March 25, 2025
Paris residents voted in a referendum on Sunday to make hundreds of streets car-free. With this measure, the left-wing city council wants to reduce car use further, improve air quality, and increase the quality of life in the French capital. However, turnout was low: barely 4% of the 1.4 million residents bothered to vote. Two-thirds […]
March 24, 2025
The Brussels Parliament has approved the proposal for an ordinance clarifying specific provisions postponing the tightening of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) until January 1, 2027. The vote was 67 to 14, with the Greens and DéFI voting against and Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) abstaining. Whether this definitively eliminates the problems remains to be seen. Touring, […]
March 21, 2025
China has apparently delayed the approval for the construction of BYD’s Mexican plant. Chinese authorities fear that Mexico could gain unrestricted access to BYD’s advanced technology and know-how and potentially share it with the US. The Financial Times reports, citing two people familiar with the matter, that there are other reasons why Beijing could oppose […]
March 21, 2025
“Our sales in Europe will make a big jump starting in March and April,” says Stella Li, Vice-President of the Chinese car manufacturer BYD. The carmaker still wants to expand its offer of PHEVs and BEVs, including a very affordable entry-level model. Meanwhile, Europe is investigating the financial aid the company got to build its […]
March 20, 2025
French logistics group CMA CGM, best known for its container ships, has also submitted a bid to take over cargo operations with airline Air Belgium. The cargo operations of the judicially reorganized Air Belgium were first to be taken over by Air One Belgium. But about two weeks ago, the Nivelles business court reversed that […]
March 18, 2025
According to Vias Institute’s latest road safety barometer, based on police data, the number of accidents with injuries in Belgium fell slightly in 2024 (-3 %). However, the number of accidents involving electric scooters rose by nine percent, while there was a decline between 2022 and 2023. Last year, the police recorded 1,745 accidents involving […]
March 17, 2025
A recent report indicates that London’s air quality has significantly improved since the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, an area where polluting vehicles are banned or must pay a congestion charge to enter. Annual roadside NO2 concentrations across the capital have been nearly halved (49%) between 2016 and 2023, while preliminary figures indicate London […]
March 17, 2025
Local police teams from the Belgian Borinage region in Henegouwen have caught a motorist who was repeatedly flashed with fake license plates. By analyzing the plates, the police were able to trace the real license plate. They discovered three different license plates at the driver’s home, two of which were fake. It later turned out that […]
March 14, 2025
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a dramatic rollback of vehicle emissions regulations. The changes, led by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin under the Trump administration, will relax emissions targets for cars, trucks, and power plants. Critics say it marks a fundamental shift away from the agency’s historic mission of environmental protection. Trump’s oil […]
March 10, 2025
The Belgian Federal Public Service for Economy has won a legal battle against the German transport company Flixbus. As part of a European investigation, the economic inspectorate discovered that Flixbus was guilty of various forms of greenwashing on its Belgian website. This is the first time in Belgium that the FPS Economy has obtained a company’s […]
March 04, 2025
According to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Brussels could weaken the CO2 target for car manufacturers in 2025. It is also holding out the prospect of a new battery subsidy. She explained that she wanted manufacturers to achieve the CO2 target over the next three years instead of this year, as initially planned, […]
February 28, 2025
For years, the Brussels Capital Region has been demanding compliance with Brussels noise standards to limit noise pollution at Brussels Airport. The French-speaking court of first instance in Brussels has once again condemned the Belgian state for the excessive nuisance caused by night flights over the capital. At the same time, it increased the penalty […]
February 28, 2025
Consumer association Test Aankoop/Test Achats has filed a complaint with the economic inspection against twelve driving schools because their general terms and conditions are unacceptable. Some of them even violate the law. Test Aankoop/Test Achats recently investigated the general terms and conditions of 13 driving schools and identified various forms of abuse and even violations […]
February 26, 2025
Transavia, Air France-KLM’s low-cost airline, will impose an additional surcharge on recent tickets purchased for flights departing from France. The increase is due to the country’s rise in air travel taxes. This rises from 2.63 euros to 7.4 euros for domestic or European flights and doubles to 15 euros for non-European destinations. Remarkably, Air France […]
February 25, 2025
Is Europe’s ban on combustion engines a curse or a blessing for its industry? Dwindling profits, plant closures, and firm reliance on global outsourcing seem to point to the first, but a study from the University of Sussex claims the opposite. “Changing gears (or acting as Trump does in the US, ed.) would be a […]
