September 03, 2025
Weak demand and dwindling profits are reshaping Mercedes’ electric plans. According to the British website Autocar, this will lead to the discontinuation of the EQE sedan and its sibling, the EQE SUV, in 2026—a remarkable decision, as these models were only released in 2022. Instead of the planned facelift, they could be facing the axe. […]
September 02, 2025
According to data from the federal public service Mobility and Transport and those of the sector federation Febiac, 26,120 new cars were registered in August in Belgium and Luxembourg, representing a 10.9% decrease from the same month last year. Looking at the first eight months of 2025, 292,349 new cars were registered, representing a 10% […]
September 01, 2025
BYD, the world’s biggest maker of electric vehicles, is selling record numbers of cars but has reported its first fall in profits in more than two years. The toll of a fierce price war in China’s car industry turns BYD’s strategy into a balancing act. The Shenzhen-based carmaker sold almost 2.2 million vehicles in the […]
August 27, 2025
China’s BYD has started exporting electric cars from its Thai factory to Europe. In anticipation of the start of its production site in Hungary, the Chinese EV maker uses this bypass to skip its 17.4% excess tariffs. As products imported from Thailand into the EU are exempt from import levies, the new route is expected […]
August 26, 2025
German car manufacturer Opel, part of the Stellantis Group, has cancelled its plans to sell only electric vehicles in Europe from 2028. The Rüsselsheim-based German company said on Monday that it will continue to rely on its current “multi-energy” strategy, delivering vehicles powered by batteries, plug-in hybrids, or combustion engines, until customer demand changes. No […]
August 26, 2025
A new online survey by the market research access panel, PanelWizzard, with 1,010 drivers, shows that one in three Dutch people prefers driving a Chinese car over an American car like Tesla or Ford to date. “Chinese brands are on the rise in Europe. We see that in our showrooms as well, and to be […]
August 26, 2025
The EU and the US have signed a joint statement to retroactively reduce US tariffs on cars and car parts from 27.5% to 15%. The reductions were technically part of an agreement in July, but were never implemented. That will now change. After weeks of uncertainty following the political agreement between European Commission President Ursula […]
August 26, 2025
Chinese premium EV maker Nio has revealed the new price of the third-generation flagship SUV ES8 (sold as the EL8 in Europe), the biggest electric SUV on the market, and while the car is bigger and supposed to be better on the new 900-volt platform, the price is cut by 101,800 yuan (€12,155) or 25% […]
August 22, 2025
Windrose Technology, the Chinese electric truck developer headquartered in Antwerp, might face insolvency. One of its senior executives publicly accused the company of failing to pay employees, while staging misleading announcements. Windrose’s Director of Customer Success and Operations, Kyle Maki, wrote on LinkedIn that the company is now 90 days behind on payroll and has […]
August 22, 2025
Chinese electric cars tend to be sold at half the price in their homeland than in Europe. If a company like China EV Marketplace announces it is launching a new door-to-door service for European customers, enabling them to purchase road-legal EVs directly from China, and handling most of the annoying stuff for you, is it […]
August 22, 2025
Porsche reportedly plans to shut down its battery unit, Cellforce, nearly. According to a media report from the German magazine Der Spiegel, all that will remain at the Cellforce site in Kirchentellinsfurt, Swabia, is “at best a small unit for research and development.” Porsche itself has declined to comment. Meanwhile, the sports car manufacturer seems […]
August 22, 2025
Indian vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra is rolling out an electric SUV that looks more at home in Gotham City than on Mumbai’s streets. Meet the BE 6 Batman Edition, a limited-run vehicle developed in partnership with Warner Bros. As Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy inspires it, it is very cinematic indeed. And it saves […]
August 21, 2025
Ford is promising more affordable electric vehicles, but it’s still looking to make a profit with EVs. After kicking off production at its new EV battery plant in Kentucky, Ford seems to be looking for customers other than itself and selling batteries to whoever wants them. According to a new report from Bloomberg, Ford’s battery […]
August 20, 2025
Tesla is reversing one of its most controversial design decisions. Two years after stripping the Model 3 of its traditional steering column stalks in the Highland refresh, the automaker is now reintroducing the turn signal lever—at least in China. The decision is not about giving customers options, but instead admitting a design flaw due to […]
August 19, 2025
At the event in Emden, where a VW top brass handed over the 1.5 millionth ID. model, VW sales chief Martin Sander was calling for greater government support to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles. Meanwhile, VW introduced a power hike on its ID.3 EV by subscription. First reactions aren’t that enthusiastic. “We need a […]
August 18, 2025
