New analysis offers a sharp snapshot of Europe’s fast-shifting EV market

December 05, 2025

Despite the (mostly German) carmakers’ lobbying to hit the brakes and give ICE another chance, Europe’s electric-vehicle landscape is shifting fast, and a new analysis from TradingPedia offers an unusually detailed snapshot of which brands and models are winning the race in 2025. TradingPedia, a Bulgarian financial analysis platform that frequently works with industry datasets, […]

Tesla Model Y records worst reliability score in a decade 

December 04, 2025

The Tesla Model Y has finished dead last in Germany’s TÜV Report 2026. The world’s best-selling EV recorded a defect rate of 17.3 percent for vehicles aged two to three years. The figure is nearly triple the segment average of 6.5 percent and represents the poorest performance among cars in this age group over the […]

Ford to replace Focus in European lineup with Bronco nameplate

December 04, 2025

To stabilize its shrinking European market share, Ford plans to leverage its most rugged American model. The carmaker is preparing to launch a Europe-exclusive version of the Bronco in 2027, but it will not feature a purely electric driveline. And don’t expect a rival for the upcoming small G-Class and baby Defender. Ford doesn’t shy […]

Nissan Belux deploys plans for 2026

December 03, 2025

A lot is going to happen for Nissan Belux in 2026. The recently launched Micra and Leaf are ready for sale; other BEVs are coming. Secondly, Nissan will again be present at the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) in January. Thirdly, Nissan Belux, part of Nissan eNEST (Benelux plus three Scandinavian countries), will be selling the […]

Already 100,000 electric Renault 5s produced in Douai

December 03, 2025

Renault’s Ampere ElectriCity plant in Douai has already built 100,000 examples of the Renault 5 E-Tech electric, launched in October 2024. The 100,000th vehicle, a Techno with a 52kWh battery (the most common level-trim/battery combination), was assembled last week. “A little over a year after its launch, the production of the 100,000th Renault 5 E-Tech […]

Belux car registrations in November: -11.8%

December 02, 2025

According to data from the sector federation Febiac and the Federal Public Service Mobility & Transport, 28,071 new cars were registered in November, 11.8% fewer than in the same month last year. Looking at the first 11 months of this year, sales went down 9.2% compared to the previous year. We see the same trend […]

Norway nears 100% electric sales with a lot of help from Tesla

December 02, 2025

Where the brand is being chewed out in the rest of Europe, Tesla has seized a decisive lead in electric car walhalla, Norway. As the country witnesses one of its strongest electric-vehicle surges, the American EV maker broke a previous record held by Volkswagen. Norway’s electric-vehicle market has entered another explosive phase, and Tesla is […]

Lizy’s used-car leasing proclaimed ‘Scale up of the Year 2025’

December 02, 2025

On Monday, the Brussels-based company Lizy, which specialises in the digital leasing of reconditioned used cars, received the ‘Scale-up of the Year 2025’ award, marking a milestone for a company that has reshaped one of Europe’s most traditional sectors. The award is granted by EY Belgium, in partnership with BNP Paribas Fortis, L’Echo, and De […]

Kia picks Brussels for its Europe-only ‘affordable’ EV2 world premiere

December 02, 2025

Kia officially confirmed on Tuesday that its all-new EV2 will make its world debut at the 2026 Brussels Motor Show in January 2026, a decision that places Europe firmly at the center of the brand’s electric ambitions. The EV2 has been designed from the start as a European car. It will be the smallest member […]

Geely drives its Galaxy M9 from Beijing to Paris and strips it down in public

December 02, 2025

Geely took to the legendary Paris-Beijing route – or rather, vice versa –  to make a point about the durability of its Galaxy M9 SUV. Tale to the story: the car not only reached its destination in good shape, but engineers also dismantled the model overtly to demonstrate its resilience.  Automakers typically prefer their vehicles to […]

Death of the subscription model: how Lynk & Co killed its revolution

December 01, 2025

When the Swedish-Chinese brand Lynk & Co was launched in Europe by its Belgian CEO, Alain Visser, it presented itself not simply as a new car brand, but as a corrective to everything outdated in the automotive world. Its message was evangelical: the age of car ownership was over, the future belonged to mobility, and […]

New hybrid Omoda 5 aims to succeed where the EV struggles

November 28, 2025

Omoda is expanding its European range with a hybrid version of the Omoda 5. The new HEV aims for the likes of the hybrid Kia Niro and the oddball Nissan Qashqai e-Power. It comes with a facelift and the hope of gaining more traction in the Belgian marketplace through a more classic take on electrification. […]

