September 20, 2023
At the second Mobility Stakeholders Day of the Belgian mobility federation Mobia on Tuesday in Brussels, guest speaker professor Dave Sinardet made those ‘stakeholders’ face the facts that there is a considerable gap to be bridged between the sector and the general public when it comes to the importance of everyday mobility issues and the […]
September 15, 2023
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s statement on Wednesday that the EU is to launch an investigation into China’s state support for makers of electric vehicles was brushed away by the Chinese government as ‘naked protectionist behavior.’ One that von der Leyen’s home car industry fears will backfire in a Chinese market they desperately […]
August 14, 2023
More than four out of ten Dutch citizens think their country has to eliminate the idea that everyone has to own a car. Energy provider Zonneplan did a panel survey of 2002 Dutch inhabitants about their views on car possession. The most popular argument against car possession is the high environmental impact of the car […]
August 03, 2023
The German car manufacturer BMW Group sees in the evolution of the car market a confirmation of its credo: an open technology with ample room for BEVs but also attention to other solutions, even (at least for a certain period) internal combustion engines. Frank Weber, BMW’s Head of R&D, said in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: […]
August 01, 2023
The spirit of Saab might prevail, finally. An unknown investor has probably purchased the NEVS Emily GT project; hope is glimmering for the ill-fabled manufacturer. There is now a slight chance that a purely electric Saab sedan will occupy the streets again. The mismanagement of owner General Motors and the horrendous fumbling of potential overtakers […]
July 20, 2023
The Tata Group will build its first battery cell factory outside India in the UK. The British government has now officially confirmed what had already become apparent. At the beginning of February, it became known that Tata Motors was looking for a location for its European battery cell factory in Spain or the UK. However, […]
July 18, 2023
Cutting battery sizes, improving chemistries, and reducing private car journeys can cut the expected consumption of critical materials in BEVs by 36-49% by 2050, says the NGO Transport & Environment based on a new analysis of a study ordered and conducted by the green group. Demand for battery raw materials in Europe will increase rapidly […]
July 13, 2023
Eventually, it was to become Lynk & Co’s first fully electric model. Still, after reconsideration, it was labeled ‘too good’ to resist the temptation to put it on the market as a new premium brand: the Zeekr 001. Not to be expected this year in Belgium, but ready for Sweden and the Netherlands, we got […]
July 12, 2023
‘Dacia goes extreme’ is the new slogan of Renault’s daughter Dacia. ‘Extreme’ is, in fact, the new top-of-line version for all Dacias, but the Spring gets a second, more powerful variant with it. We drove it on Belgian roads. Until now, the Dacia Spring, the cheapest EV on the Belgian market, had a 188 kg […]
June 27, 2023
With its 5,27-meter length and full two meters width, the Chinese Maxus’ MIFA9 is quite a giant-looking full electric people mover for seven or eight persons. A challenge to test drive on narrow roads in the hinterland of Namur. But that proved surprisingly pleasant: a rather pussyfooting elephant, we would say. The price of its […]
June 22, 2023
After a long wait, Opel has finally finished the development of its Astra Electric, which means we got to drive it. Thanks to its new Nidec electric motor, the compact hatchback promises, quite frankly, astonishing efficiency figures. Or is it too good to be true? In the battle between the technically similar e-308 and Astra […]
June 14, 2023
402 Automotive, a Dutch organizer of car shows and events, seems to want to fill the gap the cancellation of the Brussels Motor Show 2024 organized by sector federation Febiac has left. The Dutch event specialist wants to replace the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) with an ‘innovative car show’ with a lot of attention to […]
May 09, 2023
When picking up the NIO ET7 in Amsterdam for a week-long test drive, it was apparent right from the first moment we stepped into the 5,1-meter sleek sedan this is not your average Chinese low-budget electric car. This one is conceived to be a luxurious ‘second living room’ on wheels, playing in the highest categories […]
May 05, 2023
In the second year of the C40 Recharge’s existence, Volvo created a brand-new, compact e-motor for it… and we saw that it was good. Developed in-house in Sweden, it makes its entry in the new rear-wheel drive 2024 versions of the XC40 and C40 Recharge, both manufactured in Ghent, Belgium. Newmobility.news got the opportunity to […]
April 13, 2023
A lot of Belgians still have cold feet when it comes to switching to an electric car, especially in the case of private cars. One in three is plainly negative toward EVs, and only one in four is willing to consider buying one in the next five years. Moreover, higher purchase prices and soaring energy […]
April 11, 2023
