February 22, 2023
According to the figures of the European Car Manufacturers Association ACEA, in January, the European Union passenger car market grew by 11,3% to 760 041 units, starting the new year on a positive note. However, one must consider that this was mainly due to an unusually modest comparison base in 2022 when the lowest January […]
February 21, 2023
Less than a week after opening reservations for the electric 1500 REV pickup truck, RAM has closed the books again, citing high demand. No reservation numbers are given, however, and many of the REV’s specifications remain unclear. RAM presented the production version of the 1500 REV in a Superbowl ad, which shows a pickup truck […]
February 21, 2023
In addition to the battery and the electric drive, Volkswagen Group Technology is now also developing the pulse inverter and the thermal management itself for its electric drives. This was announced at the company’s Tech Day 2023. As with other components, the VW developers have opted for a modular system. The first application will be […]
February 21, 2023
Ford is adding cheaper, more sustainable, and more durable LFP batteries to its EV line-up, starting with the Mustang Mach-E this year and expanding to the F-150 Lightning in 2024. The Blue Oval is also building a $3,5 billion LFP battery factory in Michigan by 2026 to reduce its dependence on external suppliers. Lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, […]
February 21, 2023
In an interview with the British car magazine Autocar, Dacia Vice-President for Sales, Marketing, and Operations Xavier Martinet says that a much greater emphasis needs to be put on weight efficiency when designing (EV) cars. “If we’re serious about collectively reducing emissions, then excessive weight should not be acceptable.” Martinet made his statement when he […]
February 20, 2023
Formula 1 CEO and ex-Scuderia Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali has responded to the EU banning combustion cars from 2035 onward, saying that his sport will never go fully electric. But how will the sport become sustainable and stay relevant, having justified its existence in the past as an R&D activity for future road car […]
February 20, 2023
Chinese battery manufacturer CATL, the world’s largest, will offer decisive price reductions for its battery packs. But only the domestic brands benefit. Tesla, the supplier’s biggest customer, isn’t included in the deal. So are the international trade frictions between the US and China also showing up in the automotive industry? EV carmakers Nio, Zeekr, Huawei, […]
February 20, 2023
Mercedes-Benz sold some 2 million vehicles last year, a 5% increase compared to 2021. Turnover increased by 12% and reached € 150 billion, while the benefice was more than a third higher, landing at almost € 15 billion. For 2023, anticipations are a bit subdued, due to delivery shortages, higher costs and an unsure overall […]
February 17, 2023
After identifying malfunctions in its driver assistance software, Tesla was forced to recall 362 758 cars in the United States. Models equipped with the Level 2 software of Full Self-Driving (FSD) can act in a potentially dangerous manner at intersections. In Europe, Tesla only tests FSD in the company cars of its staff. According to […]
February 17, 2023
Yesterday, Renault published its financial results for last year. The French car manufacturer revived in 2022, compensating for serious sales regress and the costly Russian retreat with significant price hikes and a very profitable Dacia. The turnover of Renault Group has progressed by 11,4% to € 46,4 billion, and the operating margin has doubled to […]
February 17, 2023
VW’s main plant in Wolfsburg has been awarded the contract for an additional electric model from 2026. The vehicle is to be an electric SUV model the size of a Tiguan. The new electric model will bridge the gap until the future core model Trinity is ready for launch. The planning of the Trinity was […]
February 16, 2023
The Netherlands’ only car plant with +4 000 employees, VDL Nedcar, announced it would build the modular electric XBUS and the Evetta microcar for German start-up ElectricBrands. Earlier negotiations with American Canoo and Rivian turned out to be a damp squib. VDL Nedcar, in Born, near the Belgian border, is a contract manufacturer for BMW […]
February 16, 2023
New Volkswagen management has never been very pleased with the concept version of the ID 2. The study, announcing the most affordable and smallest member in the ID. family, was sent back to the drawing board. Insiders have revealed that the overhaul might imply that the car will be badged as Golf when it appears […]
February 16, 2023
The Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini (Lega Nord) is vehemently opposed to the decision of the European Parliament to ban the sales of new cars with an internal combustion engine in 2035. Salvini calls it a ‘folly’ and a ‘bad intended choice’ to which Rome will oppose itself. The member states already agreed with the […]
February 15, 2023
Dutch electric bus manufacturer Ebusco has shared figures from its record year 2022, which saw the launch of the Ebusco 3.0 and an explosive growth to 1 474 e-buses ordered. Ebusco’s workforce also doubled in 2022, but supply chain issues still hinder the company’s revenue. Ahead of presenting its full-year 2022 revenue figures, Ebusco has […]
