August 17, 2022
Nothing is officially confirmed yet, but the rumors circulating for some time now are pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that’s beginning to take shape: Hyundai is working on two small electric cars under €20 000 to replace the current i10 with a combustion engine in the A-(mini) segment. The intention to launch a small electric […]
August 17, 2022
The brand with the star will further expand its range of electric models. An SUV derivative of the recent EQE saloon will follow and be officially unveiled on 16 October 2022, but Mercedes-Benz is showing the first pictures of the interior of its EQE SUV as an appetizer. Like the EQE, this newcomer will be […]
August 17, 2022
Swedish-Chinese sister brand of Volvo, Polestar, has confirmed that the Polestar O2 roadster study model unveiled in March in Los Angeles will become a reality by 2026 as a production model designated as the Polestar 6. The hard-top convertible will inherit the power base of the Polestar 5, meaning an 800 Volt architecture, dual motors […]
August 16, 2022
German startup ElectricBrands launches two additional versions of its cute Evetta, a modern successor to the famed BMW Isetta. One of them is a recreational cabriolet. The other one is the already unveiled and more functional cargo variant which has now been confirmed. The Evetta Openair has a retractable canvas roof, which can even be […]
August 16, 2022
Following a teasing campaign, Indian carmaker Mahindra has finally unveiled the models, under concept guise, that must drive its global electrification strategy. The carmaker showed five fully electric SUVs that will be sold under two new sub-brands: BE and XUV. It doesn’t pass by unnoticed, the all-new electric family from Mahindra. Under the brand BE […]
August 15, 2022
Fans of Starsky and Hutch, the movie Helter Skelter, or Jay Leno’s Garage immediately recognize this cuddly strand buggy. The good news is that the beach buggy Meyers Manx has been revived. The frog looks remain, but as for the driveline, this is a whole new ‘electric animal’. Officially called Meyers Manx 2.0, this little […]
August 11, 2022
The first product from the cooperation between three major Chinese industrial groups (CATL, Huawei, and Changan) is a reality. The Avatr brand has drawn the curtain on its first production model, the Avatr 11, primarily intended to attract a premium audience. This all-electric SUV model not only looks futuristic but also has a lot of […]
August 11, 2022
Ford’s all-electric vehicle sales reached a new record. In July, the company sold 7 669 BEVs, 169% more than a year ago and 4,9% of the total volume (also a new record). The company says that its BEV growth rate is outpacing the market’s average and that the brand is now the 2nd biggest player […]
August 11, 2022
Electric carmaker Tesla will finally deliver the first fully battery-electric class-8 Semi trucks with a 500-mile (800 km) range by the end of 2022. At least, this is what Elon Musk promised on Twitter. And PepsiCo, which ordered 100 of them years ago, is probably the lucky one to get them first. Tesla unveiled the […]
August 10, 2022
German sports car manufacturer Porsche broke the lap record for electric production cars with a little help from a performance kit. Its upgraded Taycan Turbo S flashed by the finish line in 7:33.350, two seconds faster than the previous winner: the Tesla Model S Plaid (7:35.579). Factory driver Lars Kern put the Taycan Turbo S […]
August 10, 2022
Mercedes-Benz has released the SUV offshoot of the all-electric EQS for sale. Prices in Germany start at €110 658 for the EQS 450+. The EQS SUV can now be ordered in three drive variants, and the first vehicles are expected to reach European customers this December. For all technical details, we refer to our previous […]
August 10, 2022
Chevrolet has reduced the price of its Bolt EV by up to $6 000 in the US this summer. Owners of previously bought Bolt vehicles are apparently offered the same credit… if they waive all rights to sue GM over the vehicle. The website Jalopnik reported that owners who bought their Bolt before the price […]
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 08, 2022
The Tesla Model X and Model S are available again in Europe after almost two years. Both top models of the American EV manufacturer were unavailable for a while, and orders outside the US were also put on hold since the end of 2021. A chain of events was at the root of this curious […]
August 08, 2022
Lucid Motors, the electric carmaker of ex-Tesla engineer Peter Rawlinson, will build only 6 000 to 7 000 cars this year due to production headaches and shortages. Initially, Lucid had forecasted 20 000 Lucid Air sedans for 2022. In February, this was adjusted to 12 to 14 000 and halved again now. When Lucid had […]
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 […]
August 05, 2022