To see it actually appear on European roads, we’ll have to wait until summer, but a limited number of international journalists got the opportunity to test some pre-production models of the new Chinese Aiways U6 on Portuguese roads. Newmobility.news took the challenge, and the U6 didn’t disappoint. Again, the Chinese prove they can give a […]
March 27, 2023
The EU Commission and the German government have agreed on a compromise on how new cars with combustion engines can be registered after 2035 as long as they run on climate-neutral fuel. The original regulation on the phasing out of internal combustion engines is not to be touched again, and the exceptions will now be […]
March 27, 2023
German Targobank’s yearly Car Study, a survey conducted by survey institute Forsa, shows that the average German is again increasingly falling back on gasoline cars rather than an electric one when considering buying a new car. The tendency is quite apparent: 30% would prioritize it, compared to 22% the year before. The eagerness to switch […]
March 07, 2023
More than two-thirds (68%) of lithium-ion battery production planned for Europe is at risk of being delayed, scaled down, or canceled, a new analysis of Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. Tesla in Berlin, Northvolt in northern Germany, and Italvolt near Turin are among the projects that stand to lose the greatest volumes of their slated […]
March 02, 2023
The ten biggest leasing companies in Europe, managing today a fleet of 12 million vehicles, are ‘overcharging’ electric cars systematically on average by 57% or €233 per month, and €8 370 over 36 months, compared to a similar vehicle on gasoline. They claim lower resale values based on uncertainty on battery degradation, among others. Still, […]
February 24, 2023
Vincent Cobée, the current CEO of the Citroën brand, part of the Stellantis Group, will be replaced by Thierry Koskas as of March 1st. Cobée, recently cited in our articles, “has decided to pursue personal projects outside the company”, as it always sounds in official press releases. “In the light of the growing challenges related […]
February 22, 2023
According to the figures of the European Car Manufacturers Association ACEA, in January, the European Union passenger car market grew by 11,3% to 760 041 units, starting the new year on a positive note. However, one must consider that this was mainly due to an unusually modest comparison base in 2022 when the lowest January […]
February 21, 2023
In an interview with the British car magazine Autocar, Dacia Vice-President for Sales, Marketing, and Operations Xavier Martinet says that a much greater emphasis needs to be put on weight efficiency when designing (EV) cars. “If we’re serious about collectively reducing emissions, then excessive weight should not be acceptable.” Martinet made his statement when he […]
February 15, 2023
It is now officially confirmed that Ford Motor Company is again planning to cut thousands of jobs. Some 3 800 across Europe before 2025, but the biggest part of it will be in Germany (2 300) and the UK (1 300). The proving grounds in Belgian Lommel also seem to be threatened. The American number […]
February 10, 2023
Porsche’s new electric flagship should be launched in 2027 and will be a seven-seater, off-road-capable luxury crossover. Porsche previously announced that it is working on an electric SUV positioned above the familiar models. Now, the first technical data have surfaced. According to information from the British magazine Autocar, the SUV will be more than five […]
January 23, 2023
The 100th-anniversary edition of the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) welcomed some 270 000 public visitors in nine days. That’s considerably less than in the heydays before the pandemic, but it still makes it the most popular indoor event in Belgium. The organizers hoped that 300-350 000 people would have found their way to the halls […]
January 19, 2023
After leaving the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) last year, Stellantis has just announced they will stop all European lobbying efforts. CEO Carlos Tavares made the decision as a way to be more proactive than reactive in terms of future mobility strategies. “We no longer have lobbyists. We do not negotiate anymore,” Tavares says. “We […]
January 11, 2023
In 2022, the high-luxury daughter of BMW, Rolls-Royce, sold 6021 cars. Never before has the illustrious company sold so many cars: 8% more than the previous record year, and that was 2021. Bentley sold more than 15 000 cars, also a record. So the Ukrainian war, the energy prices, etc., don’t affect the buying habits […]
January 10, 2023
When one follows the car market and the manufacturers’ policies, one of the ever-recurring words is ‘premium’. There’s almost no manufacturer anymore that doesn’t want to be –be it partly – premium, at the same time neglecting a (big) part of its former sales base. It’s becoming very crowdy in this premium part of the […]
January 09, 2023
In an interview with the German specialized magazine Automobilwoche at the Computer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares warns the industry that many European middle-class customers will buy Chinese in the future. “The price difference between European and Chinese cars is considerable,” he says. “If we do nothing about this, consumers […]