February 15, 2023
Shoichiro Toyoda, the honorary chairman of Toyota Motor Corp. who transformed the Japanese automaker into a leading global brand, died of heart failure on Tuesday, the company announced. He was 97. Shoichiro was a third-generation scion of the founding family. He is credited with establishing a culture of quality control that helped Toyota evolve into […]
February 15, 2023
Following the positive feedback on the unique specimen presented in the summer of 2022, Mini is now going ahead with a small series of the all-electric Cooper SE Convertible. From April 2023, the car will be available to open-air lovers in Europe in a limited number of 999 vehicles. “Three years ago, we launched the […]
February 15, 2023
It is now officially confirmed that Ford Motor Company is again planning to cut thousands of jobs. Some 3 800 across Europe before 2025, but the biggest part of it will be in Germany (2 300) and the UK (1 300). The proving grounds in Belgian Lommel also seem to be threatened. The American number […]
February 14, 2023
Shortly after agreeing on the future of the Alliance, Renault and Nissan have announced a renewed commitment to India with a $600 million investment that will support the development and production of six new models, some of which also meant for the international market. Just a week after announcing the new, more balanced approach to […]
February 14, 2023
Data from the Californian New Car Dealer Association (CNCDA) unveil that sales of electric cars have boomed by a staggering 62% last year in the county. This has led to a market share of 17% in the Sunshine State. However, the biggest winner is Tesla, which exploits a plant in Freemont locally. The growth of […]
February 14, 2023
Belgian battery materials specialist Umicore announces it will start industrial production of cheaper manganese-rich HLM battery materials to be used in electric vehicles from 2026, next to its ‘premium’ NMC battery materials. It believes “HLM is gaining traction with car and battery cell manufacturers as a differentiating lower-cost, high energy-density, and sustainable battery technology”. Umicore […]
February 14, 2023
The future Toyota CEO (as of April 1st), Koji Sato, declared on Monday that he wanted to accelerate the group’s development of electrification. However, he also pointed out that the number one car manufacturer in the world had a “communication problem” over its electrification strategy until now. At the end of January, Toyota’s heir and […]
February 13, 2023
Wuling can parade itself for building China’s best-sold EV, the Hongguang Mini EV, which was joined in December last year by the marginally larger but just as boxy Air EV. As the Chinese carmaker wants to cement its leading position in Chinese sales charts, it is adding another small EV to its range: the Bingo […]
February 13, 2023
Mercedes-Maybach is introducing its first model with a plug-in hybrid drive. This is essentially the Maybach variant of the plug-in hybrid of the Mercedes S-Class. The first fully electric model from Maybach will also be presented before the end of 2023. The plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Maybach S 580 e, now presented, offers a purely electric WLTP […]
February 13, 2023
Rolls-Royce’s first electric production vehicle, the Spectre, is honored to endure the longest and most intensive testing program in the brand’s history. The Spectre is currently undertaking hot weather testing in South Africa and is scheduled for the first deliveries starting in Q4 2023. Rolls-Royce wants to get it right with the Spectre. Not only […]
February 13, 2023
The German Volkswagen Group plans to expand its software investments, digital services, and electromobility investments. That’s the result of a supervisory board meeting when it weighed investments for the next five years. Related discussions were delayed as the IT development (grouped under the Cariad daughter) ran into development problems, and the first EV products encountered […]
February 10, 2023
Russia is gearing up to produce nine times more electric cars in 2023 compared to the year before. That’s what Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Andrey Belousov told reporters on Thursday. However, Belousov failed to specify which Russian models are supposed to boost the uprising. Last year, Russia produced 2 000 BEV vehicles. According […]
February 10, 2023
Due to the supply chain shortage and global economic constraints, Volvo sales dwindled by 12% last year. This hasn’t affected revenue, which grew by 17%. But profit fell back, while the operational margin stuck to 3,2%. “This is not where we want to be,” commented CFO of Volvo, John Ekdahl. In 2022, Volvo sold 615 […]
February 10, 2023
Porsche’s new electric flagship should be launched in 2027 and will be a seven-seater, off-road-capable luxury crossover. Porsche previously announced that it is working on an electric SUV positioned above the familiar models. Now, the first technical data have surfaced. According to information from the British magazine Autocar, the SUV will be more than five […]
February 10, 2023
BMW Group is reportedly negotiating with the British Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to receive a £75 million (± €84,5 million) grant to continue production of the electric Mini at its plant in Cowley on the outskirts of Oxford. This comes after British media reported in October that the German carmaker could […]
