March 04, 2026
Until now, the European CO₂ pool centered on Tesla has been a major conglomerate of automakers, including Ford, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, and Stellantis. However, for 2026, two major manufacturers, Toyota and Stellantis, may withdraw from this pool, two of Tesla’s largest financial contributors to this scheme. At the EU level, manufacturers can join so-called CO₂ […]
March 03, 2026
It’s a delicate industrial balancing act. While car groups like Stellantis are reversing on their battery efforts, Volkswagen is simultaneously pouring capital into scaling up today’s lithium-ion battery assembly lines at Škoda, while pushing for solid-state. Despite the current headwinds, battery technology is still forging ahead. Years of clinical promise in the solid-state field seem […]
March 03, 2026
According to data from the sector federation, Febiac, and the federal public service Mobility and Transport, 37,075 new cars were registered in February 2026, 7.7% fewer than in February 2025. For the first two months of 2026, the market shrinks by 13.2%. Once again, it’s the professional market that is entirely responsible for the regression. […]
March 03, 2026
Volkswagen’s two-millionth electric vehicle marks a turning point for Europe’s most storied automaker. However, the number is mostly a reminder that the real race has only just begun. There is a certain quiet satisfaction to be found in Lower Saxony these days. While upstart brands dominate headlines with brash promises and record-breaking charging times, Volkswagen […]
March 02, 2026
Chinese battery giant CATL and premium car manufacturer BMW aim to deepen their existing partnership. In a new letter of intent, the focus is specifically on data exchange: Both parties intend to make progress in cross-border data transfer through pilot projects, with an eye on the upcoming battery passport requirements in the EU. BMW and […]
March 02, 2026
Sales are not going so well for Audi in some important foreign markets, both for combustion engines and electric cars. Ingolstadt is now responding and has announced a series of management changes in key markets, including China and North America. In its announcement, Audi refers to a ‘coordinated management rotation’ designed to ensure a smooth […]
March 02, 2026
The BMW Group is advancing the digitalisation and use of artificial intelligence in production. A key element in this effort is ‘Physical AI’, which combines digital artificial intelligence (AI) with real machines and robots. This enables intelligent systems such as humanoid robots to be integrated into real-world production processes. First time in Europe For the […]
February 26, 2026
Franco-Italian-American carmaker Stellantis Group has delivered one of the most dramatic earnings collapses in modern European automotive history. It reported a net loss of €22.3 billion for 2025 on revenues of €153.5 billion, confirming analyst expectations and placing the group among the largest annual loss-makers ever associated with a French corporate champion. The scale of […]
February 25, 2026
According to new T&E research, a new EU law to electrify the vehicle fleets of large companies could deliver 57% of the electric vehicle (EV) sales that carmakers need in 2030. While carmakers claim there is insufficient EV demand to meet their 2030 EU CO2 targets, T&E’s analysis shows that an ambitious company cars law […]
February 25, 2026
Renault’s Ampere division has signed a development agreement with Basquevolt to accelerate the development and validation of lithium-metal batteries for future electric vehicles. Lithium-metal batteries represent a major technological leap in energy density compared to current lithium-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes. The Renault Group claims that Basquevolt has already demonstrated its technology’s ability to achieve […]
February 24, 2026
Flexis, the joint venture between Renault Group, Volvo Group, and CMA CGM, was founded in 2024 to develop an advanced, software-driven electric LCV architecture to accelerate the development of electric vans. Now, Renault has announced it will acquire full ownership of Flexis and carry the project through to completion in France. Flexis was founded with […]
February 24, 2026
According to data from the European Car Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), new EU car registrations fell by 3.9% year on year in January, marking a second consecutive challenging start to the year for the market. “The battery-electric car market share reached 19.3%, highlighting the continued potential for further growth,” states ACEA’s press release. “Hybrid-electric vehicles lead […]
February 24, 2026
Despite a sharp decline, Belgium’s climate footprint remains one of the largest in the European Union. According to the latest Eurostat report, Belgians emitted an average of over 10.3 tons of greenhouse gases in 2023, about 15% above the EU average, and roughly 60% above the world average. In 2023, the greenhouse gas footprint in the […]
February 24, 2026
On the 1st of March, Emmanuel Al Nawakil starts as the new CEO of Renault Belgium and Luxembourg. He will succeed Martin Domise, who becomes Vice President, Renault Sales & Operations Europe-Maghreb. Emmanuel Al Nawakil was born in 1979 and studied at the E.M. Lyon Business School to become master of Science in Management. He […]
February 23, 2026
Horse Powertrain, the Renault–Geely joint venture, has just given the internal combustion engine one of its strongest “not-dead-yet” headlines in years. Together with Spanish energy company Repsol, it unveiled the HORSE H12 Concept: a 1.2-litre hybrid-oriented gasoline engine and powertrain concept designed to run on 100% renewable gasoline and to cut fuel consumption by around […]