Geely Group’s Livan Automotive has pulled the covers off its latest entry in China’s booming micro-EV segment. It bears a name that is all too familiar to the Belgian public: the Livan Smurf, named after the beloved comic characters from Peyo, is a compact, four-seat hatchback priced to compete directly with bestsellers like the Wuling […]
August 18, 2025
For seven decades, the Chevrolet Corvette has been defined by one thing above all: a thundering V8 soundtrack. But if the brand’s latest pair of concept cars is any indication, the future of America’s most famous sports car may kill that. Though not entirely. Unveiled at The Quail, a motorsports gathering during Monterey Car Week, […]
August 14, 2025
According to Bloomberg, BNP Paribas is in late-stage negotiations with Mercedes over the acquisition of its European leasing subsidiary Athlon. The deal would further consolidate the fleet management landscape after ALD Automotive and LeasePlan merged to Ayvens. Earlier this year, news broke that Mercedes was scouting for a possible buyer for its leasing arm, Athlon, […]
August 12, 2025
The head of German carmaker Mercedes-Benz has highlighted the challenges facing the company in an interview with the German business newspaper Handelsblatt. CEO Ola Källenius, also the current President of ACEA, warns of a European car market collapse if the ban on ICE vehicles in 2035 is implemented. Källenius proposes to drop an actual date […]
August 12, 2025
After 28 years, the curtain is coming down in the Netherlands on one of the world’s most iconic hybrids: the Toyota Prius. From September, the model will be removed from the line-up. Outside the Netherlands, the Prius will remain in production and on sale. The decision draws particular attention as the current generation of the […]
August 12, 2025
Global lithium markets are surging after the world’s largest battery manufacturer, China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), suspended operations at one of the country’s biggest mines. The shutdown followed after the Beijing administration blocked the mine’s permit to curb industrial overcapacity. The Jianxiawo mine is no small working field. It accounts for an estimated 5-6% of […]
August 11, 2025
BYD’s luxury performance brand Yangwang is preparing to unleash one of the most powerful electric cars ever built. New regulatory filings in China reveal a Track Edition of its U9 supercar boasting more than 3,000 hp. Lotus Evija and Rimac Nevera: beware! China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) regularly discloses models ahead of […]
August 08, 2025
The deepening ties between General Motors and Hyundai for the American market are materializing. Their new vehicle collaboration will kick off with a jointly developed electric van launching by 2028 in the US, followed by four additional zero-emission models. The van—intended to sit beneath GM’s existing BrightDrop lineup—will be based on a Hyundai platform, likely […]
August 07, 2025
Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has set a new internal sales record with the launch of its new-generation P7 saloon, drawing more than 10,000 pre-orders just 6 minutes and 37 seconds after bookings opened. The response marks the fastest uptake for any Xpeng model to date. It highlights Xpeng as a new force to be […]
August 06, 2025
Polestar’s presence in China, once considered a crucial pillar of its global electric vehicle ambitions, is rapidly eroding. The Swedish-Chinese brand has seen its retail footprint in the country shrink to a single store in Shanghai, while online sales have been suspended and test drives are only available by phone appointment. For many observers, this […]
August 05, 2025
Volvo has been producing the European version of the EX30 in Belgium since April. Now it is gearing up the production of the model in its Ghent factory. Meanwhile, Volvo’s July sales were down again, 14% less than in the same period last year. The production acceleration of the EX30 in Ghent is not only […]
August 01, 2025
BMW reported a sharp drop in first-half profits on Thursday, weighed down by US tariffs, currency headwinds from the dollar, and challenging business conditions in China. The Munich-based automaker reported a post-tax profit of €4 billion, down 29% from the same period last year, marking the third consecutive decline in the first half for the […]
July 30, 2025
An analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) of CO2 fleet emissions for new cars in H1 of 2025 shows that the car industry currently exceeds the EU limit by nine percent. This breach should actually trigger fines payable to the European Union. Due to the recent flexibilisation, that will not happen. The […]
July 30, 2025
Every category of commercial vehicles has faced negative results in the first half of 2025 in Europe. Vans and trucks suffered the most, but buses have remained relatively stable, thanks to their large share of electrification. However, the sector warns that the conditions are still not suitable for the mass adoption of electrified heavy commercial […]
July 29, 2025
Global sales of electric cars are picking up speed again, driven by strong growth in China and renewed momentum in Europe, according to a new analysis by consulting firm PwC. In the first half of the year, more than 5.9 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were registered worldwide, a 37% increase compared to the same […]
July 24, 2025
