November 21, 2023
With a 14% share in new car sales from January to October 2023, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have overtaken diesel cars’ cumulative share (13,9%) in the European Union for the first time. Registration of BEVs increased by 36,3% in October to reach 121 808 units. Belgium (+143%) and Denmark (+100,7%) contributed quite a bit to […]
November 20, 2023
Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding), China’s largest private-owned automotive group, has decided to release more shareholdings in Volvo Car Group. Geely offered some 100 million shares of Volvo Car Group at a list price of 37 Swedish crowns, resulting in a sales transaction of some €322 million. Thirty-seven crowns are 9% under the closing […]
November 20, 2023
Li Auto, a Chinese car manufacturer founded in 2015, has unveiled its first battery-electric model: the Li Mega MPV. This seven-seater adds to the recent influx of electric minivans made in China. However, Li Auto promises low energy consumption and super-fast charging thanks to an 800 V CATL Qilin battery. The Li Mega is the […]
November 20, 2023
Industrial start-up Verkor officially laid the foundation for its cutting-edge Gigafactory in Dunkirk (France). The Prime Minister of France, Elisabeth Borne, attended the inaugural ceremony. The facility aims to produce high-performance electric batteries, for which it received a substantial investment of 659 million euros approved by the European Commission. Verkor’s Gigafactory, slated for operation by […]
November 20, 2023
The Californian EV maker Lucid has officially presented its all-electric SUV at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The Gravity will go into production in late 2024, while Lucid expects a starting price for the electric SUV of under 80 000 dollars. According to the manufacturer, the Gravity builds on the Lucid Air sedan, creating “a […]
November 17, 2023
Amazon has announced its foray into the online vehicle sales arena, initiating a partnership with Hyundai, which is set to start in 2024. Customers will be able to browse and purchase Hyundai vehicles directly on Amazon.com. The service is restricted to the US for the time being. On the opening day of the LA Auto […]
November 17, 2023
ABB E-Mobility, part of the Swiss/Swedish ABB Group, has acquired the Swedish start-up Vourity. The latter’s cloud-based technology is designed to simplify payment at charging stations for electric cars with various payment options. ABB is also securing essential technical expertise with the take-over. The acquisition of Vourity enables ABB to integrate the payment terminal with […]
November 17, 2023
The premium electric car brand HiPhi from Chinese manufacturer Human Horizons has unveiled the HiPhi A, a 960 kW/1 287 hp four-door, four-seat electric hypercar. However, it will take some time from the premiere at the Guangzhou Auto Show to the start of production. According to the press release, the HiPhi A should be able […]
November 16, 2023
Financially troubled French Alstom, manufacturer of trains, metros, and rail systems, has to cut some 1 500 jobs or almost 10% of all commercial and administrative positions. At the same time, it will sell business units, although it is unclear which ones will be involved. This should raise between 500 million and one billion euros. […]
November 16, 2023
This week, Volkswagen has canceled one shift on the line producing the VW ID.3 and Cupra Born at its plant in Zwickau, Germany, due to low demand. The same may happen at the second production line if the market does not change. Meanwhile, VW boss Thomas Schäfer is brooding on a cost reduction plan for […]
November 16, 2023
ChargePoint is pushing the boundaries for fast charging in the US. It has inaugurated a cutting-edge platform, the Express Plus Power Link 2000, capable of delivering speeds up to 500 kW. Mercedes is the first customer under the umbrella of a previously announced collaboration for the rollout of a branded fast-charging network. It’s somewhat of […]
November 16, 2023
Porsche has dug up some €250 million for upgrading its main plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen to build the next 718-generation, the fully electric 983-codenamed Boxster and Cayman. That will we done on the same assembly line as its current 982 siblings with a boxer engine or other two-door models like the classic 911. This will be […]
November 16, 2023
As a prequel to its Capital Market Day around Ampere, organized on Wednesday, November 15th, in the afternoon by the Renault Group, Renault’s electric arm is already uncovering its plans for the years to come. These include seven EVs on the market by 2031, one of them a small EV, called the Twingo ‘Legend’, to […]
November 15, 2023
Lynk & Co subscribers in Europe lending their 01 plug-in hybrid to other users have earned themselves back some 850 000 euros in the last twelve months, sharing the car some 18 000 times or approximately for 1,5 million hours. By setting the rental price themselves, some of them even make a revenue of over […]
November 15, 2023
Toyota has expanded its European commercial vehicle line-up with the Proace MAX, a derivative from Stellantis’ Fiat Ducato/Peugeot Boxer/Citroën Jumper/Opel Movano quartet. It features six body configurations and up to 420 all-electric range. On the other side of the world, the Japanese manufacturer has revealed a HiAce passenger van with a hydrogen combustion engine. In […]
