January 21, 2021
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
Home » Opinion

Opinion

Energy  / Europe  / Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Interesting Chinese EV newcomer Aiways U5: we drove it
Tony Verhelle Posted On January 11, 2021


The coming year will see a small avalanche of new Chinese brands on European markets, a lot of them producing electric vehicles. Aiways is one of them, and with a little delay due to corona, the first product, a full-electric […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Energy  / Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Will 2021 be the year of the EV breakthrough?
Tony Verhelle Posted On December 31, 2020


Until now, the major obstacle for the electric car was its price. That may change in 2021. A lot of brands are coming with new, fully electric vehicles at more affordable prices, starting around € 20 000. This should give […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Europe  / Industry  / Legislation  / Opinion  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Brexit deal: UK has far more to lose than EU (Update)
Tony Verhelle Posted On December 28, 2020


Finally, there is a deal between the EU and the UK. But behind the sigh of relief, there are also the first analyses that the differences will be minor.  The difference won’t be that big, especially not for the UK. […]


Continue Reading
0
4 Views


Industry  / Mobility  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Are motor shows threatened by their virtual counterparts?
Tony Verhelle Posted On December 22, 2020


The big motor shows of the past have been suffering lately, and the corona pandemic may sound the death knell for them. These shows’ virtual counterparts are popping up everywhere, surfing on the new habits of the corona-struck, confined consumer. […]


Continue Reading
0
3 Views


Energy  / Industry  / Opinion  / Top Stories Today
Toyota blows hot and cold on EVs
Tony Verhelle Posted On December 21, 2020


At a news conference on Thursday last week, Akio Toyoda, the grandson of Toyota’s founder, Kiichiro Toyoda,  and now President and CEO of the company, said Japan would run out of electricity in the summer if all cars were running […]


Continue Reading
0


Energy  / Environment  / Industry  / Legislation  / Opinion  / Product  / Sports  / Top Stories Today
Is the luxury car ready for the electric era?
Tony Verhelle Posted On December 16, 2020


The energy transition is inevitable. The sooner manufacturers are adapting themselves to it, the better for them. Nevertheless, manufacturers of real luxury cars seem to have many problems to adapt themselves, Porsche being a notable exception. For many of those […]


Continue Reading
0
1 Views


Industry  / Opinion  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Rumble at VW top: Diess stays (for now), Ulbrich is leaving
Tony Verhelle Posted On December 3, 2020


For a while already, there’s an ongoing rumble at the Volkswagen top. Group CEO Herbert Diess has already been deprived of his Volkswagen responsibility, now his plans for further restructuring of the group are colliding head-on with many other board […]


Continue Reading
0
1 Views


Industry  / Legislation  / Opinion  / Technology  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
American car industry: the Trump years
Tony Verhelle Posted On November 10, 2020


In his 2016 election campaign, President Trump made big statements about reviving and restructuring the American car industry. We try to give a short analysis of what happened and what didn’t. In fact, it was President Obama who saved the […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Will the corona pandemic change car buying habits?
Tony Verhelle Posted On November 4, 2020


Many car manufacturers are trying online sales. Apart from certain brands, like Tesla, this hasn’t been a big success yet. But the venue of several new brands and the corona pandemic may see this change. For the moment, internet sales […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Industry  / Opinion  / Portrait  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Hyundai is rehiring design guru Luc Donckerwolke
Tony Verhelle Posted On November 4, 2020


In March of this year, Belgian car designer Luc Donckerwolke seemed to be leaving Hyundai through the back door. Today, he’s coming back as Chief Creative Officer (CCO), a new prominent position apparently created for him. Donckerwolke resumes his career […]


Continue Reading
0
1 Views


Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
The SUV isn’t dead yet
Tony Verhelle Posted On October 27, 2020


The Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) has become the most popular sort of vehicle in the world. Nevertheless, the criticism is increasing as well: too big, too heavy, too polluting, too intimidating, too… What to think about this split? Until now, […]


Continue Reading
0
1 Views


Energy  / Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Technology  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
The battle for the battery
Tony Verhelle Posted On October 23, 2020


According to the Swiss bank UBS, the expected battery cost will drop under the ‘magic’ barrier of $100 per kWh by 2022. This will trigger a faster switch to electric vehicles than previously expected. Undoubtedly it will also cause a […]


