Porsche plans super-EV for high-luxury segment

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 […]

Will the electric Mini stay in the UK?

February 10, 2023

BMW Group is reportedly negotiating with the British Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to receive a £75 million (± €84,5 million) grant to continue production of the electric Mini at its plant in Cowley on the outskirts of Oxford. This comes after British media reported in October that the German carmaker could […]

Mercedes launches new-gen eSprinter with up to 400 km range

February 09, 2023

Mercedes-Benz has given the electric version of its large Sprinter van a complete technical overhaul, resulting in a driving range of up to 400 km while maintaining a large cargo space and towing capacity. The new eSprinter is set to arrive in Europe toward the end of 2023. Mercedes-Benz already builds an eSprinter, but with […]

This is the new Panda EV from… Geely

February 09, 2023

The car pictured above is the new Panda, but it carries the name Geely instead of the Fiat logo. The tiny, boxy EV intends to steal some of the success of the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, China’s number one-selling electric car. That’s why it looks so similar. With its new Panda, Geely is aiming for […]

BMW presents updated X5 and X6

February 08, 2023

It was already a sneak preview at the Brussels Motor Show, now BMW officially presents the updated editions of its successful Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) X5 and Sports Activity Coupé (SAC) X6. The refreshed drive system line-up includes new combustion engines, a latest-generation plug-in hybrid system, and 48 V mild hybrid technology for all other […]

Jeep Avenger enters production in Poland

February 07, 2023

The European Car of the Year 2023 winner Jeep Avenger has entered production in Poland, making it the first EV produced in the Tychy plant and the first Jeep. Other EV models from Alfa Romeo and Fiat are likely to follow. Stellantis’ Polish factories in Tychy and Bielsko-Biala have been in the hands of the […]

Peugeot 208 is new EU best-seller, after 14 years of VW Golf reign

February 06, 2023

The European new car market recorded another year-on-year decline in 2022. According to JATO Dynamics data for 30 markets (EU-26 + UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland), volume totaled 11 309 310 units, down by 4,1% compared to 2021 and the lowest level since 1985. After 14 years, the VW Golf had to give its crown […]

Is this Zeekr X the one for Europe?

February 03, 2023

Zeekr took the wraps from the prototype car that seems poised to accelerate the brand’s launch in Europe. While it was thought to be called the 003, the compact crossover is dubbed X. The launch for China is scheduled for the end of the year, after which the rival for the Volkswagen ID.3 could hit […]

NIO’s EL7 SUV debuts in EU on Dutch roads

February 03, 2023

Chinese electric carmaker NIO has delivered the first three EL7 models, the SUV variant of its ET7 flagship sedan, in Europe to Dutch customers. All three chose the brand’s subscription formula as an alternative to leasing or buying. That includes battery swapping services (BaaS), a first in Europe. A flexible monthly subscription (VAT excl.) for […]

Volvo to offer six BEVS by 2026, including two electric sedans

February 03, 2023

Volvo Cars plan to turn its S60 and S90 sedan models into fully electric cars. The two sedans are part of a plan to launch at least six new electric models by 2026, according to people familiar with the plans. According to the Reuters news agency, insiders revealed that the six new models include the […]

Is the Max-Out an all-electric MX-5 by Nissan?

February 02, 2023

In November 2021, Nissan showed four virtual renderings depicting future products. The Japanese carmaker has now materialized one of them, the Max-Out. After the more sensible Leaf and Ariya, this two-seater convertible must add more spice to Nissan’s electrification plans, though details remain scarce. The Max-Out was unveiled as part of the Nissan Futures event, […]

Revamped Mercedes GLE gets an extra shot of electrification

February 02, 2023

Though Mercedes has already launched an all-electric version in the guise of the EQE SUV, the brand is still supporting the combustion-engined versions of its large SUV GLE for which it has announced a facelift. Asides from some mild tweaking on the outside, Mercedes has added a new batch of diesel models with mild hybrid […]

