BMW to unravel its ‘New Class future’ at IAA in Münich

August 28, 2023

At the Mobility Summit in Münich, BMW will unveil the Vision Neue Klasse (Vision New Class), which is believed to sit close to the production model and marks a new chapter in the brand’s history as it embodies its new generation of electric vehicles. The platform will feature 800-volt technology for increased fast charging. It […]

BMW builds new high-voltage battery logistics center in Leipzig

August 26, 2023

German carmaker BMW further invests in its production of electric vehicles and adds a new logistics center for handling high-voltage battery packs to its Leipzig factory, where its first electric vehicle, the BMW i3 is phased out in July 2022. The MINI Countryman crossover is the following fully electric model to be built there. Today, […]

Northvolt and EMR open EV battery recycling plant in Hamburg

August 25, 2023

Swedish lithium-ion battery manufacturer Northvolt and world-leading metal recycler EMR have built a battery recycling facility in Hamburg (Germany). The brand-new site will recycle the vast number of EV batteries that will reach their end of life. The site was officially inaugurated on August 24 by the First Mayor of Hamburg, Peter Tschentscher. The 12 […]

Volvo to release first MPV in its history

August 25, 2023

Volvo has unveiled the first teasing pictures of what is believed to be an all-electric MPV. Dubbed EM90, the car wants to be a “Scandinavian living room on wheels”, as the brand calls it. The final version will be unveiled on the 12th of November. Though Volvo remains tight-lipped about the specifications, the moniker already unveils […]

Norway opens world’s largest floating offshore wind farm… to pump up oil

August 24, 2023

On Wednesday, Norway opened the world’s first floating wind farm explicitly built to power offshore oil and gas installations and is now supplying electricity to oil and gas fields Snorre and Gullfaks in the Norwegian North Sea – 140 km off the Norwegian coast. Crown Prince Haakon of Norway gave the symbolic green light by […]

After 150.000 cars produced delivery starts of beefed-up Polestar 2

August 24, 2023

Volvo’s fully electric sister-brand Polestar has reached a ‘production milestone’ as it calls it, with the 150 000th car leaving the factory. The Polestar 2 is the brand’s first volume car, and now it has started to deliver the beefed-up 2024 version of it. Prices start at €51 200. Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO, comments: “The […]

Lucid releases official specs of its lightning-fast Air Sapphire

August 24, 2023

It’s official. Boosting more than 1 200 hp, Lucid’s top-of-the-line Sapphire model is the fastest all-electric sedan from 0-60 mph. Over a quarter mile, the all-electric supersedan strangles top names like the Tesla Model S Plaid and even a Ducati bike. It’s a dash of glimmer as the company was forced to roll out no […]

Greenpeace: ‘Dirty Dozen oil concerns fool us about energy transition’

August 24, 2023

According to an analysis commissioned by Greenpeace, twelve of Europe’s leading fossil fuel companies are deceiving the public about their willingness to curb their climate-damaging impact by transitioning to renewable energy sources. Greenpeace calls for strict regulation of fossil fuel companies to prevent even more fossil-fuelled climate destruction. The report, titled “The Dirty Dozen: The […]

Second-gen Hyundai Kona Electric starts production in Czech Republic

August 24, 2023

The all-new Hyundai Kona Electric has entered production. The second-gen model is aimed at the European market and produced in the Czech Republic, which should account for 15% of the plant’s total output. The new Hyundai Kona was first announced at the end of 2022 before its full reveal in March this year. The compact […]

This SUV version of the Seal is BYD’s sixth model for the EU

August 24, 2023

China’s number one car brand, BYD, is bringing a sixth model to Europe. It is dubbed the Seal U and represents an SUV version of its compact sibling. The car must rival Europe’s best-selling EV, the Tesla Model Y, relying on cost-saving LFP batteries and an 800-volt onboard network for faster charging. The public premiere […]

First spy shots of NIO’s sub-brand Alps surfacing

August 23, 2023

In China, a car blogger has posted on microblogging website Weibo a series of pictures of a new heavily camouflaged NIO model that allegedly would be the first of the pristine sub-brand Alps. That brand is one of two – the other being Firefly – NIO wants to position in a price range under its […]

Volkswagen ID.7: flagship EV enters production

August 23, 2023

VW’s sizeable electric sedan, the ID.7, has entered production in the Emden plant, where the ID.4 is also produced. The ID.7 brings the MEB platform to the next level with a new, more efficient powertrain and a range of up to 700 km. The first deliveries are expected before the end of the year. It’s […]