In the first half of 2025 (H1 2025), new EU car registrations dropped by 1.9% compared to the same period last year, according to the data of ACEA. With a strong 7.3% year-on-year (YOY) decline for June, this is indicative of the challenging global economic environment for automakers. The battery-electric car market share for H1 […]
July 22, 2025
With domestic sales already declining after the initial surge, Hyundai is targeting Europe and North America as the primary markets for its new flagship three-row electric SUV, the Ioniq 9. The first models have now arrived on European shores. Hyundai first unveiled its Ioniq 9 in November 2024, while the full-size electric SUV made its […]
July 15, 2025
According to the analysis of sector federations Febiac and Traxio, the Belgian car market saw 608,426 cars sold in the first half of 2025. 234,616 of them were new ones (-10.9%), 373,810 were second-hand (+0.9%). In both markets, electrification evolves further. BMW and Dacia are the winners when looking at the specific models. With the […]
July 14, 2025
Volkswagen and SAIC close their joint plant in Nanjing, China. Production has already come to a standstill. In Nanjing, the partners had mainly built combustion models such as the VW Passat and Skoda Superb. Production is now moving to a nearby plant. There had already been rumors last year about the closure of the plant […]
July 11, 2025
German car manufacturer BMW Group reported a 0.5% decline in sales for the first half of the year, marking a positive sign amid the country’s ongoing automotive sector crisis, which is being intensified by competition from China. The group clearly increased EV sales, but the growth in this area is slowing. The premium carmaker, which […]
July 10, 2025
The Mazda 6 was briefly absent from the European market. At the beginning of the year, the fully electric successor made its European debut at the Brussels Motor Show. This second half of the year, it comes into the market, and we were able to drive it. The newcomer is based on the Chinese Chang’an […]
July 10, 2025
The Volkswagen Group recorded 465,500 BEV deliveries worldwide in the first half of 2025, 47% more than in the same period of last year. The VW Group’s electric cars were in demand in the USA and especially in Europe; however, there was a sharp decline in China. The 465,500 electric cars delivered in the first […]
July 04, 2025
Changan Automobile, one of China’s largest state-owned automakers, is accelerating its push into Europe. The carmaker has confirmed its intention to build its first manufacturing facility on the continent as part of a broader strategy to grow its electric vehicle footprint. The mounting trade barriers have persuaded the carmaker to localize operations. “We are committed […]
July 03, 2025
Polestar is staking its European future on a new production strategy that focuses on local manufacturing for regional markets. The Swedish electric performance brand, owned by China’s Geely, confirmed this week that its upcoming Polestar 7 will roll off the lines at Volvo Cars’ under-construction factory in Košice, Slovakia. The 7 marks the premium brand’s […]
July 03, 2025
Stellantis is warning of potential factory closures across Europe as the automaker struggles to align with the European Union’s increasingly stringent CO₂ emissions targets. The alarm was sounded this week by Jean-Philippe Imparato, the group’s Europe chief, who described the situation as “just months away from a drama” if no regulatory adjustments are made before […]
July 03, 2025
According to Filip Rylant, spokesperson for the mobility federation Traxio, the second-hand car market performed well in the first six months of the year, with 373,810 used car registrations, representing a 7.1% increase compared to the same period last year. The second-hand market performed strongly in the first half of the year, with no less […]
July 03, 2025
The American research organization BloombergNEF (BNEF), widely regarded as an authority in global analyses across various domains, including electric mobility and clean energy, expects EV sales to surge this year like never before, with a 25% increase to 22 million vehicles. Nearly two-thirds of those 22 million will be sold in China, 17% in Europe—a […]
July 02, 2025
In June 2025, the figures of the federal service Mobility & Transport and Febiac show a 16.4% decrease in registrations in Belgium and Luxembourg, with 41,527 newly registered cars. Cumulatively, 234,616 cars were newly registered during the first six months of 2025, representing a 10.9% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. Noticeable is […]
July 02, 2025
Leasing company Ayvens, formerly LeasePlan/ALD Automotive, is one of the first major leasing companies to actively promote extending the typical EV leasing contract from four to six years. “The combination of technical reliability and limited maintenance costs makes an extension of leasing contracts extra interesting today – both for the environment and the wallet,” Ayvens says […]
July 02, 2025
The bromance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk appears to be ending as the two men are shifting from allies to adversaries. This week, the simmering tensions between the president and the world’s most famous tech billionaire boiled over again. Trump threatened to pull Tesla deeper into turmoil just as the carmaker faces a growing […]
June 27, 2025