Tesla triggers Ford to lower price of Mustang Mach-E (update)

February 02, 2023

Ford lowers its prices for the Mustang Mach-E in the U.S. as a reaction to Tesla. The starting price for a Mustang Mach-E is now $ 45 995 ($ 900 lower than before, (-2%), and a GT Extended Range now costs $ 63 995, a whopping $ 5 900 less than before (-8,5%). Tesla decided […]

Lotus Cars to go IPO in 2023, after 75 years

February 01, 2023

The specialized sports car manufacturer Lotus, now a part of the Chinese Geely automotive group, will have an Initial Public Offering (IPO) this year, 75 years after it was founded. The IPO will occur on the Nasdaq stock market via a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). Lotus will be housed under the umbrella of L […]

GMC fixes production delay of popular Hummer EV

January 31, 2023

The patience of 90 000 customers with reservations has come to an end. On Monday, GMC started assembling its zero-emission behemoth Hummer EV SUV after production woos have been resolved. The first one leaving the factory was auctioned for $500 000. The all-electric successor to the famed Hummer was unveiled almost two years ago (April […]

Lucid starts European deliveries and powers Gen3 Formula E

January 30, 2023

Lucid Motors has launched the non-limited Air Grand Touring, with an all-electric range of over 800 km, in Germany and the Netherlands. At the same time, the American manufacturer unveils a very compact drive unit to be used in 2023’s Formula E cars. Lucid tentatively launched the Air, its luxury electric sedan, in Germany and […]

Toyota plans PHEV and battery production in Turkey

January 30, 2023

The second generation Toyota C-HR will be produced at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Turkey (TMMT) in Sakarya. It will be the first plug-in hybrid passenger car to be produced in Turkey. In addition, TMMT will be Toyota’s first European plant to start producing PHEVs and the first to be equipped with a battery production line. “The […]

Genesis X Convertible gets green light for production

January 30, 2023

The electric transition brings out the boldest at Hyundai’s design department. After the eye-catching Ioniq 6, chief creative officer Luc Donkerwolcke has declared to North American dealers that luxury brand Genesis will be putting the X Convertible on the assembly line. The X Convertible was the last in a series of three concepts, which were […]

Citroën to sell electric ë-C3 in India

January 27, 2023

Citroën has unveiled its first electric car to go on sale in the Indian market. The new ë-C3 is based on the ICE version, which the French brand launched in India last year, and will hit showrooms in February. The Citroën ë-C3 is powered by a 29,2 kWh battery pack, offering a claimed range of […]

Troubled Dutch Lightyear cancels solar car production (update)

January 27, 2023

The court in Dutch Oost-Brabant has declared the start-up of solar electric vehicles, Lightyear, bankrupt. The company announced the abrupt stop of assembling its first car, the 0, a few days ago, and filed for suspension of payments. Of the 650 people employed by Lightyear, 620 are without a job. The holding company, Atlas Technology […]

Audi ActiveSphere Concept takes autonomous driving offroad

January 27, 2023

Is this future of its Sportback models? Audi has unveiled the fourth iteration of its concept series Sphere. The ActiveSphere is the most adventurous of all, taking the previously featured functions of lounging whilst driving… offroad. “This is a new type of crossover”, says Chief Designer Gael Buzyn. After the roadster Skysphere, the sedan Grandsphere […]

German Sion solar car buys itself more survival time

January 26, 2023

Munich-based Sono Motors, creators of the Sion solar car, is buying more time to survive by extending its #savesion campaign until the end of February 2023. “As talks with potential investors are in progress”, the founders announce in a press release and a video. So far, they have managed to secure 47 million euros of […]

British car industry at lowest level since… 1956

January 26, 2023

According to figures from the sector federation SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), vehicle production in the UK dropped to its lowest point in almost 70 years. However, a revival is due for the year 2023. “The automobile industry in the UK has been going through three horrible years,” resumes Mike Hawes, general director […]