How Kia’s EV3 propels the brand to the front of Belgian EV market

November 26, 2025

On the Belgian car market, where company cars account for more than 60% of registrations, no electric model has made a louder entrance this year than the Kia EV3. With 39% of its cars sold being purely EVs, Kia scores higher than the Belgian market average of 33%. And by launching a new EV4, EV5, […]

VW completes its development center in Chinese Hefei

November 26, 2025

The Volkswagen Group has completed the final expansion stage of its Technology and Innovation Center (VCTC) in Hefei. This will enable Volkswagen to independently develop complete vehicle projects and technologies for the Chinese market. The new operational facilities of the Volkswagen Group China Technology Company (VCTC) expand local research and development capabilities by combining software […]

EU car registrations up 5.8% in October, EV share 16.4% and growing

November 26, 2025

According to the data of the European Car Manufacturers Association ACEA, there were 5.8% more cars registered in October compared to the same month in 2024. Year-to-date, there’s a slight progress of 1.4%, mainly due to the positive last four months. The battery-electric car market share reached 16.4% YTD, yet it is still below the […]

Renault Trucks debuts E-Tech long-hauler with a 600 km range

November 26, 2025

At last week’s Solutrans trade show in Lyon, Renault Trucks finally pulled the wraps off what it had promised earlier as its spearhead for long-distance electric freight. The new E-Tech T 780 and its payload-focused sibling, the E-Tech T 585, build upon the architecture developed by Volvo Trucks. The new trucks aim at convincing logistics […]

GAC taps Magna Steyr in Austria for Aion V production

November 25, 2025

GAC has begun building its Aion V electric SUV at Magna Steyr’s plant in Graz. While giving the Austrian contract manufacturer fresh volume after a series of wind-downs, this is one of the first actual Chinese passenger cars produced in Europe. While the Aion V isn’t a common sight on Belgian roads, the midsize electric […]

Electric crown slips from Tesla’s grasp as BYD surges forward

November 24, 2025

BYD has moved decisively into the global lead in battery-electric vehicle sales, widening the gap with Tesla and signalling a shift in the balance of power in the world’s largest and most contested segment of the auto market. New data for the third quarter of 2025 shows BYD selling more than 582,000 BEVs worldwide, comfortably […]

MG pushes deeper into EV family market with roomier S6 EV

November 21, 2025

Chances are high that you’ve seen this S6 EV before. In the summer, this SUV was inadvertently published on Euro NCAP’s test publication pages ahead of its official reveal. MG has finally unwrapped the full specs of its latest addition to its electric portfolio. It’s an SUV destined for families who have outgrown the S5 […]

Fast charging at home prices: LEAP24 sparks Dutch competition

November 20, 2025

LEAP24, a Dutch provider of fast-charging stations, is causing a stir in the Netherlands by announcing weekend fast charging at just €0.24 per kWh, essentially the price of home charging. To compare, data shows that DC chargers over 50 kW average around €0.79 per kWh, with a typical range of €0.67 to €0.86 in 2025. […]

Global EV survey shows 41% won’t buy Tesla over ethical concerns

November 18, 2025

A new international survey by the Global EV Alliance suggests the electric-vehicle landscape is being shaped as much by politics and perception as by product and pricing. As for car brands, 41% of buyers are reluctant to buy Tesla due to political concerns, while one in ten opposes cars made in China. The Global EV […]

Top managers for Tesla’s highest-profile models step down

November 17, 2025

The brain drain at Tesla is continuing. Two of its most visible vehicle program managers have left the company, including the chief of its best-selling car, the Model Y. The departures land at a moment when the automaker is reorienting itself around robotics and autonomous driving. Symbolically, the core automotive business shows further signs of […]

VW’s Chinese ID. Unyx 08 is first car in Xpeng partnership

November 12, 2025

Volkswagen has released the first pictures and preliminary info on the ID. Unyx 08 in China, a five-meter electric SUV that represents not only the first product of its cooperation with Xpeng but also a deeper technological co-development with local partnerships in China. The ID. Unyx 08, developed under Volkswagen Anhui, is the production realization […]

Europe’s auto sector breathes again as Nexperia chip shipments resume

November 10, 2025

After weeks of rising concerns across Europe’s car industry, shipments of Nexperia semiconductors are moving again. It’s a relief for automakers but also a stark reminder of how fragile Europe’s industrial supplier network has become. Volkswagen, Continental spinoff Aumovio, and Bosch have all confirmed receiving new deliveries from the Chinese-owned chipmaker. The disruption began when […]