February 25, 2025
According to the latest evaluation report from the Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (Vlaams Energie- en KlimaatAgentschap, VEKA), the climate measures of the Flemish coalition agreement are insufficient to achieve the Flemish emission reduction target by 2030. With the new measures, Flanders is heading for a 33.2 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to […]
February 24, 2025
The Flemish government is still awaiting more than 14 million euros in outstanding fines for violations of the mileage charge. About 13 million euros of that is charged to foreign trucks. The business newspaper De Tijd reports that barely half of the fines are collected from some countries. Although about half of the freight traffic […]
February 24, 2025
Through its competition watchdog, Italy has launched an investigation into four major automakers—Stellantis, Tesla, Volkswagen, and BYD—regarding potential unfair commercial practices related to electric vehicle performance claims. The probe focuses on concerns regarding the accuracy and transparency of information provided to consumers about EV driving range, battery degradation, and warranty limitations. According to the Italian […]
February 24, 2025
In an almost absurd policy shift, the Trump administration has shut down all electric vehicle charging stations at federal government buildings. The decision, first reported by The Verge, marks another significant rollback of electric mobility infrastructure as the Republican Party rallies against electric cars on all sides. Tesla’s Supercharger remains unaffected, while Trump declares all […]
February 19, 2025
Belgian legislation on ultralight motorized aircraft (ULMs) had been renewed after 26 years. This also makes it possible to fly ultralight helicopters and autogiros in Belgium, the Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport reports. The maximum allowable mass of a ULM will also be increased. The new regulations better reflect today’s reality. ULM is an […]
February 19, 2025
Bolt and Dott, the only two operators selected by Brussels Mobility for shared bike and e-scooter services in the Brussels Capital Region, are joining forces to improve vehicle parking in the capital and reduce nuisance. The joint initiative, to be implemented five days a week in the most sensitive or affected areas, should ensure more […]
February 14, 2025
The Walloon government has ratified an adaptation to its road tax reform that will take effect in July this year. The adaptation will ease the burden on households and promote green mobility. Installed under the previous government, the new taxation scheme primarily targets larger and heavier cars. This move impairs families and individual buyers who […]
February 12, 2025
Whether the action can count on much sympathy remains to be seen, but the trade unions VSOA Spoor and OVS have submitted notices for a railway strike of no less than nine days, from 21 February at 10 pm to 2 March at 10 pm. The strike is mainly directed against a number of measures […]
February 11, 2025
During the last Bob campaign—between November 29th, 2024, and February 3rd, 2025—only 1.22% of drivers took a positive breath test, the lowest figure in the past thirty years. Last year, it was 1.57%; ten years ago, it was still 2.8%. During the nine weeks, more than 600,000 people (605,759) were checked—200,000 more than in 2024. […]
February 10, 2025
Most Dutch citizens want stricter penalties for driving under the influence. According to an Ipsos I&O survey commissioned by the Victim Support Fund (Fonds Slachtofferhulp), among almost 2,200 people aged 16 and older, three-quarters of Dutch people want a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol in traffic. In addition, 84 percent want the alcolock to return for repeat […]
February 07, 2025
Plug-in hybrids saw a modest decline in Europe last year (-4%), and despite renewed government strategies and binding CO2 targets, their popularity isn’t expected to rise much. Stricter emission rulings will prevent carmakers from launching new models. So, as the Belgian government provides some slack for these plugged fossil drivelines, nothing fundamental is about to […]
February 07, 2025
In Wallonia, nearly 8 in 10 drivers (77%) admit that they cannot resist the temptation to use their phones while driving. This is according to a survey by the Walloon Road Safety Agency (AWSR) published on Thursday, World Mobile Phone Free Day. In Wallonia, an average of 16 accidents with deaths or injuries are caused […]
February 07, 2025
The British government has called off plans to allow doubling the motor power of e-bikes from 250 watts to a maximum of 500 watts. The main reason for not implementing the measure is because of safety concerns. The decision keeps the U.K. in line with EU countries where the exact same support limit of 25 […]
February 06, 2025
The European Commission is revising its plan to remedy the ongoing EV crisis. Green lobby group Transport & Environment has reflected upon the impact of the upcoming proposal, clarifying that a well-chosen scheme for electrifying company cars could create market demand of 2.2 million EVs by the decade’s end. The study reveals that this would […]
February 05, 2025
To improve safety on Belgian roads, the new De Wever I government plans to introduce a driver’s license system with points–without describing it in those words. Anyone who accumulates violations in the future will no longer slip through the net but will automatically be summoned to the police court. For example, the coalition agreement states that […]