February 09, 2023
Citroën CEO Vincent Cobée is clear: the energy transition will lead to another smaller, lighter type of car. It could prelude the end of the current hype: the big, boxy SUV. BEVs need more aerodynamic shapes and as less weight as possible. Unfortunately, that’s hardly the case for SUVs. The Citroën boss is fairly outspoken […]
February 08, 2023
A new Pathway Report by international consultancy firm Kearney, jointly ordered by electric carmakers Polestar and Rivian, warns that without measures to decarbonize the whole well-to-wheel cycle, carmakers globally will overshoot the +1,5°C climate warming limit set by the IPCC by 75% in 2050. Entirely switching to BEVs across the entire global car fleet and […]
February 08, 2023
Plug-in hybrid cars are still presented as a climate solution. Still, tests on the newest generation of PHEVs indicate they pollute significantly more than claimed on city and commuter routes, says the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E). Two years ago, T&E discovered that the PHEV technology polluted significantly more than advertised on longer routes. Now […]
February 08, 2023
It was already a sneak preview at the Brussels Motor Show, now BMW officially presents the updated editions of its successful Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) X5 and Sports Activity Coupé (SAC) X6. The refreshed drive system line-up includes new combustion engines, a latest-generation plug-in hybrid system, and 48 V mild hybrid technology for all other […]
February 07, 2023
According to a report by the European manufacturers association ACEA, in 2022, global new car registrations reached more than 66 million units, as sales recovered in the last quarter of the year. Overall, more than 68 million passenger cars were manufactured worldwide in 2022, an increase of 7,9% from a year earlier. This was nonetheless […]
February 07, 2023
The US Treasury Department has amended the criteria for clean vehicles eligible for a subsidy under Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). While some crossovers didn’t qualify, the administration has rectified the vehicle classification definitions, which raises the price limits for specific models — a clear win for opposing car makers. The IRA, launched in August […]
February 07, 2023
The European Car of the Year 2023 winner Jeep Avenger has entered production in Poland, making it the first EV produced in the Tychy plant and the first Jeep. Other EV models from Alfa Romeo and Fiat are likely to follow. Stellantis’ Polish factories in Tychy and Bielsko-Biala have been in the hands of the […]
February 07, 2023
On Monday, at a press conference in London the ‘new Alliance’ was presented. The aim is to have a more balanced relationship and start a new joint project after a long period of turbulence and disagreements within the Alliance. Mid-January, the seven independent members of the Nissan Board of Directors agreed with the planned restructuring […]
February 06, 2023
The European new car market recorded another year-on-year decline in 2022. According to JATO Dynamics data for 30 markets (EU-26 + UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland), volume totaled 11 309 310 units, down by 4,1% compared to 2021 and the lowest level since 1985. After 14 years, the VW Golf had to give its crown […]
February 06, 2023
More EV start-ups are confronted with growing pains, as both EV makers Arrival and Rivian have announced staff lay-offs almost simultaneously. Bracing for a price war, Rivian decided – again – to cut 6% of its workforce, while Arrival is forced to let go of half of its global employees. At Arrival in London, the […]
February 06, 2023
Ford and Red Bull have announced their partnership for the 2026 Formula 1 season, the year where new technical regulations move the sport toward sustainability. Ford and Red Bull will work together on the power units for both Red Bull Racing and its sister team AlphaTauri. The current championship defender Red Bull had been looking […]
February 06, 2023
Lucien, the bicycle shop chain under the wings of Belgian’s most significant car importer D’Ieteren, is expanding from ten to fourteen shops in Brussels and Antwerp with the recent acquisition of Alpha Bikes (Lasne, Uccle, Woluwe Saint Lambert, and Cyclo Europe (Evere). The rapid scale-up and concentration of car dealerships in Belgium are also seen […]
February 06, 2023
The BMW Group is accelerating its ramp-up of e-mobility, and is poised to gain even more momentum with its next vehicle generation, the ‘Neue Klasse’. The BMW plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, will produce fully-electric models for the New Class in the future and is setting up its own high-voltage battery assembly for this […]
February 06, 2023
A court in San Francisco ruled on Friday that Musk shouldn’t be held liable for investor’s losses after the CEO of Tesla tweeted in 2018 that he was “considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured”. Small recap: Five years ago, Musk pondered on taking Tesla from the stock exchange, turning it into a private […]
February 03, 2023