Tesla has dismissed one of its most senior executives amid its sales debacle and growing unease over CEO Elon Musk’s polarizing public profile. Omead Afshar, a long-time confidant of Musk and head of operations for North America and Europe, was quietly let go, according to Forbes. The departure reflects deepening turbulence within the electric vehicle […]
June 27, 2025
Belgium’s tax-friendly treatment of company cars is depriving the state of up to €6 billion a year in lost revenues, as calculated in a damning new report by the Federal Planning Bureau. The analysis, published on Thursday, highlights how a system initially designed to ease wage costs has evolved into one of the most expensive […]
June 26, 2025
The financial analysis platform TradingPedia analyzed global sales of electrified vehicles worldwide in 2024 by examining new car registration data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). The fact that China is by far the leading country in EV sales is confirmed here. According to TradingPedia research, China led […]
June 23, 2025
As of today, Antonio Filosa has started as the new CEO of Stellantis. After three weeks of visiting Stellantis factories, R&D centers, and offices worldwide, he officially started his new job by reshuffling his management team. Meanwhile, important decisions are to be made soon as the world’s fourth-largest car manufacturer has to recover from an […]
June 23, 2025
Chery Group—China’s largest vehicle exporter—announces a second model, alongside the Omoda 5 (ICE and EV), the flagship SUV, the Omoda 9 SHS. This one isn’t fully electric, but it is a plug-in hybrid with an electric range of 145 km, and it is offered for €52,900. The Omoda 9 is known in China as the […]
June 20, 2025
Ford has issued a global stop-sale on its electric Mustang Mach-E as it grapples with a potentially serious safety issue that may prevent the doors from unlocking, putting occupants at risk of being trapped. The recall affects nearly 317,000 vehicles spanning model years 2021 to 2025, raising fresh concerns among customers and dealers about delivery […]
June 20, 2025
The Belgian Arizona government appears increasingly cornered over its controversial attempt to revive tax breaks for plug-in hybrid vehicles in corporate fleets. As it becomes clear that the proposed measures likely breach earlier commitments Belgium made under the EU’s post-COVID-19 recovery programme, the penalty for the revived incentive could be costly. Not a favorable outlook […]
June 19, 2025
In an unprecedented attempt to unravel years of climate policy, US President Donald Trump has launched a renewed offensive against electric vehicle mandates and state-level emissions rules. His move sets the stage for a bitter legal clash with clean car advocate California and its allies. On top of that, the two Chambers of Congress have […]
June 17, 2025
Genesis, founded in 2015 as an independent luxury brand of South Korean Hyundai, was initially active only in its home country and the United States, later expanding to Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Germany. It is now focusing further on Europe, entering the markets of France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands with first deliveries expected […]
June 16, 2025
Opel has unveiled an all-wheel-drive version of its Grandland Electric SUV, intensifying the competition in the fiercely contested mid-size electric crossover market. The new variant, dubbed the Grandland Electric AWD, brings more than just four driven wheels to the table—it arrives with a punchy 325 hp. The model mimics the Peugeot e-5008 dual motor, with […]
June 12, 2025
A Republican-led push in the US Congress threatens to blow a hole in one of Tesla’s most lucrative sources of profit: the sale of carbon and fuel economy credits. If the bill gets approved, it would deprive the electric vehicle maker of billions in future revenue. No wonder Tesla CEO Elon Musk slashed the proposal, […]
June 11, 2025
Toyota has officially launched its new all-electric bZ5 mid-size SUV in China, taking direct aim at Tesla’s Model Y — but at less than half the price. In a market where electric vehicle competition has become fierce, the Japanese automaker is relying heavily on local partnerships to bring affordable EVs to market. The bZ5 is […]
June 06, 2025
The number of new speed pedelecs sold in May decreased by 13.4%, cumulated over 5 months, the regression is just 3.7%. Second-hand ones, on the contrary, are increasingly popular, with a 17.1% increase compared to May last year. Filip Rylant, spokesman of mobility federation Traxio: “The registrations of new speed pedelecs are fluctuating less than […]
June 06, 2025
The West’s once-dominant car manufacturers are losing ground at an alarming rate to the new generation of fast-rising competitors from Asia, especially China. According to a study by the consulting firm EY, the profit gap is expected to continue growing. A new quarterly report by consultancy EY reveals a strong divide between Western and Asian […]
June 06, 2025
BYD has launched its full-service leasing offer in Belgium and Luxembourg, marking the latest phase of the Chinese electric vehicle giant’s expansion across Europe in partnership with mobility provider Ayvens. The rollout, branded BYD Lease, is the first formal result of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) the two companies signed last year to accelerate the […]