January 03, 2023
Despite an excellent December month (+20,6% compared to last year), the Belgian car market regressed by 4,4% compared to 2021. This was due to significant deficits in sales in the first seven months, which couldn’t be compensated by the progress in the last five months. As the Belgian market stays dominated by company cars, BMW […]
December 29, 2022
You won’t be stared at for its modern but not unique looks when driving by, as this family hatchback – MG’s latest EV washing ashore in Europe – could be one in a thousand. Unless you chose that ‘Fizzy Orange’ color. Driving the basic version for the first time on Belgian roads, this MG4 proves […]
December 29, 2022
The era of the original Smart two-seater has gone. In came the new Smart, a completely different approach and the fruit of a collaboration between Mercedes and Geely. The new #1 is also a completely electric car, like the latest ‘old’ Smarts, but every other similarity halts here. The newcomer is a crossover that tries […]
December 22, 2022
Toyota has announced a €77 million investment for producing fifth-generation hybrid powertrains at its Poland and UK plants. The powertrain will be built in the UK and Turkey and used for the first time in the new Corolla. Seven production lines will be upgraded at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Poland (TMMP) and Toyota Motor Manufacturing UK […]
November 25, 2022
Truck transport is massively polluting, and the emissions from transporting retail goods spike 94% during Black Friday week. However, there is a ready-made solution in the form of zero-emission trucks, the European environmental lobbying group Transport and Environment (T&E) says. Black Friday is notorious for peak consumerism and waste. Trucking retail goods is a dirty […]
November 12, 2022
Lately, almost all manufacturers are talking about becoming more premium in their future plans, abandoning the lower A- and B-segments. One should expect from a premium/luxury player like BMW the same. But this has been recently denied by the big boss himself, Oliver Zipse, talking at an event hosted by car supplier Bosch. A few […]
November 08, 2022
It’s getting colorful but complicated. We already know grey hydrogen, the least environmentally friendly form, as it still generates CO2 when produced from gas, and blue hydrogen, where the CO2 is captured and stored. There is ‘green’ hydrogen, generated mainly by electrolysis using renewable electricity from solar or wind energy. But why not consider ‘turquoise’ […]
October 25, 2022
French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated the Paris Motor Show ‘Mondial de l’Auto’ last week. But in the wake of the difficulties almost all motor shows are experiencing post-pandemic, the Mondial seems to have lost its global character. As a result, only 400 000 visitors showed up, while the previous edition attracted more than a million. […]
October 20, 2022
On Wednesday, the BMW Group announced a $1,7 billion investment in its US operations, including $1 billion to prepare for the production of electric vehicles at the company’s existing US manufacturing facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and $700 million to build a new high-voltage battery assembly facility nearby Woodruff. By 2030, BMW Group will build […]
October 19, 2022
After turning the Qashqai into an electric car with a permanently running generator on gasoline, Nissan did the same trick with another success number, the X-Trail. But this time, with more muscle and 4WD, adding a second 94 kW motor on the rear axle. We got the chance to try out what Nissan likes to […]
September 19, 2022
If it were up to the Open Vld, car inspection as we know it today would be dropped, and periodic vehicle inspections would be put in the hands of garage owners instead of the current (regional) government-regulated monopoly of technical centers. This was one of the propositions adopted at the annual party congress of the […]
September 06, 2022
The board of the VW Group approved Porsche AG’s IPO when the capital market’s evolution is not disturbed too much. The Board of Surveillance of the Group has also agreed. The actual Initial Public Offering is scheduled for the end of the year; from the end of September on will be given by the intention […]
August 30, 2022
A Greenpeace East Asia research report shows that 93% of Toyota’s manufacturing facilities are at high risk from the consequences of climate change. Honda and Nissan also occupy positions high up in the ranking; Volkswagen and Renault are in the lower parts of the operations risk comparison. This conclusion is based on an analysis of […]
August 22, 2022
Since July, Swedish-Chinese Lynk & Co has raised its monthly subscription price for the the 01 SUV PHEV from €500 to €550 (VAT incl.) or a full 10% for all new contracts. For existing subscribers, the raise will be effective only from September 1st, 2022, as a kind of ‘gesture’. In an email to all […]
August 09, 2022
From 16 August, vehicle inspection centers in Flanders must resume their normal activities and stop accepting customers by appointment only. This is what Flemish Minister for Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) has decided. The minister is also demanding an audit of the operation and customer satisfaction of the facilities after the complaints piled up in […]
