 18, 2022
Already unveiled at the IAA Mobility in September last year, Kia has finally released full specs on the plug-in hybrid version of the all-new Sportage. The Korean car brand doesn’t miss out on its first PHEV version in the Sportage range, claiming that the compact SUV can reach a maximum of 78 kilometers of emission-free […]
February 18, 2022
Sales of electric vehicles, including battery-electric and plug-in hybrids, rose by 109% last year, according to research by analyst company Canalys. Demand for electric cars is gaining strong momentum globally, but the growth of more than 109% shows a very different face from one region to the other. Where electric vehicles represent 15% of the […]
February 17, 2022
As in the rest of Europe, the Tesla Model 3 was the best-selling EV in Belgium last year. It accounted for 2 466 registrations and comfortably took the lead. The podium is completed by the Brussels-made Audi e-Tron (1 887) and the BMW iX3 (1 413). The latter receiving a bronze medal doesn’t come as […]
February 16, 2022
The Swedish automotive group Hedin reinforces its position as the biggest Mercedes dealer in Belgium. It has acquired four additional retail points with workshops in and around Antwerp from Mercedes Group. Hedin already owns fifteen dealerships of the German brand, including three Truck Centers. While it is a multi-brand player offering 32 different makes, it […]