Austrian automotive contract manufacturer Magna has finished 55 prototypes of the Fisker Ocean EV for final testing to prepare for the production kickoff on November 17th, 2022. Fiskers says all 5 000 limited edition Oceans are sold, outspread over Austria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States, where the car […]
August 05, 2022
In a statement commenting on the half-year results of the BMW Group, CEO Oliver Zipse also talked about the future new class, the ‘Neue Klasse’. He has confirmed that the first two models to be launched are an all-electric sedan and an SUV. So there will also be a “sporty SUV” at the launch alongside […]
August 03, 2022
“In a highly volatile environment, the BMW Group remained on course in the first half of 2022,” says the German premium manufacturer. The company emphasizes that this was achieved despite severe challenges, including continued supply chain disruptions and bottlenecks for semiconductors and specific supplier parts. Meanwhile, the company introduces an entry-level i4 eDrive35 in North […]
August 02, 2022
Turkey’s EV manufacturer Togg has taken a critical step toward series production. It released the first test cars straight off the lines in the Gemlik industrial center, southeast of Istanbul. CEO Gürcan Karakas told some German media more about the ambitious schedule. “At the beginning of November, we will have perfected the processes and then […]
July 29, 2022
For the first quarter of its new fiscal year, Nissan has registered a regress in benefits but stays prudently optimistic about the year to come and hopes to sell 4 million cars. Partner Renault Group upgrades its 2022 financial outlook and accelerates its transformation. Both companies, the largest partners in the Alliance, are finally crawling […]
July 29, 2022
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is entering the second phase of testing its all-important next vehicle, the fully electric Spectre coupé. All-in-all, 2,5 million test kilometers have to be run before the company gives the green light for production and commercialization of the car at the end of next year. The next location is the French Riviera. […]
July 29, 2022
The car manufacturing group Stellantis (14 brands) has registered a record operating margin of 14,1% for the first six months of 2022. It reported a net profit of €8 billion (+34%) and a total turnover of €88 billion (+17%) despite lower sales, at 2,9 billion units (-7%), in a declining market. The reasons are the […]
July 28, 2022
The British brand Mini, part of the BMW Group, presents the Concept Aceman, an initial preview of its future model generation’s new design. In this concept car, Mini wants to show design-based and technological innovations that outline the brand-typical driving pleasure of the future. “The Mini Concept Aceman provides an initial glimpse of a completely […]
July 27, 2022
In America, van body manufacturers EAVX and Morgan Olson have launched the first drive-by-wire fully electric walk-in step van, based on the P7 platform of Israeli REE Automotive. REE’s fully flat and low platform, unveiled in January 2022, is intended to underpin Class 3-5 fully electric vehicles with payloads up to 3 600 kg, offering […]
July 26, 2022
The German supermarket chain Lidl will offer the Elaris Finn two-seater in Germany and Austria at a lease price of €222 per month. It’s a pilot project; other countries will follow later, eventually. The German supermarket giant is an electric believer. Earlier, it proposed free (fast) charging on its parking premises for its clients. But, […]
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 25, 2022
General Motors has finally unwrapped its fully electric flagship, a possible answer to the Mercedes EQS and the BMW i7. The Cadillac Celestiq show car might become the most expensive Cadillac ever, at over $300 000. And it will be the second electric model of the luxury brand after the Lyriq, which is just starting […]
July 25, 2022
Renault’s sports car subsidiary Alpine gives a glimpse at its electric future with a concept car. The Alpine A110 E-ternité is based on the brand’s combustion sports car but has been rebuilt for the study as an all-electric open sports car with 178 kW of power. The cells of the 60 kWh battery for a […]
July 25, 2022
Porsche recalls the Taycan again, which concerns all models including the Cross Turismo and the Sport Turismo. Worldwide, over 40 000 vehicles have been affected this time. There is a possible problem with the wiring harness under the front seats of cars built between July 2019 and May 2018. This is not the first time […]
July 20, 2022
The English sports car producer Lotus, now part of the Chinese Geely automotive group, has completed the construction of its vehicle plant in the Chinese city of Wuhan. It has just produced the first example of its all-electric Eletre SUV model, the first to be built there. The Wuhan factory is designed for an annual […]
July 20, 2022