Toyota Hilux enters new era as all-electric pickup

November 10, 2025

Toyota’s indestructible Hilux, long defined by diesel torque and unshakeable dependability, is stepping into uncharted territory. The ninth-generation, on order as of December, marks the most significant shift in the model’s 55-year history with the arrival of a battery-electric version. Also, a hydrogen-powered model will follow. The fully electric Hilux BEV leads the launch, hitting […]

CAM study foresees significant growth for EVs in 2025

November 10, 2025

The latest ‘Electromobility Report’ from the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, shows that e-mobility worldwide has been experiencing a significant upswing so far this year. In the world regions most important to the automotive industry – China, Europe, and the USA – approximately 12.8 million highly electrified vehicles were sold from the […]

Renta: half of Belgium’s EVs are company leased, but private still lags

November 07, 2025

More than half of all electric cars on Belgian roads are leased or rented. According to new figures from the vehicle rental federation Renta, its members alone operate 195,990 fully electric cars, representing 51% of Belgium’s total EV fleet. The data highlight the crucial role of corporate leasing in driving the country’s vehicle electrification. Renta […]

Traxio: ‘Second-hand car market has an October dip’

November 05, 2025

The second-hand car market was quieter in October than last year, with a 2.8% decline to 65,351 units. In October 2024, 67,201 used cars were registered, 4,203 more than in October 2023. The used car market continues to perform well, with 621,316 used cars registered over the past 10 months, an increase of 0.5% compared […]

Spanish car brand Ebro launches flagship PHEV S900

November 04, 2025

The Spanish carmaker Ebro has unveiled the S900, a large, seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV designed to push it into the same league as Europe’s established players. Once known for its sturdy commercial vehicles, Ebro has re-emerged as an SUV brand, with a bit of help from China. Ebro’s name doesn’t resound widely across Europe (yet?), […]

Belux market in October: -6.8%

November 04, 2025

According to data from the federal government service Mobility & Transport and the sector federation Febiac, 33,955 cars were registered in Belgium and Luxembourg in October 2025, 6.8% fewer than in the same month last year. Once again, the decrease is due to the professional market (-10.3%, 20,726 registrations compared to 23,112 last year in […]

Renault Group and Geely strengthen their cooperation

November 04, 2025

Renault Group, Geely Holding Group, and Geely Automobile Holdings (together, ‘Geely’) have signed agreements under which Geely will acquire a 26.4% stake in Renault do Brasil. This transaction continues the strategic cooperation between Renault Group and Geely. The aim is to enhance the development of the Renault and Geely brands in Brazil while paving the […]

Audi profits rebound after Brussels plant write-off

November 03, 2025

Audi’s third-quarter earnings have risen sharply, mainly because last year, the burden of shutting down its Brussels plant weighed heavily on the results. However, the positive figures mask deeper financial strain from tariffs, falling volumes in China, and rising costs associated with its transition to electric vehicles.  Audi reported an operating profit of €468 million […]

BYD launches first non-Japanese electric kei car: the Racco

October 31, 2025

Kei cars are Japanese car culture at heart. So it’s symbolic and sensitive at the same time that Chinese automaker BYD has pulled the wraps off its first kei car, the Racco, at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show. Though the car is small, it is a bold step into Japan’s compact-car market.  The Racco writes […]

Mercedes-Benz sees profits shrink

October 30, 2025

German carmaker Mercedes-Benz on Wednesday said its third-quarter profit fell nearly 31% year on year, as Germany’s crucial automotive sector struggles amid rising costs, competition, and trade barriers. Profit fell to €1.19 billion from €1.71 billion in the third quarter of 2024. Adjusted group earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) slipped to about €2 billion […]

EU car registrations up 10% in September, EV share at 16% of the market

October 28, 2025

According to the data provided by the Association of European Car Manufacturers (ACEA), new EU car registrations increased by 0.9% compared to the same nine months last year, marking the third consecutive month of growth. This recent momentum has been driven in part by the launch of new models, with September alone posting a strong […]

Can a ‘charging mandate’ keep plug-in hybrids alive after 2035?