February 04, 2025
From March 3rd, a lane on the Paris ‘périphérique’ will be reserved for carpool cars, security services, and public transport. Only cars with at least two occupants, public transport vehicles (buses and taxis), emergency services, and persons with reduced mobility are allowed to drive in the left lane of the Paris Ring Road. The rule […]
February 04, 2025
The new federal government plans to expand the permitted use of smart cameras to facilitate police work. According to business newspaper De Tijd, the intention is to use more AI cameras to track down suspects and, for example, detect mobile phone use behind the wheel. The network of license plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will be […]
January 31, 2025
The European Commission is concerned about the future of the European Industry and has created a ‘Competivity Compass’ to address all related challenges. Meanwhile, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made the problems of the EU car industry a ‘Chefsache,’ a ‘chief concern’ that she will handle personally. She has already sat around the […]
January 28, 2025
Belgian Paralympic boccia player Francis Rombouts has filed a lawsuit against the public railroad company NMBS/SNCB because he cannot take the train in his hometown of Tielen. The case, dragging on for years, was heard yesterday at the Brussels Court of Appeal. And to make it even more painful, Rombouts could not enter the courtroom […]
January 27, 2025
A day before the deadline, three Chinese EV makers, BYD, Geely, and SAIC, and the China Chamber of Commerce (CME), filed challenges at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg against the tariffs the EU is imposing on electric cars made in China. At the last minute, BMW and Tesla joined […]
January 25, 2025
The European Union is developing a unified subsidy program to bolster its struggling electric vehicle market and counter China’s growing influence in the sector. European Commissioner for the Green Transition Teresa Ribera confirmed the initiative, which German Chancellor Olaf Scholz originally proposed a few months ago. The 6% drop in EV sales in Europe last […]
January 21, 2025
The European Union has lodged a formal complaint with the World Trade Organization against China over what it calls “unfair and illegal” practices involving intellectual property rights. The complaint escalates ongoing trade tensions between the two economic giants following disputes over electric vehicle import tariffs and Chinese investigations into European industries. At the heart of […]
January 21, 2025
Upon returning to office Monday, President Donald Trump wasted no time moving against one of his most frequent targets on the campaign trail: electric vehicles and the Biden administration policies that contributed to their rise. On the first day, he had already signed many executive orders to reverse course from his predecessor. The future will […]
January 17, 2025
The Brussels urban movement BRAL, together with other civil society organizations, points out a legal error in the ordinance on the postponement of the tightening of the Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) in the Brussels Capital Region. Due to a reference to the wrong article, many diesel and gasoline cars will be driving “illegally” in Brussels. According […]
January 17, 2025
In a letter to EU leaders, the newly appointed European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) President, Ola Källenius (also CEO of Mercedes-Benz), outlines the automotive sector priorities to ensure future competitiveness and drive decarbonization. The Mercedes boss came to the Brussels Motor Show to clarify his views on the matter and explain the challenges the European […]
January 16, 2025
Outgoing US President Joe Biden presented a farewell gift this week. He announced sweeping new restrictions, banning Chinese and Russian technology in connected vehicles over national security concerns. The new regulations will prohibit the sale, import, and use of hardware, software, and complete vehicles incorporating such technologies in the US. The White House stated that […]
January 15, 2025
Toyota, the world’s number one car manufacturer, has been revealed as the most prominent auto industry funder of climate deniers in the US Congress, according to a report released last week by Public Citizen. Meanwhile, it is spending a lot of money and influence lobbying against EV regulations. Public Citizen’s report, “Driving Denial: How Toyota’s […]
January 08, 2025
In its latest update of the ‘Chinese military companies’ list, the US Department of Defense (DoD) mentions the Chinese battery giant CATL for the first time, along with Tencent, another Chinese giant in gaming and communications. CATL is the world’s biggest EV battery maker, with nearly 37% market share. It is way ahead of the […]
January 08, 2025
As the 2025 EU emissions targets draw closer, automakers hastily form alliances and pool carbon credits to evade potentially billions in fines. Electric vehicle pioneers like Tesla and Polestar are taking advantage of their zero-emission lineups by selling surplus credits to manufacturers. Hesitating carmakers are allowed to join until the beginning of February. Under the […]
January 06, 2025
Between November 2022 and January 2023, about 600 e-buses were registered in France eligible for an ecological bonus. However, more than half of those buses did not exist: fraudsters used loopholes in the state registration system to scam subsidies for hundreds of fake e-buses. According to Le Monde, up to 10 million euros in public […]