Zeekr took the wraps from the prototype car that seems poised to accelerate the brand’s launch in Europe. While it was thought to be called the 003, the compact crossover is dubbed X. The launch for China is scheduled for the end of the year, after which the rival for the Volkswagen ID.3 could hit […]
February 03, 2023
New car registrations have dropped to a historically low level in Norway, slinging the market back to the level of 1962. The slump in sales of all-electric cars is also mind-boggling, dropping to 66,5 percent, where it usually sits above 80 percent. Has the Scandinavian Walhalla for zero-emission cars reset its compass? In Norway, no […]
February 03, 2023
Volvo Cars plan to turn its S60 and S90 sedan models into fully electric cars. The two sedans are part of a plan to launch at least six new electric models by 2026, according to people familiar with the plans. According to the Reuters news agency, insiders revealed that the six new models include the […]
February 02, 2023
American silicon carbide (SiC) specialist Wolfspeed has announced its plan to build the world’s largest SiC fabrication plant in Saarland, Germany, to increase capacity for the EV market. The move is supported by a large investment from ZF, with a joint R&D center in Germany also on the way. Silicon carbide semiconductors are more power […]
February 02, 2023
In January 2023 39 847 cars were sold in Belgium and Luxembourg, and that’s 17,4% more than in the same month last year. The positive sales trend emerging since August last year is thus continuing, but we’re still far from the pre-corona figures, with 51 074 cars sold in January 2020. The cars registered in […]
February 02, 2023
In November 2021, Nissan showed four virtual renderings depicting future products. The Japanese carmaker has now materialized one of them, the Max-Out. After the more sensible Leaf and Ariya, this two-seater convertible must add more spice to Nissan’s electrification plans, though details remain scarce. The Max-Out was unveiled as part of the Nissan Futures event, […]
February 02, 2023
Ford lowers its prices for the Mustang Mach-E in the U.S. as a reaction to Tesla. The starting price for a Mustang Mach-E is now $ 45 995 ($ 900 lower than before, (-2%), and a GT Extended Range now costs $ 63 995, a whopping $ 5 900 less than before (-8,5%). Tesla decided […]
February 01, 2023
On Tuesday, US aircraft maker Boeing delivered the very last sample of its Jumbo 747 jets, identified by the ‘hump’ at the front. With the delivery of the 1 574th example of the 747, the curtain falls on an iconic aircraft, also known as the ‘Queen of the Skies’, that played an important role in […]
February 01, 2023
The battery electric car (BEV) has grown its market share in new car registrations in 2022 with 3% to 12,1% overall. Still, range anxiety apparently drives more Europeans to a classic hybrid (22,6%) instead of electric to replace diesel and gasoline cars. Together, the latter still represent 52,8% of new car sales, even with diesel […]
February 01, 2023
The specialized sports car manufacturer Lotus, now a part of the Chinese Geely automotive group, will have an Initial Public Offering (IPO) this year, 75 years after it was founded. The IPO will occur on the Nasdaq stock market via a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). Lotus will be housed under the umbrella of L […]
February 01, 2023
The jostle in job positions at Stellantis Belux continues, as Florian Kraft (39), the Director of Sales & Operations at Peugeot Germany, is taking the wheel as CEO to replace Stephane Levi. Levi, who held the position since March 2021 after being CEO of PSA Belux, is ‘moving on’ within Stellantis to continue his career. […]
February 01, 2023
Ahead of the unveiling of the Green Deal Industry Plan, Luca de Meo, the new President of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) and Renault Group CEO, is urging EU leaders to put in place an ambitious and structured automotive, and industrial policy, to rival those of other world regions. Concerned about the EU industry’s […]
January 31, 2023
Volvo Cars has appointed Jeremy Offer as Global Head of Design. “Jeremy is bringing with him 35 years of design experience across multiple industries,” says the press release. Jeremy will report to chief executive Jim Rowan and be part of the Group Management Team. Jeremy Offer will assume the position of Global Head of Design […]
January 31, 2023
The patience of 90 000 customers with reservations has come to an end. On Monday, GMC started assembling its zero-emission behemoth Hummer EV SUV after production woos have been resolved. The first one leaving the factory was auctioned for $500 000. The all-electric successor to the famed Hummer was unveiled almost two years ago (April […]
January 31, 2023
Didier Blokland, until December 2022 Marketing Director for Peugeot at Stellantis Belux and active at Peugeot Belgium for 21 years, is the new Director of Communications, PR & Events of the Belgian importer of the French-Italian-US car brands. He succeeds Dominique Fontignies, who left the company a few months ago. Blokland took up his new […]
January 30, 2023
Lucid Motors has launched the non-limited Air Grand Touring, with an all-electric range of over 800 km, in Germany and the Netherlands. At the same time, the American manufacturer unveils a very compact drive unit to be used in 2023’s Formula E cars. Lucid tentatively launched the Air, its luxury electric sedan, in Germany and […]