August 08, 2022
The bi-annual Paris Motor Show, the ‘Mondial de l’Automobile’, will take place from 17 to 23 October this year at the usual spot in Paris (Porte de Versailles). One may notice the shortened period, and the organizers hope to attract half a million visitors in these seven days, also because the after-sales show Equipauto will […]
August 05, 2022
Toyota Motor Corporation kept its profit outlook for the current year, while investors expected an upgrade. However, the immediate result was a share price fall of 3%, as the stock market always wants higher results. Toyota’s top managers point at the ‘many uncertainties ahead’. “We are not confident enough to raise guidance,” they say, as […]
July 26, 2022
After the stock market’s closing, Volkswagen announced a complete surprise on Friday evening. CEO Herbert Diess is leaving the company at the end of August. On 1 September, Porsche boss Oliver Blume will take over and lead both companies in parallel. The market reacted negatively on Monday, questions arise everywhere if the new CEO will […]
July 25, 2022
Together with the fully electric Ariya, Nissan let us take a taste in Sweden of the new Qashqai e-Power, a totally different kind of hybrid. Not the HEV we’re used to knowing from pioneers like Toyota, not a plug-in hybrid you can charge at home, but an electric car with a nearly permanently running generator […]
July 15, 2022
When Nissan, one of the pioneers of electric driving with the Leaf, says that the new Ariya is the stepping stone to a whole new range of EVs, we are all ears. Driving it on Swedish roads around Stockholm, it reveals itself as a better version – roomier, sharper, quieter, more efficient, and even more […]
July 14, 2022
A bill currently under study in the North Carolina legislature would allocate $50 000 to get rid of free public EV chargers unless free gas pumps are built alongside. That’s what a Car&Driver magazine contributor has noticed in its state and neighborhood, District 52 of that same US state. “Politicians have to run on some […]
June 21, 2022
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) commented on the latest EU plans, part of the ‘Fit for 55’ climate package. Regarding the regulations for private/non-public charging infrastructure, the Commission has to be more ambitious. Of course, ACEA welcomes the European Commission’s proposal to review the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) as part of the […]
May 13, 2022
Wednesday, a new president for the board was elected at the Autoworld museum in Brussels. Ex-Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, now still a member of the European Parliament, has accepted to succeed to another well-known Open-Vld politician, Herman De Croo, who has been heading the museum for 36 years. The entire Autoworld team is very grateful […]
May 01, 2022
When you’re invited as one of the few to test drive a pre-production model of a brand’s new flagship, it’s an offer you can’t refuse. Especially when it comes from one of Japan’s smaller but still independent carmakers, Mazda. Its CX-60 PHEV might look familiar from the outside, but it houses a lot of ‘Mazda […]
April 26, 2022
Already wanted in Japan (where he fled jurisdiction in December 2019) and searched for by Interpol, former Alliance President Carlos Ghosn is now also persecuted in France. French justice wants to investigate alleged misuse of public goods, money laundering, and corruption. The now 68-year-old car tycoon fell from grace in 2018 when he was at […]
April 20, 2022
French carmaker Renault announced it would unveil its hydrogen concept car on May 19th at the ChangeNOW summit to be hosted between the Grand Palais Ephémère and the Eiffel Tower in Paris, expecting 400 delegations from 120 countries. It looks like Renault is carefully following the hydrogen path for the passenger car of Toyota, Hyundai, […]
April 14, 2022
Like many manufacturers, Porsche is working on a bidirectional V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) charging system. This means the vehicle can store electricity in its battery, but it can also feed power back into the grid at peak times to balance the grid. The question is whether this system offers a structural solution, or is it just a […]
April 14, 2022
The Mercedes Vision EQXX prototype for the electric sedan of the future has recently proven its 1 000 km + range in real driving conditions. After a 1 008 km long drive from the research center in Sindelfingen (Stuttgart) to Cassis (French riviera), the car had some 140 km range left. Driving from Germany to […]
April 12, 2022
As the number of electric vehicles (EVs) is growing, the need for clear charging rules is rising too. For example, in Arnhem (north of Holland), a court has condemned an EV owner to finally pay the fine he got in 2020 for occupying a charging point for too long. The EV owner had refused to […]
March 23, 2022
As one of the first journalists in Europe, we were able to drive the first Subaru EV, the Solterra, on a closed test circuit in Aldenhoven, near Aachen (Germany). This spring, the Solterra arrives on the market together with the Toyota bZ4x, its twin brother. But to say that Solterra is a mere copy of […]