Continue Reading
0


Legislation  / Opinion  / Product  / Road safety  / Technology  / Top Stories Today
All-season tire more popular, but winter tire not dead yet
Posted On October 20, 2020


As November approaches, many car users think of changing their tires from summer to winter tires. In contrast to the US, where all-season tires are top-rated, the European customer was no fan yet. This seems to be changing due to […]


Continue Reading
0


Europe  / Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Technology  / Top Stories Today
‘Electrification will cost jobs all over Europe’
Tony Verhelle Posted On October 15, 2020


Several players in the dealer service and maintenance sector for cars sound the alarm bell. The electrification of the European car park will cost many jobs in the sector because the maintenance of an electric motor is far less complex. […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Is there a future for the traditional motor show?
Tony Verhelle Posted On October 13, 2020


With the announcement that the 99th Brussels Motor Show won’t take place in January 2021, one of the last successful shows won’t be there next year. Is there still a place for a traditional motor show in our rapidly changing […]


Continue Reading
0
4 Views


Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today
Brand repositioning, the new toy for marketeers
Tony Verhelle Posted On September 23, 2020


Car analysts all over the world agree that in the future, there will be fewer manufacturers and products because of the increasing costs. Considering the number of different brands, they’re less sure. Creating and repositioning brands has become one of […]


Continue Reading
0


Climate  / Energy  / Environment  / Industry  / Legislation  / Opinion  / Top Stories Today
Reactions on Vivaldi proposal go in all directions (update)
Tony Verhelle Posted On September 21, 2020


Last week, the plans of the Vivaldi coalition for a Belgian federal government leaked: one of the items that caused turmoil was the obligation to electrification for new company cars, starting in 2026. Of course, the reactions on this plan […]


Continue Reading
0
4 Views


Energy  / Industry  / Mobility  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today
‘An EV as my company car? No, thanks’
Tony Verhelle Posted On September 18, 2020


With the proposal out of the political world to make all company cars EVs as of 2026, many reactions have been registered. One of them was about practical experiences in the matter from the last two years. “A totally green, […]


Continue Reading
0
1 Views


Health  / Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Uncertainty leeds to hesitation for Brussels Motor Show
Tony Verhelle Posted On September 10, 2020


On Wednesday, car importer Hyundai Belux has announced that it will not be present at the 2021 Brussels Motor Show in January. Organizer Febiac is still confident that everything will work out well, but the uncertainty around the show causes […]


Continue Reading
0
5 Views


Europe  / Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Will the Japanese brands leave Europe?
Tony Verhelle Posted On September 1, 2020


For Japanese carmakers, the mature European market is surely not the most important. As it is also very competitive and difficult because of stringent regulations, more and more Japanese brands are thinking of abandoning the fight in Europe. A while […]


Continue Reading
0
4 Views


Industry  / Opinion  / Technology  / Top Stories Today
R&D under pressure in the whole car industry: the Renault example
Tony Verhelle Posted On August 28, 2020


The corona crisis has led to reconsidering R&D investments throughout the car industry. Some weeks ago we saw suppliers trying to cut costs everywhere, including R&D; today we zoom in on the fate of Renault’s Technocentre. Technocentre Renault in the […]


Continue Reading
0
1 Views


Energy  / Europe  / Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
CEOs become salesmen for their electric products
Tony Verhelle Posted On August 27, 2020


The communication specialists of several car manufacturers are bringing out the big guns. Their CEOs have to sell new electric cars directly. Lately, we saw Olivier François (President Fiat Brand Global) testing the new 500 La Prima on Youtube. Last […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Energy  / Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Technology  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Rich, green, and nostalgic? Buy an electric Lunaz Rolls
Tony Verhelle Posted On August 25, 2020


You have a few Rolls-Royces or Bentleys in your garage, and, of course, a series of other more plebeian motors. What can you do to stand out from the crowd? You can buy an (old) electric Rolls-Royce or Bentley. Too […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Climate  / Industry  / Legislation  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Are small cars being pushed out of the market?
Tony Verhelle Posted On August 24, 2020


Whenever you look at the plans of car manufacturers, there’s not much talk about or space for future small cars (A- or B-segment). Manufacturers explain that stringent emission rules make them too expensive. Couldn’t it be that they don’t want […]