Volvo CE brings electric machine production to US

August 22, 2023

Volvo CE (Construction Equipment) has launched the DD25 Electric compactor production in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, bringing electric machine production to the US. By 2030, 35% of its product line should be electric. Like its Cars and Trucks counterparts, Volvo Construction Equipment has also started its electric transformation. The company already offers several electric machines in the […]

GM wants ‘more simplicity’ to lower costs

August 22, 2023

During GM’s second-quarter earnings call in July, CEO Mary Barra reportedly said the company is launching a new strategy called “Winning with Simplicity”. It’s meant to lower design and engineering costs and reduce complexity in vehicle orders and manufacturing. GM is aiming to cut trim levels in half to create “fewer part numbers to simplify […]

Mercedes to upgrade its EQE and EQS

August 22, 2023

German premium car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz will reportedly upgrade its EQE and EQS electric models to an 800-volt electrical system from 2025 onward, allowing charging capacities over 200 kW. According to media reports, the switch to 800-volt system voltage is part of a larger upgrade of the EVA2 platform, which will then be called EVA2M. EVA2 […]

Volkswagen sustains sales in Europe, but slips in China

August 21, 2023

Sales keep troubling the German automotive giant Volkswagen Group. Its latest results published on Friday report encouraging growth for the Western European market, but registrations are further decreasing in the crucial Chinese marketplace. In July, Volkswagen delivered 770 000 vehicles, an increase of 12,8% compared to 2022, which was particularly cumbersome because of supply chain […]

Lanzador is first Lamborghini without tailpipes (update)

August 21, 2023

Premiered at the prestigious Monterey Car Week in California, Lamborghini has unveiled its first zero-emission family member. The new Lamborghini Lanzador is the company’s first-ever all-electric car. This cross-over will be offered as a limited run to a selection of trusted and loyal customers. It precedes a fully electric version of the Urus, scheduled for […]

Faraday Future finally delivers its first FF 91 (update)

August 21, 2023

California-based Faraday Future, a start-up with Chinese roots and describing itself as ‘a global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company’ has finally delivered its first car, the ‘FF 91 2.0 Futurist Alliance’ to a luxury car dealership based in Costa Mesa, California, called PCM (Private Collection Motors). The first group of ‘distinguished users’ and Developer […]

Jaguar will withdraw i-Pace next year from all-electric line-up

August 18, 2023

In contrast to prior statements, Jaguar will not extend the lifeline of the pioneering i-Pace when its new line of EVs leaves the factory halls in 2025. In the wake of its all-electric and top luxury haul-over, the company further announced that it will hire 300 new workforce in the Midlands. Asked about the future […]

Retailer Decathlon offers ‘automatic’ e-bike with Belgian tech

August 18, 2023

Sports retailer group Decathlon presented an e-bike with variable transmission on Thursday. The automatic shifting has been developed by E2 Drives in Wavre, in the Brabant Wallon province. The heart of the LD920 e-bike is a newly developed all-in-one solution for the bike drive, which was developed for three years with the Belgian start-up E2 […]

Joachim Sas to lead luxury brands import for Louyet Group

August 17, 2023

Joachim Sas will lead the import of luxury brands like Automobili Pininfarina, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce as COO for the Belux market. Until last month, Jochim Sas was General Manager for Mini at BMW Group Belux, where he left to pursue other career opportunities and was succeeded by Gabriel Goffoy, returning to BMW after his job […]

Indian Mahindra shows ‘Jeep look-alike’ Thar.e electric 4×4

August 17, 2023

Indian manufacturer Mahindra has revealed a new concept electric SUV during an event in Cape Town. The Thar.e blends classic Jeep-style rugged looks with futuristic elements. The company has also teased a European launch of previously-revealed electric SUVs based on VW tech. Mahindra & Mahindra, or just Mahindra in short, is one of the largest […]

Hyundai Motor buys GM plant in India

August 17, 2023

Hyundai Motor India said on Wednesday that it had signed an Asset Purchase Agreement (APA) to purchase a factory from US car manufacturer General Motors in the western state of Maharashtra. The South Korean car manufacturing group’s acquisition of the Talegaon plant in Maharashtra will lay the foundation to increase annual production capacity in India. […]