October 28, 2025

The German car lobby is pushing an unusual idea to boost sales of plug-in hybrids as the EU seeks to measure their real-life emissions more accurately. The proposal? A legal obligation for plug-in hybrid drivers to charge their cars regularly. The punishment for not abiding by that obligation is reduced power. A creative solution, but […]

Porsche profits plunge in 2025, and cost-cutting is foreseen

October 27, 2025

Profits plunged by 95.9% at Porsche in the first three quarters of the year compared to the same period last year, with a change of strategy regarding its electric vehicle rollout seen as partly to blame. Profit after tax for the period over the nine months came to only €114 million, the German sports carmaker […]

Renault sees sales and revenue increase, financial outlook confirmed

October 24, 2025

In the third quarter of 2025, Renault Group achieved a 9.8% increase in registrations compared to the same period in 2024, totaling 529,486 vehicles sold. Both international and European sales contributed to this performance, up 14.9% and 7.5% respectively. In Europe, passenger car sales grew by 10.9%, outperforming a market up 7.5%. All brands were […]

Kia gives Finnish gearheads gas-scented air fresheners with their EVs

October 23, 2025

Astara Auto Finland, the company that imports Kia vehicles into Finland, is giving away free gasoline-scented car air fresheners to buyers of the new Kia EV4. And no, this is not a joke. You have to admit, the smell of fuel is popular among gearheads, but those with EVs no longer get to experience it. […]

Tesla’s record sales can’t save its crashing profits

October 23, 2025

Tesla’s latest quarterly report shows the electric-car maker couldn’t benefit from record sales, driven by the prospect of the EV credit abortion in its home country. Despite delivering a record 497,099 vehicles in the third quarter — a 7 percent increase year over year — the company’s net profit tumbled 37 percent to $1.37 billion. […]

Auto industry braces for escalating chip crisis over Nexperia (update)

October 21, 2025

The dispute between the Netherlands and China over semiconductor maker NXP (formerly Nexperia) is very much alive and escalating. It has moved from a governance dispute into a real supply-chain risk scenario. Nexperia’s China unit has publicly declared it will operate independently of the Dutch headquarters, saying Chinese site staff should ignore instructions from the […]

BMW fears that iX3 production will fall short of demand

October 20, 2025

BMW’s German market responsible Christian Ach says in an interview with the German magazine Automobilwoche that the German domestic orders for the first car of the Neue Klasse, the iX3, already surpass those of the current combustion X3. “In the first six weeks after its unveiling at the IAA in Munich, we received over 3,000 […]

Mercedes launches electric CLA 200 with LFP battery under €50,000

October 17, 2025

Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the configurator for its eagerly anticipated entry-level electric CLA. Powered by a smaller lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the CLA 200 ships for €49,610 in Belgium, almost €6,000 less than the CLA 250+ with NMC pack. The German carmaker has built its new four-door coupé on its modular MMA platform, which underpins […]

Norway to tighten VAT gap: phasing out EV perks, hiking ICE taxes

October 16, 2025

The end of the EV paradise? Norway’s 25% VAT exemption for electric vehicles has been in place for over 20 years, making it one of the earliest and longest-running EV incentives in the world, but now it’s thinking about scrapping it from 2027. Alongside, the government proposes increasing the registration tax on fossil fuel (ICE) […]

Global EV sales smash two-million barrier: a new monthly record

October 15, 2025

According to a new report from UK-based research, analytics, and data company Rho Motion, global EV sales—battery electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) combined —passed the 2.1 million mark for the first time in September 2025, up 26% YoY. The Reuters press agency adds a regional snapshot detailing that China contributes the most with 1.3 […]

Nissan refreshes the Ariya with a calmer face and new software 

October 14, 2025

Three years after its launch, Nissan has given the Ariya a modest but meaningful update. The electric SUV retains its core engineering but gains a sleeker design and much-needed digital upgrades. With Google built-in technology and the ability to power external devices, the Ariya is being repositioned as more practical and better connected. When it first […]

Volkswagen ID Unyx 07: first China-developed EV for local market

October 13, 2025

Volkswagen is preparing to launch the ID Unyx 07, a mid-size electric saloon that will debut a new Chinese-developed platform and broaden the company’s electric range in the world’s largest car market. The model’s main task is to be perceived as a Chinese rather than a German Volkswagen to help resurrect sliding sales. To do […]

Stripped-down Tesla Model Y Standard cuts under 40,000 euros in Europe

October 13, 2025

As previously announced, Tesla has begun assembly and sales of its new base model, the Model Y Standard. The new Model Y Standard, priced from €39,990 in Belgium, lowers the barrier to entry by trimming away some of the brand’s hallmark features. The Standard must help revive flagging European demand, though some European markets have […]