The GM subsidiary Chevrolet has unveiled the Blazer EV. Based on parent company General Motors’ Ultium platform, the all-electric SUV will be available with a choice of front, rear, or all-wheel drive. Meanwhile, GM CEO Mary Barra sees a great future for an electric GM in the future, also in Europe. Even though the Blazer […]
July 20, 2022
Porsche has postponed the market launch of the all-electric Macan until 2024. That has been confirmed by Porsche boss Oliver Blume himself. Also noticeable: in addition to the E-Macan, a new electric luxury SUV will roll off the production line in Leipzig in the future. “The market launch is in 2024,” Blume said in an […]
July 19, 2022
Alcopa, the Moorkens family holding, has once again sold one of its automotive daughters. In 2010, it acquired Bihr (for 95%), now one of the biggest European distributors of motorbikes parts and accessories. According to De Tijd and L’Echo, it has now sold Bihr to Arrowhead Engineering Products, a worldwide dealer of parts and accessories […]
July 19, 2022
The full electric convertible segment seems to be in progress, as Mini shows a one-off of the Cooper Convertible SE that they presented in South Carolina at a local Mini event, ‘Mini takes the States’. If and when an electric Mini Convertible will be launched is currently unclear. For now, the British manufacturer wants to […]
July 19, 2022
Stellantis will alter its activities in China and deploy an alternative scheme called the ‘asset-light business model’ by its CEO Carlos Tavares. Meanwhile, the car manufacturing group is proceeding with its plan to reorganize its distribution system. Concerning its joint venture with its local partner GAC, producing Jeep in China, Stellantis throws in the towel. […]
July 19, 2022
The electric Polestar 3 that will debut in October of this year will be sold at prices between €75 000 and €110 000, CEO Thomas Ingenlath confirmed at the Automotive News Europe Congress. Ingenlath mentioned the base price for its large SUV earlier in December 2021 and added that a compacter crossover version, the Polestar […]
July 18, 2022
Hyundai has unveiled the RN22e and the N Vision 74, two very different electric car studies from its N performance sub-brand. In addition, the Korean company has also confirmed that the Ioniq 5 N will debut in 2023. The compact electric car is the brand’s first fully electric high-performance model. Although the Ioniq 5 N […]
July 17, 2022
The Chinese car company Geely has created ‘Radar Auto’, a new brand of electric ‘lifestyle vehicles’ such as pickup trucks, SUVs, and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). The first product is the Radar RD6 pickup truck, scheduled to go into production in the fourth quarter of 2022. Details are to follow at a later date. According to […]
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 15, 2022
After the F-150 Lightning, Ford’s first fully electric pickup, North America’s number two car manufacturer is also planning electric variants for its smaller pickup trucks, Maverick and Ranger, in Europe. Ford has registered the model names ‘Maverick Lightning’ and ‘Ranger Lightning’ with the European Trademark Office. When Ford launched the F-150 Lightning, an all-electric version […]
July 15, 2022
The sales of new cars in Belgium and Luxembourg decreased by almost 16% in the first half of 2022 compared to 2021. June showed virtually the same tendency with a 15,3% decrease. Due to the importance of the company car market, one car out of four sold from January to June 2022 was a premium […]
July 14, 2022
Boxier SUVs and crossovers are wind scoops compared to sleek sedans costing more energy. Hyundai is proving this once again as it released the specs of its newest fully electric sedan, the Ioniq 6. The latter easily gets 100 km further with the same 77,4 kWh battery as the Ioniq 5 crossover, 610 km compared […]
July 14, 2022
The world’s largest car industry supplier, the German Bosch Group, has announced it will invest €3 billion in semiconductors between now and 2026. It is encouraged by the recently emitted European ambitions to secure Europe’s autonomy in the field. “We are preparing ourselves for an ever-increasing demand for chips,” said Bosch CEO Stefan Hartung on […]
July 14, 2022
Can an electric vehicle (EV) be powered solely by solar energy in the form of carried-on solar panels? The results of a Chinese team of 42 companies and three universities joining forces may show that it’s possible. A team from Tianjin has developed an EV – called the ‘Tianjin’– that is powered entirely by solar […]
July 13, 2022
Speed pedelec manufacturer Stromer launches a new top model and an interesting leasing scheme. The relentless activity of the Swiss e-bike manufacturer seems a reflection of the healthy future of the bicycle market, despite current production and delivery problems. Stromer launches its new ST7 top model at the Eurobike fair in Frankfurt. At the same […]
July 12, 2022