Continue Reading
0
1 Views


Energy  / Environment  / Mobility  / Opinion  / Product  / Technology  / Top Stories Today
World (range) record for Hyundai Kona Electric
Gert Verhoeven Posted On August 18, 2020


Hyundai just made a successful record attempt at the German Lausitzring. This time the circuit wasn’t used to set a speed record, the Korean manufacturer wanted to see how far the Kona Electric could drive with one battery charge. The […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Luxury car segment doesn’t suffer from corona crisis
Tony Verhelle Posted On August 18, 2020


The luxury car segment in Belgium hasn’t suffered severely from the corona crisis. The market of real luxury cars only decreased by 3,2%, while the total car market shrunk by 26,6%. When we say luxury market, we think of brands […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Industry  / Legislation  / Mobility  / Opinion  / Technology  / Top Stories Today
Higher electricity distribution costs to make EVs unaffordable?
Gert Verhoeven Posted On August 17, 2020


From 2022 onward, the Flemish energy regulator (VREG) wants to calculate the distribution costs of electricity on the basis of capacity and no longer on consumption. Peak consumers will pay more, and it might even price the electric car out […]


Continue Reading
0
4 Views


Climate  / Environment  / Industry  / Opinion  / Top Stories Today
‘Water stress’, a problem for the near future
Tony Verhelle Posted On August 13, 2020


Worldwide, water shortage or (sometimes) flooding are growing concerns. Also, in the financial world, such concerns are ventilated. But apparently, not everybody is already conscious of the big problem that is looming ahead. “Investors underestimate the risk of water shortage […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Industry  / Opinion  / Portrait  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Renault steels chief designer Vidal from PSA
Tony Verhelle Posted On July 30, 2020


Luca de Meo is officially the new CEO of Renault since the 1st of July. He has started his new job with a bang. After taking the chief designer of Seat, Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, with him (announced last Monday), he has […]


Continue Reading
0
3 Views


Climate  / Energy  / Europe  / Industry  / Opinion  / Top Stories Today
EVs for free? Of course it has a cost
Tony Verhelle Posted On July 17, 2020


In Germany, you can drive a Renault Zoë free of charge. How is this possible? Two reasons: manufacturers need electric cars to lower their average fleet consumption, and many governments subsidize heavily after the corona crisis. Autohaus König, a large […]


Continue Reading
0
4 Views


Europe  / Industry  / Opinion  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Is FCA/PSA deal in danger?
Tony Verhelle Posted On July 14, 2020


The giant fusion deal between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and the PSA Group risks turning turtle. Analysts still think that it can work, but they are questioning the 50/50 deal. An equilibration even less justified since FCA has a state-certified […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views


Energy  / Environment  / Industry  / Opinion  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Crisis accelerates Daimler’s ‘green’ conversion
Tony Verhelle Posted On July 9, 2020


“Daimler can do better. And we will do it.” That was the message of CEO Ola Källenius on Wednesday at the general assembly of the group. An essential part of accomplishing this will be the green conversion Daimler is going […]


Continue Reading
0


Europe  / Export  / Industry  / Opinion  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
British car industry derails, Nissan Sunderland is the exception
Tony Verhelle Posted On June 25, 2020


The British car industry is at the edge of the abyss. Squeezed between Brexit, Covid-19, and the electric transition, it is really fighting for its survival. The lonely bright star at the firmament remains Nissan Sunderland, but for how long […]


Continue Reading
0


Environment  / Mobility  / Opinion  / Top Stories Today  / Transport  / Weekly Newsletter
Car federation Febiac proposes ‘green deal’
Tony Verhelle Posted On June 18, 2020


In his speech for the (virtual) general assembly of the Belgian federation of car and bicycle importers, Febiac president Philippe Dehennin pointed at the many challenges the car sector is confronted with. He proposes a ‘green deal’ to create a […]


Continue Reading
0
3 Views


Energy  / Industry  / Opinion  / Product  / Top Stories Today  / Weekly Newsletter
Mazda’s first EV is the MX-30. We drove it…
Tony Verhelle Posted On June 17, 2020


The Japanese car manufacturer has a quite different approach to electrification than most of its (usually far bigger) competitors. We already gave information about this in the recent past. Today, we had the opportunity, as one of the first in […]


Continue Reading
0
2 Views