November 15, 2023
Geely’s daughter and exclusive EV manufacturer, Polestar, confirmed on Wednesday the successful start of production of Polestar 4, with first deliveries to customers in China expected before the end of 2023. The official launch in all other Polestar markets is planned for early 2024, with customer deliveries in these markets expected within the same year. […]
November 14, 2023
BMW has ended the production of internal combustion engines at its main plant in Munich. The long-announced step was taken to make room for the production of electric cars at their biggest Bavarian plant. The manufacturer has wholly relocated the production of combustion engines to Steyr in Austria and Hams Hall in the UK. BMW […]
November 13, 2023
German automotive supplier and tiremaker Continental plans to cut thousands of jobs in its automotive department to restore competitiveness and reduce costs by €400 million, the company acknowledged on Monday. Continental didn’t give exact figures, but on Sunday, the German Manager Magazin wrote that 5 500 jobs, of which 1 000 in Germany, are at […]
November 13, 2023
Stellantis’s daughter Lancia confirms its return to Belgium and Luxembourg on the occasion of the presentation of Lancia Pu+Ra HPE at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador in Brussels. Other European countries to return to are the Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, and Portugal. The iconic Italian brand has a history of 117 years but disappeared […]
November 13, 2023
BMW started the series production of the new Mini Countryman and its all-electric offshoot in Leipzig. It is the first time a Mini model is being made in Germany. The new Mini Countryman is scheduled to hit dealerships on 17 February 2024. It is also the first time the BMW Group produces Mini and BMW […]
November 10, 2023
Peugeot is the first brand from the Stellantis Group to release details and specs of its revised all-electric minivan E-Rifter. The same changes, which are a tad underwhelming, will soon be followed by the Fiat e-Doblo, Citroën ë-Berlingo, and Opel Combo Electric. It’s part of Stellantis One Pro strategy, regrouping all its LCVs under one […]
November 10, 2023
The Rimac Nevera never stops breaking barriers and world records. After beating 24 records, the electric supercar has become the fastest car to drive…in reverse. On a test track in Germany, it went at 275,74 km/hour backward, thus breaking the official Guinness World Record. Rimac isn’t like any other carmaker. Not only did it manage […]
November 10, 2023
Polestar, Volvo and Geely’s luxury electric vehicle subsidiary, has released its latest financial results and unveiled new strategic initiatives during the much-anticipated Polestar Day event in Santa Monica, California. Guess who’s building Polestar’s latest model, the 4? Polestar Day is a platform for the company to present its technology strategy and innovations to media, investors, […]
November 10, 2023
The members of the European Parliament have voted on the proposed Euro 7 emission standards as foreseen. The original proposal had been watered down by fierce lobbying from all sides, and the final result was a compromise that left almost everybody unhappy. The EU Parliament will now enter trilogue negotiations with the EU Council and […]
November 09, 2023
Audi’s Györ plant in Hungary has kickstarted electric motor manufacturing for the Premium Platform Electric (PPE). These cutting-edge electric motors will debut in the Audi Q6 e-tron and, later on, in forthcoming new models like the A6 e-tron and A4, which will be battery-only, including future Porsche cars. Audi is in full pace to commence […]
November 09, 2023
The third chapter in Renault Group’s strategic plan Revolution: the ‘electric arm’ Ampere was launched on November 1st. Meanwhile, Renault and the Alliance partners Nissan and Mitsubishi struggle to get the ‘new’ Alliance going. Renault Group created Ampere, “a new model of an automotive company”, aiming to become the European leader in the high-growth market […]
November 08, 2023
Ford Otosan has inaugurated the renewed Yeniköy ‘plant of the future’ in Turkey after a €2 billion investment to improve efficiency and clean energy usage. The new Ford Transit Custom and Tourneo Custom have started production, with the e-Transit Custom and E-Tourneo Custom set for launch in 2024. The €2 billion investment has gone further […]
November 08, 2023
The NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) is furious. The European car manufacturers (ACEA) are fiercely contesting the future Euro 7 standard because it would cost too much. Still, they’ve hiked the prices of their cars substantially, especially of the smaller ones, says a new T&E analysis. “Europe’s five biggest carmakers have raised the prices of […]
November 07, 2023
French carmaker DS Automobiles has announced it would integrate the generative artificial intelligence model ChatGPT into its cars. The AI will enhance the brand’s DS Iris voice assistant, allowing a more conversational experience for the user. Currently, the integration of ChatGPT to DS Automobiles infotainment systems is still in its six-month pilot phase. During this […]
November 07, 2023
Swedish-Chinese EV manufacturer Polestar has signed an agreement with South Korean battery manufacturer SK On to supply battery packs for the upcoming Polestar 5 flagship model. The four-door GT is set to launch in 2025 with SK On’s ‘ultra-long’ nickel-based battery cells. The Polestar 5 is the upcoming Porsche Taycan rival from Geely and Volvo’s […]
