Corona and absence of motor show impact car buying intentions

January 08, 2021

Sector federation Traxio organized a market survey to see if the corona pandemic and the absence of a ‘live’ motor show impact buying intentions. 24%  of the respondents say that corona impacts their buying intention; more than 17% say the same for the motor show absence. The survey also shows that many Belgians still see […]

Elia: ‘2020 shows 31% record growth in renewable energy’

January 08, 2021

According to the annual figures from the electricity network administrator Elia, several renewable energy records were broken last year. The production of solar and wind energy increased by 31% to 15,1 TWh or 18,6% of the energy mix. Wind energy went up from 3 796 to 4 670 MW – mainly thanks to the two […]

EVs booming: Chinese see homemade as better value

January 08, 2021

The market of electric cars has found a new youth in China during the past year, having grown by 8%, according to data from the Chinese Associations of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). And it will continue to do so, as government incentives and fiscal advantages have been extended until 2022. Experts say the public will favor […]

Germany: premiums push all-electric car sales to 206% growth

January 08, 2021

Despite an overall regression in new car sales of 20%, alternative drive systems (battery-electric, fuel-cell, plug-in hybrids, and gas) took up a quarter of all new registrations in Germany in 2020. A total of 394 940 electric-powered cars were sold, with all-electric cars (194 163) seeing an increase of 206%. Figures are coming from the […]

Interview: the new faces at PSA Belux

January 07, 2021

Dutchman Bas Viveen, an ‘automotive veteran’ with mileage at Renault, Nissan, Peugeot, and Opel/Vauxhall Europe, runs Peugeot Belux for a few months already from August 2020. His colleague CEO at Citroën Belux, Frenchman Damien Martin-Cocher, just arrived from Ukraine, finishing his obligatory ‘quarantine’. Time to meet the new faces at PSA Belux. For both men, […]

Michelin to cut 2 300 jobs in France

January 07, 2021

In a recent press release, French tire manufacturer Michelin announces a new restructuring plan including up to 2 300 lay-offs in France. Justified as a simplification and competitively action, Michelin is also feeling the blow of the Covid-19 pandemic. The major culprit for this market drop is the massive arrival of low-cost Chinese, Indian, and […]

Volvo triples electric production in Ghent and will build V40 successor

January 07, 2021

Volvo Cars reported the strongest second-half sales numbers in the company’s history in 2020, as fast-growing demand for its electrified cars boosted the company’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic impact. The company will triple its electric production in Ghent and introduce a second model on the ‘small’ CMA-platform, as a successor of the V40. The […]

British car sector will continue to suffer, despite trade agreement

January 07, 2021

Last year, the British car market collapsed: 1,63 million car sales (-29,4%) is the lowest figure since 1992, and the regress is the strongest (in one year) since… 1943. Moreover, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) is not convinced that Brexit will solve things, despite the last-minute trade agreement. SMMT estimates the loss […]

Share Now adds 70 BMW i3s to its Amsterdam fleet

January 06, 2021

Car-sharing specialist Share Now, the European market leader in the field, has decided to add 70 new, completely electric BMW i3 models to its fleet in Amsterdam. The cars will be gradually introduced in the months to come, but today already 40 of them will be introduced. Share Now has been providing a car-sharing service […]

The car market (2): EVs booming, over 50% in Norway

January 06, 2021

All over the world, car sales have suffered from the corona pandemic. However, 2020 is also the year of the beginning breakthrough of the electric car. On Tuesday, we paid attention to our home market and close neighbors; this time, we’ll take a look all over the world. The figures of the car markets all […]

The car market suffered from corona in 2020

January 05, 2021

Last year there were 431 491 new cars registered in Belgium, 21,55% less than in 2019. In France, the sales total in 2020 is 1,65 million, a 25,5% decline. In the Netherlands the total sales figure is 356 051, also a 20% regress compared to 2019. At the same time, electrifcation is on its way. […]

Vanishing business trips threaten airline and hotel profit margins

January 05, 2021

With 80% of events, shows, and congresses canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the profitable world of business trips and the related mobility solutions are in dire need. In the air, 20% of business passengers usually represent 80% of airlines’ profits, French newspaper Le Monde writes. On the rail, their share has dropped […]

Stellantis is a fact, who are the men behind it?

January 05, 2021

On Monday, the shareholders of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)  and Peugeot S.A. (PSA) approved the merger of FCA and Groupe PSA to create Stellantis N.V. by an overwhelming majority (with more than 99% of the votes cast in favor of the transaction). Following today’s approval by shareholders and receipt of the final regulatory clearances over […]

Byton backed up by iPhone maker Foxconn

January 05, 2021

Chinese electric car start-up Byton has signed a deal with Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn to back up the production of its first M-Byte model with some $200 million (€162 million). Byton was well on track to set up its production factory when the corona pandemic brought it to a life-threatening halt. Production could start in […]

Chinese-American Seres 3 electric SUV is on the market

January 04, 2021

The Belgian importer OneAutomotive brings its first electric car on the market. It’s a compact SUV called Seres 3. With a basic price of €32 690, it will compete with cars like the MG ZS EV (already on the market) and others that will be there soon. OneAutomotive is a recent venue on the Belgian […]

Germany to close coal power plants and tax CO2 in 2021

January 04, 2021

Germany will introduce two energy transition projects. On the one hand, the country will invoice every ton of CO2 emitted by transport and households; on the other hand, it will gradually close a first total energy plant. According to the Belga press release, both projects result from intense political negotiations. Greenpeace and other climate crusaders […]

China reduces NEV subsidies further by 20%

January 04, 2021

China is reducing subsidies to purchase so-called New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) – plug-in hybrids, battery EVs, and fuel-cell cars – by 20% this year. Next year, it will be reduced by 30% and end in 2023. Eventually, China wanted to phase out the subsidies by the end of 2020 but decided in November to extend […]

Tesla ‘misses’ 2020 delivery targets by a whisker

January 04, 2021

American carmaker Tesla delivered 499 550 cars last year, missing its own target by a whisker. In production volumes, Tesla reached a total of 509 737, all models combined. Quite remarkable, though, as the targets were set before the corona pandemic. The bulk of these production numbers comprises the Model 3 and Model Y: 454 […]