Nearly two months after his re-election, the French opposition is summoning French president Emmanuel Macron to explain himself after the revelation by the press of privileged exchanges between Uber and Macron when he was at Bercy. The left-wing alliance Nupes wants a parliamentary commission of inquiry, while the far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National) is asking […]
July 12, 2022
Despite the resurgence in May, the second-hand motorbike market is falling on hard times. In the first six months of the year, 41 568 vehicles were registered, or a decrease of 10,6% compared to 2021 (46 471 registrations). Registrations of new vehicles decreased by 6,1% compared to last year. In June, 9 852 vehicles were […]
July 12, 2022
Scania has delivered an all-electric truck specially designed for transporting timber to Swedish timber processor SCA, offering a gross vehicle weight of up to 64 tons on public roads and up to 80 tons on private roads. The vehicle will transport timber to SCA’s terminal in Gimonäs and the paper mill in Obbola near Umeå […]
July 11, 2022
Car branch organizations RAI and Bovag have reported that one car out of five sold in the first six months in the Netherlands was a fully electric one. In this first semester of 2022, 29 531 BEVs were registered, an 82,9% increase compared to last year’s same period. According to both associations, this sharp increase […]
July 08, 2022
In the first six months of 2022, BMW Group sold 1 160 443 vehicles, 13,3% less than the same period in 2021 (when a record number was registered). Nevertheless, it increased its lead in the premium automotive segment and more than doubled its sales of fully electric vehicles. “Despite a very challenging environment, we were […]
July 08, 2022
The Itzehoe-based German manufacturer ElectricBrands presented a camper van based on its electric light vehicle XBUS. There is also news about the Microlino clone Karo, which ElectricBrands plans to launch later this year as the ‘Evetta’. ElectricBrands does not give many details about the new ‘Camper’ in the press release, except that it is “at […]
July 07, 2022
Exclusively available in 50 units, Honda has prepared a special edition of its all-electric city car, the e. Apart from the cosmetic changes, the driveline and battery remain unaltered. But there’s a fan with some fame that seems to have been graced by its appearance. While a thrilling drive isn’t front in mind with a […]
July 07, 2022
Chinese car manufacturer BYD is tackling the following countries after Norway with its aim to conquer Europe: the Benelux. In the Netherlands, the Chinese manufacturer has selected the car dealer group Louwman as its national sales partner. In Belgium and Luxembourg, it partners with Inchcape. Both are also Toyota importers in their respective countries. Louwman […]
July 06, 2022
The multi-brand seller Dex (West-Flanders) is expanding its business into the north of France. In a time when car distribution is under pressure, and there is an ongoing consolidation of dealer groups, the 17-year-old multi-brander chooses the flight ahead and expands its Belgian 17 branches business into French territory. Dex was founded in 2005 by […]
July 05, 2022
Jaguar seems to be planning three electric SUV crossover models in the course of transforming into an all-electric brand by 2025, local media reports. The new models will utilize Jaguar’s own BEV platform Panthera and are designed to break the £ 100 000 (± € 115 000) barrier in pricing. In its new ‘Reimagine’ scheme, […]
July 05, 2022
Was Ford saying it would only introduce electrified vehicles on the European market from now on? Yes, but no. Ford just announced that it would launch a limited number of the rugged offroader in Europe. The car will be available in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands, among others, but not in the UK. There is […]
July 04, 2022
The first production models of the new 7 Series have now rolled off the production lines at the BMW plant in Dingolfing, including the all-electric i7 offshoot. Meanwhile, BMW seems also to consider producing the future ‘New Class’ models in its plant in Mexico for the American market. The BMW Group has invested more than […]
July 01, 2022
Volvo Cars announced today it will establish a third manufacturing plant in Europe. The new state-of-the-art plant in Kosice, Slovakia, will be climate neutral and build only electric cars, underpinning the company’s ambition to become fully electric by 2030 and climate-neutral by 2040. By picking Slovakia as the location for its new plant, Volvo Cars […]
July 01, 2022
The tumultuous take-over saga at SsangYong has resulted in chemical-to-steel group KG becoming the new owner. The company outbid underclothing giant Ssangbangwool (SSB) and paid 950 billion won ($740 million) for the financially troubled Korean SUV specialist. The deal was conducted by biddings that needed the approval of the Seoul Bankruptcy court. Based on pricing, […]