November 07, 2023
According to sources quoted by the Reuters press agency, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has told employees at the Grünheide gigafactory near Berlin (Germany) that he plans to install a second production line, aside from that of the Model Y, to build the long-expected ‘affordable’ Tesla under €25 000. Tesla declined to comment, and the ‘source […]
November 07, 2023
According to the data of the car and two-wheeler federation, Febiac, the new car market in Belgium and Luxembourg rose again by 26,6% in October compared to the year before. The cumulative result is 413 308 new cars for the first ten months (+32,5%); the expectation is to land at around 475 000 new registrations […]
November 06, 2023
Tata Passenger Electric Mobility (TPEM) and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), both wholly owned subsidiaries of Tata Motors Limited (TML), have signed an agreement to share JLR’s new platform for EVs, called EMA. It will first be used in the Avinya, which, as it turns out, will not remain a single EV but become a ‘Premium […]
November 06, 2023
October registrations show a Russian car market trying to capture its old form after the collapse of last year. In October, sales soared compared to the month before, almost reaching levels from before the start of the Ukrainian invasion. Lada, the most prominent brand, is losing ground to the Chinese newcomers. According to the Russian […]
November 06, 2023
It’s a sign of the times. Besides the iron-strong profits of the third quarter, Ferrari’s results unveiled that 51% of sales have a plug-in hybrid driveline. It’s the first time in the brand’s history that electrification has outperformed gasoline-only versions. Ferrari further acknowledged that development work on its all-electric model is progressing ahead of schedule. […]
November 06, 2023
In the third quarter of 2023, BMW Group delivered 621 699 vehicles, 5,8% more than the year before. Turnover increased by 3,4% to €38,5 billion, but the net benefit decreased by 7,7%. The latter was a reason for some to talk about disappointing results, while shares nevertheless went up 3,5% last Friday. Blowing hot and […]
November 03, 2023
Hedin Automotive, the Swedish multi-brand retailer and recent importer of the Chinese brand Hongqi in Belgium offers 50 hours of chauffeur service to clients buying a Hongqi E-HS9. The owner of a new Hongqi receives a voucher after purchasing a E-HS9 with a personal code to be used in an application of Get Driven, a […]
November 03, 2023
The Belgian car and two-wheeler federation Febiac will organize a new event in February 2024 to spotlight the Belgian car sector. This ‘Automotive eMotion Summit’ wants to “shape car policies and fleet innovations”, says the press release. A few months ago, Febiac decided not to organize a Brussels Motor Show in January 2024. “When we […]
November 03, 2023
Volkswagen is pulling the brakes on its expansion strategy for Gigafactories in Europe. The German carmaker was to decide upon a forthcoming cell factory in the East European region. Still, group CEO Oliver Blume stopped the process, citing the slow EV market as one of the main reasons. Currently, Volkswagen is constructing battery factories at […]
November 03, 2023
Volvo Cars is launching a new business unit for energy-related products and services. Under the umbrella of ‘Volvo Cars Energy Solutions’, the carmaker bundles technology and services for a comprehensive e-car ecosystem. At the start, there is a V2G pilot project in Gothenburg. ‘Volvo Cars Energy Solutions’ bundles technology and services for a comprehensive electric […]
November 03, 2023
Dutch contract builder VDL informed its employees on Thursday that 2 000 more will lose their jobs at Nedcar in Born (the Netherlands), leaving 450 of 2 500 today as ‘intellectual capital’ to preserve the car factory for future clients. Although Nedcar announced earlier that it signed a declaration of intent to build cars again […]
November 03, 2023
Toyota Motor Corp. raised its full-year outlook Wednesday due to the windfall from a weaker yen, as it reported record earnings for the first half of the fiscal year (2023-2024) on solid post-pandemic vehicle sales in all major markets. At the same time, Toyota is switching the focus of its hydrogen fuel-cell technology development from passenger cars […]
November 02, 2023
Back in 1983, there was no shortage of visionary ideas at Honda as the company marketed a tiny but unique two-wheeler called the Motocompo, which grew into a cult object. It was a foldable scooter that the owner could fit in the trunk of his car and use for urban runabouts long before the ‘last […]
November 02, 2023
Hardly any other VW model is as synonymous with the company car as the Passat estate, often called Variant. Recently, the new ICE Passat was announced, and Volkswagen confirmed it would only bring it as an estate version because of its popularity in the professional car world. But just now, Volkswagen also showed the first […]
November 02, 2023
For 2023, the Japanese renamed their Tokyo Motor Show to the Japan Mobility Show. Strangely enough, we’ve never seen so many sports car concepts in a row for a long time. We had to go back almost twenty-five years to see such an abundance. It was in 1989, when the Tokyo Motor Show moved to […]