Porthos CO2-capturing project in Rotterdam gets green light

August 17, 2023

Porthos, a project for storing carbon dioxide from industry in the port of Rotterdam, has been given the green light. The Dutch Council of State has ruled that the nitrogen released while constructing the infrastructure for CO2 storage does not significantly impact the nearby nature, contrary to what environmentalists claim. So the permits issued by […]

Kia EV9 gets smaller brother EV5

August 17, 2023

The KIA EV5 will normally be revealed at China’s AutoChengdu on August 25, but as usual, the very first official pictures of the production version are already leaked via the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), picked up by CarNewsChina. Pictures of the final version show that the newcomer is very similar to the […]

New Ji Yue brand launches first electric SUV

August 17, 2023

On Monday, the major Chinese automotive group, Geely, officially announced the birth of another ‘daughter’, its new Ji Yue brand. Created in common with Baidu, China’s dominant internet search engine company, it’ll launch its first model by the end of this year. However, the Ji Yue 01, the new flagship model, isn’t new. We know […]

Nikola recalls all battery-electric Tre trucks and stops sales

August 16, 2023

After two separate fire incidents, US-based e-truck manufacturer Nikola has issued a recall for all 209 of its currently produced Tre BEV trucks due to a faulty component in the battery pack of the trucks. The company has also decided to pause sales of its battery-electric trucks until the issue is resolved. Two “thermal incidents”, […]

Volvo Cars sells more cars and much more EVs

August 16, 2023

Volvo Cars reported global sales of 54 165 cars in July, up 21% compared with the same month last year. This was the eleventh consecutive month of growth year-over-year. In the same period, fully electric car sales grew 248% to 5 504 units, just over 10% of the total, while plug-in hybrids increased 65% to […]

New Standard versions slash prices on Tesla Model X and Y

August 16, 2023

Less range and a lower price. In the United States, Tesla has reiterated the Standard versions of the Model S and Model X. Both versions cost more than 10 000 dollars less than the Long Range models, which were already discounted significantly this year as part of Tesla’s price war. Selling the more prominent models […]

Vietnamese VinFast leapfrogs Ford and GM after SPAC merger

August 16, 2023

After completing their previously announced ‘business combination’, the SPAC merger between Vietnamese VinFast and the already listed shell company Black Spade Acquisition, shares peaked at $37 on Tuesday after being $22 initially. This instantly made VinFast leapfrogging Ford and General Motors for the time being. These high share prices would value the Vietnamese carmaker around […]

Fisker gives more details on Ronin supercar (update)

August 15, 2023

Today, the Californian electric carmaker Fisker released additional details on its Fisker Ronin Super GT. This all-electric convertible was showcased for the first time at the company’s product vision day a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, the company had to lower its production targets for 2023 again. “The Fisker Ronin is for people who love to […]

Cadillac unveils Escalade IQ, an electric version of its big SUV

August 11, 2023

Cadillac has unveiled the Escalade IQ, an all-electric ‘full-size SUV’, scheduled for production in the summer of 2024. Based on General Motors’ Ultium platform, the Cadillac Escalade IQ gets an enormous battery. The Escalade IQ, which will debut with the 2025 model year, has up to 559 kW of all-wheel drive with two engines. That’s […]

New Chinese brand Omoda targets Benelux to conquer Europe (update)

August 11, 2023

Omoda is the name of a new Chinese brand, part of the Chinese car manufacturer Chery Automobile. The brand will first be introduced in Belgium and Luxembourg at the beginning of 2024. The first car introduced is the Omoda 5, a fully electric SUV. Omoda will also start offices in Brussels and Amsterdam, with teams […]

Ineos to invest €10 million in Antwerp hydrogen boiler

August 10, 2023

The British chemical company Ineos wants to invest 10 million euros in a hydrogen boiler. The boiler will be located at Ineos’ subsidiary Inovyn in the port of Antwerp and will produce steam using its own surplus of hydrogen. This way, the company can avoid losing energy. To make the Antwerp chemical cluster more sustainable, […]

BYD surpasses five million ‘new energy vehicles’

August 10, 2023

Who can stop BYD on its impressive growth path? On Wednesday, the Chinese car and battery maker unveiled that it had produced its fifth million ‘new energy vehicle’.  That is BEVs and PHEVs combined. The news shortly after the company crossed the three-million mark and surpassed Volkswagen as the number one brand in China. The […]

Land Rover to add smaller and electric Defender to line-up

August 10, 2023

A new smaller and electric variant of the rugged Defender is reportedly being prepared behind closed doors at Land Rover. At a recent JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) investor conference, CEO Adrian Mardell confirmed that a new Defender model will come from the all-new EMA fully-electric platform. The British car company recently announced a transformation plan […]