February 23, 2026
As German Chancellor Friedrich Merz prepares this week for his first official visit to Beijing since taking office, the presence of leading industrial executives underscores the trip’s strategic significance. Among them is Oliver Zipse, chief executive of BMW Group, who has made clear in remarks reported by Reuters that engagement with China is indispensable for […]
February 20, 2026
The Volkswagen Group has initiated a changing of the guard in its most visible department. Andreas Mindt, currently the design chief for the Volkswagen passenger car brand, has been appointed Head of Group Design. He succeeds Michael Mauer, who is leaving the company as part of a planned generational transition. In his new role, Mindt […]
February 19, 2026
While competitors backtrack on electrification goals, Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller draws a hard line in the sand: the future remains electric, and there is no Plan B. Furthermore, the existing plan receives a big boost: an impressive expansion, with four new models over the next three years. Currently, the auto industry is defined by U-turns, […]
February 19, 2026
Today, Renault has published its yearly results. As expected, there’s a big difference between the Group’s results with or without ‘other operating income and expenses’. The former resulted in a positive figure of €715 million; the latter in a deficit of €10,931 million (or -€40.0 per share). Renault had to recalculate its 35% stake in […]
February 19, 2026
When it presented its new coupé concept last year, Audi said it planned to bring the production version of the Concept C to the electric sports car platform of the Porsche Boxster and Cayman. However, after several delays and a change of CEO, these models remain uncertain at Zuffenhausen. Now, Audi clarifies: its own model […]
February 18, 2026
Although not as precarious as for other car manufacturers, 2025 has been a complicated year for Mercedes-Benz. The German premium car manufacturer has een its net benefit almost halve while turnover decreased by 9%. Meanwhile, battery issues affecting the EQA and EQB have prompted global recalls. Mercedes-Benz has already begun replacing battery packs in North […]
February 18, 2026
The Cummins factory in Oevel (Westerlo, Belgium), formerly known as Hydrogenics, is stopping production of hydrogen technology after a quarter of a century. According to the unions, one hundred jobs will disappear. The publicly traded Cummins has halted global sales of electrolyzers; only current contracts are still being completed, leaving the company with losses of just […]
February 18, 2026
According to several internal sources, the German specialized magazine Manager Magazin concludes that the Volkswagen Group is working on a new cost-cutting program targeting additional savings of up to €60 billion. Of course, economies at such a scale would involve reducing the workforce beyond the already announced 35,000 and, eventually, closing additional plants, following the […]
February 18, 2026
The European Commission is preparing legislation that would require electric vehicles to be assembled in the EU and source at least 70% of their components locally to qualify for state subsidies. The move could pave the way for a formal ‘Buy European’ industrial policy, recently called for by Volkswagen, Stellantis, and other European car manufacturers. […]
February 17, 2026
King Liu, founder of Taiwanese bicycle brand Giant, passed away yesterday at the age of 91. Liu founded Giant in 1972 and built his small business into the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer, producing more than 6 million bicycles per year at its peak. Liu was also passionate about bicycle culture, even though he himself had […]
February 17, 2026
APMA, Canada’s only carmaker, has unveiled two ambitious electric vehicle concepts in Toronto. They present further proof that the country can design and build next-generation cars on its own. The new models are called Vector and Borealis, and could see the light of day around the end of the decade. At the 2026 Canadian International […]
February 16, 2026
China’s car industry is facing a regulatory reset. After the fire-prone battery standards and the ban on retractable door handles, a new draft for safety rules published by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) signals two remarkable backsteps: no more yoke-style steering wheels and no more screen-dominated dashboards. Could this ripple through […]
February 16, 2026
In early 2026, China’s luxury passenger car market reached a critical inflexion point as traditional European premium brands collectively adjusted pricing strategies amid continued sales erosion in the world’s largest auto market, according to the influential local website 36kr. Data from the 2025 calendar year showed that cumulative China sales for BMW, Mercedes‑Benz, and Audi […]
February 16, 2026
Following its brand activation in early January 2026, BMW Alpina is presenting itself as an exclusive new brand under the BMW Group’s custodianship. “The brand embodies an exceptional balance of supreme ride comfort and high performance,” says the press release. “The new badge design complements the recently revealed wordmark, collectively defining the brand’s contemporary iconography.” […]
February 13, 2026
The climate is no longer the US government’s problem. On Thursday, the Trump administration rolled back the mechanism allowing the government to regulate planet-heating pollution. Trump says he believes climate change is a hoax, and has withdrawn the United States from global efforts to combat it. President Trump officially disavowed scientific research that labels CO2 […]