November 01, 2023
Despite all efforts to combat global warming, the 425 most polluting coal, gas, and oil projects in the world have not been completed in recent years. On the contrary. International media research has shown that the world still has 425 ‘carbon bombs’ – 195 oil and gas projects and 230 coal mines. Now, what exactly […]
November 01, 2023
MAN Truck & Bus has made its long-distance eTGX and distribution eTGS electric trucks available for sale, with the first units scheduled for delivery in 2024. Both models feature a modular battery pack, megawatt charging, and an 800 km range. Back in 2021, MAN started the development of its electric future with the eMobility Center […]
November 01, 2023
For a specific time already, Volkswagen’s software division Cariad has been behind schedule. The new solution for the problem is striking: instead of catching up with more staff, there is a threat of large-scale job cuts and further delays, says a media report. According to reports by the German publication Manager Magazin, new Cariad boss […]
October 31, 2023
In a new auction of the Capacity Remuneration Mechanism (CRM), the support mechanism to ensure electricity supply in Belgium from 2025, several new battery projects have received support. The temporary lifetime extension of the old Vilvoorde gas-fired power plant is also receiving support. All the 22 projects that participated will receive subsidies, reports system operator […]
October 31, 2023
For almost seven weeks already, strikes have been paralyzing America’s ‘big three’ automakers. Now, the United Auto Workers (UAW) union has announced that an agreement in principle with the ‘big three’ has been reached. Overall, the agreement still has to be ratified by the workers, but that can last a few weeks. According to the […]
October 30, 2023
Scientists from Chalmers University in Gothenburg have developed a breakthrough method for recycling used battery packs, not by complex and dangerous chemical additives but by activating a substance found in rhubarb, white beans, or paprika. The researchers have ties with Volvo and Northvolt. “Until now, no one has succeeded in finding the right formula for […]
October 30, 2023
British oil giant BP’s EV-charging division Pulse has ordered $100 million worth of Superchagers from Tesla to intall across the US under its own brand-name, including at TravelCenters of America, Amoco and Thorton stations, and EV fleet customers. It’s the first time Tesla fast-charging hardware is sold and deployed by third parties. The first installations […]
October 30, 2023
Hyundai Motor Group has decided to put all its design activities under one Global Design Division. The Belgian designer Luc Donckerwolke, already President at Hyundai Motor group and Chief Creative Officer, has been asked to lead the Global Design Division as Chief Design Officer (CDO). The new division has to streamline all design activities, not […]
October 30, 2023
Australian hydrogen vehicle start-up H2X has partnered with Austrian motorcycle and sports car manufacturer KTM to develop lightweight body and chassis elements for H2X’s hydrogen fuel cell van. The ‘Origami’ modular chassis allows the H2X ‘Darling’ to have multiple body options. We first heard from H2X in October 2022, when it tried to homologate its […]
October 30, 2023
Airline Air France-KLM posted its best quarter ever this summer. From the period from July to September, the French-Dutch airline group retains an operating profit of 1,3 billion euros, which is an improvement on the record set six years ago. Profits rose by almost a third in the third quarter compared to last year and […]
October 27, 2023
At the Japan Mobility Show, alongside the premiere of the updated 2024 MX-5, Mazda unveiled the Iconic SP. This concept car marries a dual rotary powertrain with an EV platform, a powertrain approach Mazda recently debuted in the Mazda MX-30 R-EV, an EV with a range extender. “The Mazda Iconic SP is a compact sports […]
October 27, 2023
Stellantis has bought a stake of 20% in the Chinese start-up for electric vehicles Leapmotor. Beyond reinforcing its grip on the Chinese market, the car giant has also stepped into a joint venture for export to nearby Asian countries and Europe. The deal is worth 1,5 billion euros. The news was rumored already since summer. […]
October 27, 2023
British – but Indian Tata-owned – carmaker JLR Group (former Jaguar Land Rover) announced on Thursday it is going to prep its Defender plant in Nitra, Slovakia, like the factories of Halewood and Solihull to produce electric vehicles. JLR wants to launch nine new EVs by 2030 as part of the company’s Reimagine Strategy. In […]
October 27, 2023
BMW is now producing the first battery cell samples, which it will use in the New Class models from 2025. Production occurs at the manufacturer’s new Cell Manufacturing Competence Center (CMCC) in Parsdorf, Germany. Operations at BMW’s competence center for battery cell manufacturing east of Munich have been underway since May. The facility spans an […]
October 26, 2023
To boost profitability outside Europe, Renault announced the launch of eight new models by 2027. Spearheading the new strategy is the already unveiled Kardian, a compact urban crossover based on the platform of the Clio and the Sandero from its budget brand Dacia. After rewriting its alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi, which divided the global […]