ACEA ‘322 automobile plants operational in Europe in 2022’

August 10, 2023

There were 322 automobile assembly, engine, and battery production plants in Europe, up from 301 in 2021, according to the latest figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). Of these, 213 are in the EU, an increase of 19 from 194 in 2021. These totals comprise 127 car factories, 44 for vans, 56 for […]

BMW i7 Protection is first armored BEV

August 09, 2023

The BMW i7 Protection is the world’s first-ever protection berline with an all-electric drive system. It is driven by two powerful electric motors and meets all the requirements of class VR9 protection without any limitations. The new BMW i7 Protection integrated security concept was factored into developing the new BMW 7 Series range. It centers […]

Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC plans factory in Germany

August 09, 2023

The Taiwanese chipmaker giant TSMC plans to construct a semiconductor plant in the eastern German city of Dresden. After its board meeting on Tuesday, the company announced that a total investment sum of € 10 billion will be involved. The plant will be built jointly with Bosch, Infineon, and NXP, each of which will hold […]

BMW launches its ‘Chinese’ i5 and secures round battery cells supply

August 09, 2023

The German premium manufacturer BMW has presented a particular version of its 5 Series Sedan and the all-electric i5 for the Chinese market. The China offshoots get a longer wheelbase, more space in the rear, and specific design and equipment features. The 5 Series Sedan and the i5 for the Chinese market are produced at […]

Octopus EV unveils second-hand salary sacrifice scheme in the UK

August 08, 2023

Octopus Electric Vehicles, part of Octopus Energy Group, has launched a second-hand leasing offering for electric cars. “We’re making the switch to electric driving the cheapest it has ever been,” says the press release. Octopus’ ‘Nearly New’ salary sacrifice offer makes EVs more accessible to the mass market by reducing costs. Drivers can access popular […]

Lucid bows for Tesla and cuts prices (update)

August 08, 2023

In the United States, Lucid has adapted the ticker prices for some of the Air models to woo over some tempted Tesla customers who can enjoy considerable discounts. Lucid’s offer is only valid as long as the current supply lasts. The company needs to shift some stock, as it reported another significant loss of $700 […]

BYD’s premium brand Denza launches two SUVs in China

August 08, 2023

Denza, BYD’s premium branch and joint venture with Mercedes-Benz, is launching two new SUVs back-to-back for the Chinese market. The first is an electric SUV called N7, which should fight against the Tesla Model Y thanks to a 91,4-kWh battery and up to 700 km of range (Chinese CLTC standard). The second is the N8, […]

CFO Tesla gets sudden resignation

August 08, 2023

The American electric carmaker Tesla has replaced Chief Financial Officer Zachary Kirkhorn. The reason for his departure has not been disclosed. But the resignation of Kirkhorn, who was seen as a possible successor to Elon Musk as CEO, does come at a tricky time, so close to the launch of the Cybertruck. Master of Coin […]

Arval: ‘Five most ordered company cars are electrified’

August 08, 2023

Arval, one of the more prominent multi-brand leasing companies in Belgium, has published data about the most ordered company cars for the first half of this year. According to the Arval Mobility Observatory, the five most ordered company cars are electrified. In Belgium, Arval manages some 100 000 lease contracts for individuals, independents, and companies. […]

Bike chain Lucien also moves into Wallonia

August 07, 2023

The listed company D’Ieteren, which is best known for importing and distributing cars of the Volkswagen Group and Carglass, is further expanding its bike chain, Lucien. Having already opened Lucien shops in Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent, it is now also setting its eyes on Wallonia. It plans to open its first shop in the heart of […]

Ford Trucks readies heavy-duty F-Max on hydrogen

August 07, 2023

By the end of the year, Ford will deploy a fuel cell version of its F-Max, under development at its Turkish subsidiary Ford Otosan, within the framework of an EU incentive. The 44-tonne truck features fuel cell stacks from Canadian specialist firm Ballard. Together with Volvo, Scania, and Renault, Ford Trucks is a member of […]

American customers sue Hyundai over faulty charging BEV models

August 07, 2023

Hyundai and Kia face a class action lawsuit in California over charging faults with some battery-powered cars. Overheating issues at the charging port may result in a discontinued or fragmented charging process. A group of customers dissatisfied with the results from an update is now bringing the case to court. The problem that the Ioniq […]