January 06, 2025
In a groundbreaking yet polarizing move, New York City introduced a $9 congestion toll for vehicles entering southern Manhattan during peak hours last Sunday. It’s the first US city to implement such a policy, modeled after examples of cities worldwide. Having been postponed for half a year, the toll is sending ripples all over the […]
January 06, 2025
In 2023, 5,485 motorists, vans, and trucks in Belgium were fined for not respecting sufficient distance from the vehicle in front. Tailgating, however, is a dangerous and antisocial phenomenon. Mobility organization VAB recently surveyed its members about the biggest annoyances they experience in traffic. The top three irritations included people not using turn signals (1), […]
January 03, 2025
Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (N-VA) wants to allow super trucks on Flemish highways within two years. The approval for the longer and heavier vehicles, or LHVs as these trucks that are up to 25,25 meters long and weigh up to 60 tons are officially called, will come on condition that a few strict […]
December 26, 2024
The Government has invited the UK automotive and charging industries to shape the UK’s transition to zero-emission vehicles. On Tuesday, 24 December, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander launched a consultation to ask industry views on the 2030 phase-out date for new purely gasoline and diesel cars and make the transition to zero-emission vehicles a success. The […]
December 23, 2024
The long-awaited project around electric flying cabs in Paris will not happen this year. The French Council of State annulled the ministerial decree authorizing the creation of an aircraft take-off and landing platform of 740 m² on the Seine in Paris. French airport operator Aéroports de Paris (ADP), along with Volocopter, the German manufacturer of […]
December 19, 2024
As President Biden’s last days in office approach, his administration has granted California and eleven other states permission to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. This marks one of the most ambitious climate policies in the US, but President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to lift the ban. This has now been made […]
December 18, 2024
The environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) has responded to the increasing pressure of the car manufacturers’ lobby regarding the 2025 EU CO2 emission targets with an analysis proving that the industry can achieve the goals and avoid the fines pending for 2025. The European Commission seems to be on the same line. Last week, […]
December 17, 2024
Electric vehicles are widely regarded as a cost-effective alternative to gasoline-powered cars, but that trend has officially reversed in the Netherlands. According to the latest Elektrisch Rijden Monitor by the Dutch motorists’ association ANWB, it’s now more expensive to drive an EV than a combustion-engined car. The report highlights growing concerns over rising operating costs, […]
December 13, 2024
The tax on the private use of a diesel or gasoline company car – the so-called taxable ‘benefit in kind’, (Voordeel Alle Aard, VAA – will increase in 2025. According to human resources service provider SD Worx, a few euros are added monthly. You ‘get’ a car from work but must pay taxes on its […]
December 13, 2024
The introduction of an annual road tax for new electric cars in Flanders, initially set to take effect on January 1st, 2025, has been postponed. This was confirmed by the cabinet of Flemish Finance Minister Ben Weyts (N-VA) to Het Laatste Nieuws. The delay is attributed to the ongoing development of a taxation formula and […]
December 10, 2024
The Doel 4 nuclear reactor is producing power again for the first time in months. Within two days, the reactor will be running at full power. Meanwhile, the Council of State warns of possible damage claims due to tampering with the nuclear shutdown. Doel 4 had been shut down since late August. As part of […]
December 10, 2024
BMW CEO Oliver Zipse has spoken out against delaying the EU’s CO2 targets for 2025. At the same time, he continues to argue in favor of remaining open to different technologies but sees electric cars as having the most significant growth potential. In an interview with the German specialized magazine Automobilwoche, Zipse advocates remaining open […]
December 09, 2024
The Brussels Parliament has adopted an ordinance proposal to postpone the taxi sector’s obligation to purchase zero-emission vehicles by two years until January 2027. Green parties denounced the fact that since June, there has been no majority in the Brussels Parliament except for specific files, such as for the two-year postponement of the tightening of […]
December 09, 2024
In Belgium, employers must reimburse their employees with an electric company car for the actual cost of EV charging at home. So far, determining this ‘real cost’ has proved daunting, as electricity prices are ‘blurry’ and vary between employees and among regions, and digital meters aren’t widespread yet. To prevent confusion, the resigning Belgian Minister […]
December 02, 2024
Stockholm’s ambition to establish the world’s first urban zero-emission vehicle zone in its upscale shopping district has hit a roadblock. Originally slated to take effect by the end of the year, the initiative is now on hold as Sweden’s County Administrative Board examines appeals filed by five companies opposing the measure. In a surprise move, […]