February 13, 2026
Waymo has begun operating its latest autonomous driving system on public roads without safety drivers. In the long contest to commercialise robotaxis, the company moves one step ahead of its rivals. With a cheaper hardware stack, a planned 50,000-vehicle supply deal with Hyundai, and ambitions to exceed one million paid rides per week, this subsidiary […]
February 13, 2026
Toyota has overtaken Volkswagen in battery-electric car sales in China. A symbolic passing of the crown in the world’s largest car market that underlines the growing pressure on Europe’s biggest automaker. The reversal comes as Volkswagen has slipped to third place overall in China, ceding ground to domestic rivals and exposing the limits of its […]
February 13, 2026
The European Commission has exempted Volkswagen’s Cupra brand from additional tariffs on its China-built Tavascan. Cupra is the first automaker to secure approval under the EU’s price floor mechanism for Chinese-made battery electric vehicles. In detail, the decision removes a 20.7 percent anti-subsidy duty that had been applied on top of the bloc’s standard 10 […]
February 12, 2026
German premium car manufacturer BMW is recalling some 575,000 cars worldwide to replace the starter motor, which can fail to function or, in rare cases, overheat and catch fire. Models of concern are found throughout the BMW portfolio: the 2-Series coupe, 3-, 4-, and 5-Series, the 6-Series Gran Turismo and the 7-Series, the X4, X5, […]
February 12, 2026
Failed investments in money-losing electric vehicles and a late-year disruption of aluminum supplies for F-Series pickups drove Ford Motor Co. to an $11.1 billion (€9.3 billion) net loss in the fourth quarter, resulting in the automaker’s worst financial performance since 2008. Fourth-quarter revenue declined 5 % to $45 billion, and adjusted earnings before interest and […]
February 11, 2026
The smallest Mercedes model, the A-Class, was actually supposed to be discontinued under Mercedes’ new entry-segment model strategy, with the electric CLA serving as the gateway to the Mercedes world. Now, Mercedes development board member Jörg Burzer has confirmed a new A-Class, which is planned for 2028. In 2023, Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius announced four […]
February 11, 2026
Solid-state batteries are becoming less of a hype and more of a reality. One of the main actors in the pioneering technology, QuantumScape, launched its battery pilot line. A milestone in setting up and scaling production is widely regarded as the biggest hurdle for this heralded technology. The promise is finally becoming a product. And […]
February 10, 2026
In an extensive reaction to the EU Commission’s watering down of the 2035 environmental targets for mobility and transport, the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) urgently warns that Europe risks falling even further behind on EVs compared to global competition. “If the EU automotive industry doesn’t transform fast, it will lose its international competition, with […]
February 10, 2026
Belgium’s greenhouse gas emissions, especially CO2, have been falling for over twenty years, but in 2024, they stopped declining and even increased slightly again (about +0.2%) compared with 2023. Although long-term emissions are declining, projections indicate that current plans are not on track to meet EU or national targets for 2030. The rebound is mainly […]
February 10, 2026
BYD intends to localize production of its compact electric SUV, the Atto 2, in Hungary. This should reduce its retail price by several thousand euros compared to the lots built in China, avoiding import fines. However, the Hungarian site itself is facing regulatory scrutiny from Brussels over alleged state subsidies. BYD is betting that European […]
February 10, 2026
Skoda has released the first technical details of its fully electric Epiq, which the brand will unveil in the first half of 2026. The compact electric vehicle will be offered by Skoda in three variants, with power outputs ranging from 85 to 155 kW. The new Skoda Epiq will be available with two versions of […]
February 09, 2026
The world’s largest automaker, Toyota, appoints a new CEO: Current CFO Kenta Kon will take over from Koji Sato, who will join the board of directors. The personnel changes will take effect on April 1, 2026. The 57-year-old Kenta Kon has been with the Toyota Group since 1991. He built his career in the finance […]
February 09, 2026
The European dream of a battery production powerhouse lies in smithereens after Automotive Cells Company (ACC), the joint venture between Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, and TotalEnergies, confirmed it is abandoning two of its flagship factory projects in Italy and Germany. What was once hailed as the continent’s ‘Airbus of batteries’ now hinges on a single plant in […]
February 09, 2026
BMW Group has entered into a strategic partnership with circular-economy specialist PreZero to develop a scalable approach to vehicle recycling across Europe. The cooperation aims to turn end-of-life vehicles from a regulatory obligation into a structural source of high-quality secondary raw materials. For Belgium, where end-of-life vehicle management is centrally organised through Febelauto, the initiative highlights […]
February 09, 2026
Stellantis is recording extensive charges of approximately €22.2 billion, largely related to its electric vehicle business. According to the new strategy outlined by CEO Antonio Filosa, the company aims to become a ‘beacon of freedom of choice’ by offering more internal-combustion and hybrid vehicles. Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa has been working since his appointment in […]