D’Ieteren Luxury Performance: all luxury brands together

October 13, 2025

D’Ieteren is by far the most prominent car importer in the Belux and has now decided to regroup all its luxury brands under one umbrella, D’Ieteren Luxury Performance. The importer wants to streamline the (booming) business while also offering even better service. Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Maserati, Porsche, and Rimac were gathered in the exclusive surroundings […]

BMW Group adjusts outlook for 2025

October 09, 2025

The BMW Group was unable to quite match its forecasts and sales figures from the first half of the year, and the stock market has reacted accordingly (-8.25%). Meanwhile, BMW has now achieved six-figure electric car sales in a total of six quarters. The group achieved volume growth year-to-date in September across the European and […]

‘Slight decline in new motorcycles, second-hand market recovers’

October 09, 2025

According to Christophe Dubon, spokesman for car and two-wheeler federation Febiac, the new motorcycle market performed well in the first nine months of the year. “During the first nine months of 2025, the new motorcycle market experienced a slight decline of -4.3%, with a total of 21,728 registrations, which is not a bad result. The […]

Hödlmayr applies for permit to store Stellantis’ overstock cars in Brustem

October 08, 2025

The German logistics company Hödlmayr, in cooperation with Stellantis, is currently using part of DronePort’s site in Brustem (Sint-Truiden, Limburg) to store a large number of new cars in ‘overstock’ produced by Stellantis.” Now, Hödlmayr has applied for a permit. What began as a temporary stopgap solution for car manufacturer Stellantis at the end of […]

Electric motorbike pioneer Zero Motorcycles moves to Europe

October 08, 2025

Pioneering electric motorcycle manufacturer Zero Motorcycles is relocating its administrative headquarters from the United States to the Netherlands. The Netherlands will thus become the company’s global headquarters. However, the US locations will continue to play an important role. Zero Motorcycles officially justified the move by stating that Europe has become the most important growth engine. […]

Tesla’s stripped-down Model 3 and Y cost $5,000 less in US

October 08, 2025

After launching an upgraded “Premium” version of the Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV, Tesla has also introduced a stripped-down “Standard” version of its two core models. They now list at $5,000 less in the US: $36,990 for the Model 3 Standard and $39,990 for the Model Y Standard. Prices for Europe have not […]

Mercedes EV sales are picking up again

October 08, 2025

Mercedes’ electric car sales have fallen year-on-year for six consecutive quarters. The Stuttgart-based company has now reported growth again for the third quarter of 2025, thanks in part to the new CLA. Things are also looking up for vans. Since the first quarter of 2024, Mercedes-Benz has only seen declining electric car sales. That has […]

Merz ups pressure on EU Commission regarding ICE ban in 2035

October 07, 2025

The German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, declared yesterday that he wants the EU Commission to abolish the EU ban on the sale of ICE cars after 2035. “I don’t wish Germany to be one of the countries supporting this bad interdiction,” he said on the TV channel NTV. The pressure of big German car companies like […]

Used car market has become the new normal in Belgium

October 07, 2025

Belgium’s car market is shifting gears. While sales of new vehicles continue to fall, the second-hand sector is gaining ground, increasingly becoming the backbone of automotive sales. Almost two out of three cars registered in Belgium this year were second-hand. According to the mobility federation Traxio, the summer months saw a decline in second-hand sales, […]

Tesla upgrades Model 3 and Y with more range and signal stalk

October 07, 2025

After months of sliding deliveries and growing unease about Elon Musk’s political antics, Tesla is crawling back. The American carmaker has not only retooled its two best-selling models, the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover, but also recorded a sales recovery during the third quarter of the year. Even in Europe, sales are partly […]

ZF to cut 7,600 jobs in restructuring of core powertrain division

October 02, 2025

German car parts supplier ZF has reached a deal with unions and employee representatives to eliminate an additional 7,600 jobs. The cut is part of a restructuring push at its largest business unit. After Bosch announced similar measures, the strains on the automotive supplier industry are mounting. The job-cutting plan from ZF affects Division E, […]

Belux car sales in September show slight decrease of 0.5%

October 02, 2025

According to data from the federal public service Mobility & Transport and sector federation, Febiac, 31,519 new cars were registered in September. Compared to the same month last year, this represents a 0.5% decrease. Overall, registrations fell back 9.2% during the first three quarters of the year, while 323,868 new cars were registered. Febiac expects […]

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