Toyota enters e-cargo bike business with French Douze

January 25, 2023

In France, Toyota will offer an e-cargo bike for the last-mile delivery sector and privateers. It has struck a deal with French e-bike brand Douze to jointly market a new e-cargo bike with “the potential of replacing a car”. The initiative is regional, as it was realized and managed by Toyota’s French subsidiary. With the […]

Serious update for Polestar 2

January 25, 2023

Polestar gives its Polestar 2 a severe update to the new model year 2024, including new engines and more powerful batteries. The single-motor variants are now rear-wheel drive, analogous to the electric drive system update for the Volvo models XC40 and C40. There’s one big difference: the Polestar models have more power than the Volvos. […]

E-Ray: the cleanest Corvette is also the fastest

January 24, 2023

The current generation of the Corvette stirs up the heritage bloodline in many ways. After moving the engine from front to rear, General Motors has now also pulled the covers from the first hybrid ever in the series: the E-Ray. Meet the cleanest, fastest, and most expensive Corvette of them all. It’s the Stealth mode […]

Kia offers glimpse into EV9 specs and pricing

January 24, 2023

Kia may have just revealed some of the EV9’s specs and pricing in a customer survey. The family SUV could be offered in five different trim levels, starting from 56 000 US dollars (51 500 euros) and with a range of up to 290 miles (464 km). The launch of the EV9 is scheduled for […]

CEO Mazda Europe: ‘We will never tell people what they need’

January 23, 2023

At the Brussels Motor Show, the Japanese manufacturer Mazda had a world premiere, the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, a range extender version of their MX-30 BEV. On the sidelines, we talked to Martijn ten Brink, President and CEO of Mazda Europe. This relatively small car manufacturer has its own way of doing things. For Mazda, its […]

Extremely efficient Aptera solar car promises 1.000-mile range

January 23, 2023

Californian start-up Aptera Motors has revealed the Launch Edition of its highly efficient solar car. Thanks to its solar array, it can recover up to 40 miles (64 km) of range per day. Production is set to start in late 2023, but Aptera still needs funding to build its vehicles. Aptera’s quest for ultimate efficiency […]

With 270.000 visitors Brussels Motor Show secures its survival

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 […]

Geely’s SEA platform to underpin new Polish EV brand Izera (update)

January 23, 2023

ElectroMobility Poland (EMP), Poland’s only car manufacturer created in 2016, has postponed the production of its first car under the new Izera brand for the second time until the end of 2025. The state-owned company, which made a technology deal in November 2022 with Chinese Geely for the underpinning of its car, confirmed this to […]

BMW Motorrad breaks sales record

January 20, 2023

BMW Motorrad achieved the highest sales in its corporate history, with 202 895 motorcycles and scooters handed over to customers in 2022. This is an increase of +4,4 % compared to the previous year. By doing so, BMW Motorrad remains in first place in the global premium motorcycle and scooter segment. “I would like to […]

Belgian start-up Veton wraps EV-charger in fashionable design

January 20, 2023

Belgian start-up Veton wants to conquer the world and a growing number of EV owners from its base in Antwerp by wrapping the classic EV-charge pole or wallbox in a sleek, fashionable design with the cable neatly hidden when not in use. As 85% of EV charging is done at home or work, the young […]

Vanwall launches the Vandervell, its first EV production car

January 20, 2023

Vanwall, a former English Formula 1 racing team, is revived and has presented an electric compact production model to be built in Germany. The Vandervell stands out with its sporty look and performance and will be delivered in the third quarter of 2023 at a (hefty) price tag of around €150 000. Vanwall was a […]

Chinese MG launches into hydrogen with Euniq 7 MPV

January 19, 2023

Chinese SAIC daughter MG, the self-appointed heir to Brittain’s iconic sports car brand, has launched into hydrogen, showing the Euniq 7 FCEV at Auto Expo 2023 in Dehli, India. The 5,2-meter long MPV offering seating for seven and a range of 605 km (NEDC) is said to be a demonstration vehicle, as no plans to […]