Second sub-€25.000 EV from Stellantis will be new Fiat Panda

August 07, 2023

Car manufacturing group Stellantis has announced that it plans to launch a second EV next year, costing less than € 25 000 in the standard version. The first to be announced was the Citroën ëC3, which should arrive on the market in the Spring of next year. The second lower-priced EV from Stellantis will be […]

Third Nikola CEO ex-Opel boss Lohscheller quits his job

August 07, 2023

American electric and fuel cell truckmaker Nikola keeps on sailing through stormy waters. Its third CEO in a row, Michael Lohscheller, the ex-boss of Opel in a former life, is stepping down immediately ‘for family reasons’ and returning to Europe. From there, he will stay on as an ‘advisor’ to assist CEO number four, until […]

Fisker presents three new EVs

August 07, 2023

At an event in Huntington Beach, California, Fisker presented its future electric cars that will be on the market by 2026. The models include the Pear compact SUV, the Ronin five-seater sports car, and a pickup named Alaska. Also present a special off-road version of the Ocean, the Force E. “Fisker isn’t standing still,” said […]

Phyron: ‘Artificial intelligence will replace car salesperson by 2025’

August 04, 2023

According to Swedish tech pioneer Phyron, the future for car sales representatives is looking bleak. In 2025, according to their latest insight, artificial intelligence will be able to sell cars as effectively as humans. The development speed of the technology and the eager adoption of it by retailers are the main drivers. As chatbots don’t […]

First Zeekr 001 for Europe rolls off assembly line in China

August 04, 2023

At Zeekr’s plant in Ningbo, Zhejiang province in China, the first model of the shooting brake 001 destined for Europe has rolled off the assembly lines. The first batch is expected to be shipped to Europe from the port of Taicang in mid-August, with first deliveries this year. The new Swedish-Chinese Zeekr, a sister brand […]

BMW’s Start-Up Garage incubator bears in-car gaming for new 5-Series

August 04, 2023

Since last month, the new BMW 5 Series owners can enjoy in-car gaming as a suspenseful pastime inside their cars. Though the concept isn’t new, BMW claims the collaboration with start-up AirConsole came about in record time in the lap of its innovation incubator BMW Start-Up Garage.  A dedicated app in the curved infotainment system […]

VAB road assistance confronted with more breakdowns on EVs

August 04, 2023

The Flemish VAB Mobility Club is also one of Belgium’s largest road assistance providers. While it integrates BEVs in its rolling infrastructure, the road assistants see themselves confronted with more breakdowns on BEVs than the average with vehicles with internal combustion engines. The reasons, however, are not what people would normally expect with electric vehicles, […]

BMW R&D Chief: ‘Energy transition with the consumer, not against him’

August 03, 2023

The German car manufacturer BMW Group sees in the evolution of the car market a confirmation of its credo: an open technology with ample room for BEVs but also attention to other solutions, even (at least for a certain period) internal combustion engines. Frank Weber, BMW’s Head of R&D, said in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: […]

Leasys takes over ALD/LeasePlan in Luxembourg and Portugal

August 03, 2023

Leasys, the new pan-European operational leasing company created by French Crédit Agricole’s daughter CA Consumer Finance and car manufacturer Stellantis has finalized the takeover of the operations of ALD Automotive and LeasePlan in Luxembourg and Portugal. This way, an additional 30 000 vehicles are added to their jointly managed fleet, now totaling 828 000. The […]

Traxio: ‘used car registrations increased by 16,6% in July’

August 03, 2023

Registrations of new cars increased over the last 12 consecutive months, but the second-hand car market is also doing well in Belgium, says mobility federation Traxio. After several strong months, the used car market grew in July, with no less than 16,6% to 57 594 units. Cumulated over the first seven months, the increase is […]

KG Mobility unveils electric Torres EVX

August 02, 2023

The Korean brand, formally known as Ssangyong, KG Mobility, has lifted the veil on its latest electric SUV, the Torres EVX. This new version comes with specific design details, an interior, and a powertrain. Following the Korando e-Motion, this new Torres EVX sits higher in the range, with ample interior space, V2L function, and up […]

Tesla under investigation for loss of steering control

August 02, 2023

U.S. safety regulators, amongst them the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), announced an investigation into 280 000 new Tesla Model 3 sedans and Model Y crossovers after receiving a dozen complaints about steering failures from 2023 Model Y and Model 3 owners, the news agency Reuters reports. According to the NTSA, one issue has […]