February 09, 2026
China’s Changan Automobile and battery giant CATL have unveiled what they claim is the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle powered by sodium-ion batteries. It’s a major step for a technology that has long been seen as a lower-cost, safer alternative to lithium-based systems. The car, a variant of Changan’s Nevo A06 sedan, contains a 45 […]
February 06, 2026
Volvo Cars has reported one of the most bruising financial years in its modern history. The company has suffered a collapse in earnings, a stinging share price crash, and mounting doubts about its electric future. Navigating a worsening global auto market has been particularly difficult, according to its CEO, but the failing EX90 also took […]
February 06, 2026
Europe’s two largest carmakers, Volkswagen and Stellantis, are no longer asking Brussels for protection against growing Chinese competition. They are pushing for a structural rewrite of how Europe’s environmental rules interact with industrial competitiveness. In a joint opinion piece published in Les Echos and Il Sole 24 Ore, two leading business dailies in France and […]
February 06, 2026
Stellantis, the mother company to Peugeot, is facing severe production setbacks on several of its electric vehicle models after one of its key battery factories failed to scale up output. The crisis centers on Automotive Cells Company (ACC), the much-celebrated European venture from the group’s cooperation with Mercedes and Total. Cell production struggles have left […]
February 05, 2026
BMW’s ‘mother plant’ in Munich has now started producing the first pre-series vehicles of the upcoming BMW i3. This marks the beginning of the final preparation phase for the start of series production of the electric sedan in the 3 Series format in the second half of 2026. The new production lines at BMW’s Munich […]
February 05, 2026
Ford Motor and China’s Geely Group are said to be in early talks about sharing European manufacturing capacity, allowing Geely to assemble vehicles at under-utilized Ford plants in Europe, rather than on a full joint venture or merger of operations. While neither company has confirmed details publicly, several media outlets, including Reuters, have reported negotiations, […]
February 04, 2026
In northern Antwerp, energy provider Fluvius has begun construction of Flanders largest heating network to date. Residual heat from the waste-processing company Indaver will be used from the end of this year to heat about 3,800 social housing units, eight schools, and a municipal workshop in the Luchtbal (Antwerp) and Rozemaai (Ekeren) neighborhoods. Such a […]
February 04, 2026
Renault could offer its next-generation electric cars with a new ‘super hybrid’ powertrain that uses a small petrol engine to boost range. Renault’s VP for Product Performance, Bruno Vanel, said the change in approach is a recognition that the company “has to remain flexible in the C- and D-segment” because, while it is working towards […]
February 04, 2026
Porsche has officially begun production of the all-electric Cayenne, marking a significant milestone in the brand’s electrification strategy at a moment when its future electric sports cars appear increasingly uncertain. While the Cayenne Electric is moving from concept to reality, persistent reports suggest Porsche may be reconsidering—if not outright abandoning—plans for electric versions of the […]
February 04, 2026
From 2027 onward, the Chinese government will prohibit the registration of new cars with fully retractable door handles and electric unlocking systems, while existing models will be subject to a transitional arrangement. The Chinese ban is likely to have global repercussions. A potential ban has been discussed for months; now it has been decided. The […]
February 03, 2026
The European Union is struggling with its strategy to reduce its dependence on other countries for the supply of strategic raw materials for the energy transition. Obstacles hinder domestic production, and recycling remains embryonic. However, demand for these materials will only increase sharply over the decade. Raw materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, and rare […]
February 03, 2026
Prototypes of Jaguar’s new all‑electric luxury four‑door GT have begun their latest round of winter testing. Taking on extreme temperatures as low as -40°C in the Arctic Circle. The new four‑door GT is undergoing the most rigorous global validation programme in Jaguar history, with 150 prototypes covering hundreds of thousands of miles across hot desert […]
February 03, 2026
A new analysis by Transport & Environment of the European Commission’s proposed revision to the 2035 CO₂ rules warns that the target rollback will reduce EV sales, boost fossil fuel use and emissions, and send a damaging signal to investors at a time when China is gaining ground in the battery car market. The European […]
February 03, 2026
According to data from Febiac and the Federal Public Service Mobility, registrations of new cars in Belgium and Luxembourg decreased by 18.7% to 32,997, compared with last year. Febiac states that the new Euronorm installed on the 1st of January plays a role here: registrations were partly moved forward to December 2025. Febiac hopes that […]
February 02, 2026
Earlier this week, the European Commission, in its assessment of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), acknowledged that Belgium has raised its ambitions, but that the country still needs to make additional efforts in the areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency. Belgium’s environmental protection spending rose to €18 billion in 2023, equivalent to 3% of […]