DAF opens new assembly line for electric trucks in Eindhoven

January 19, 2023

DAF has finished its Eindhoven compound’s new assembly line for electric trucks. The DAF XD and XF Electric presented at IAA 2022 will start rolling off the line this spring. Eventually, DAF hopes to produce several thousand electric trucks annually at the facility. DAF started building the Electric Truck Assembly back in the summer of […]

Jon Williams (Ford): ‘Different customer needs ask for specialized businesses’

January 18, 2023

At the Brussels Motor Show, we met Jon Williams, European Vice-President and General Manager of Ford Blue, the ICE part of Ford Europe’s business. He talked about the different specialisms inside Ford Motor Company now. “Recently, we’ve made clear that electrification and sustainability are the main priorities for our company, certainly in Europe,” Williams started. […]

Xpeng will open four delivery centers in Europe this year

January 18, 2023

Xpeng is steadfastly forging its road into the European market. The Chinese EV maker has announced that it will open four service and delivery centers across Europe in 2023 as part of its expansion plans. The centers will be opened during the first half of the year in the four markets where the brand operates. […]

Suzuki’s first all-electric SUV isn’t a Toyota

January 18, 2023

At the Delhi Auto Show 2023, Suzuki unveiled the EVx, a concept car announcing the brand’s first all-electric SUV. The first specs seem to point to in-house development. Though the unveiling took place in India, the brand intends to sell it worldwide. “Strong 4×4 DNA with the advanced features of the latest BEVs.” Those words […]

Volvo reveals electric MPV with Zeekr DNA for China

January 18, 2023

Volvo has presented its Chinese roadmap for 2023 during a press conference, revealing three new electric models coming this year. Next to a more luxurious version of the EX90 and the compact EX30 SUV, a yet-to-be-announced MPV is shown in a slideshow. And it should have some Zeekr DNA. Last year, Zeekr launched its luxury […]

EU car market at its lowest level since 1993

January 18, 2023

In December 2022, new car registrations in the EU expanded by 12,8%, marking the fifth consecutive month of growth this year. However, in 2022, the European Union passenger car market contracted by 4,6%, mainly due to component shortages in the first half of the year. Although the market improved from August to December 2022, cumulative […]

Volvo’s smallest EVs get improved range, charging, and RWD

January 17, 2023

As part of a new package of product updates, Volvo has improved both the range (WLTP) and charging for the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge, increasing range by as much as 60 kilometers on some variants. Furthermore, three new powertrains are offered on the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge. These include two rear-wheel-drive variants – […]

BYD set to introduce new A-segment Seagull EV

January 17, 2023

With EV and battery technology gradually lowering in cost, more manufacturers are introducing cheap electric city cars. For example, the Chinese manufacturer BYD, the fourth largest EV company in the world, is set to introduce the Seagull, a new electric city car, as shown by Chinese regulatory filings. The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information […]

Energyville: ‘average car weight has risen 10% in Belgium’

January 17, 2023

Electrification and the swing toward SUVs are making their mark on the scales of the Belgian car fleet. On average, cars now weigh 10% more than three years ago, according to research by Energyville. According to the organization, the weight penalty of both trends is terrible news for safety and CO2 goals. Energyville spots two […]

BMW CEO: ‘Our EVs will soon be the benchmark’

January 17, 2023

Last week, BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse previewed some of the technology on its ‘Neue Klasse’ EV platform at the CES in Las Vegas. He was also very outspoken regarding the group’s future in the EV market. Zipse boldly said that BMW’s next wave of EVs will be the industry benchmark in range, charging speeds, […]

Fierce competition forces Tesla into price war (update)

January 16, 2023

Facing stiff opposition from customers and criticism in its home country after lowering its prices in China twice in three months, Tesla has decided to make the price cut global. Depending on the model and the region a discount of up to 20% is now on the table in a bid to keep output at […]

World premiere at BMS: Mazda adds PHEV-version of MX-30

January 16, 2023

As we were already hinting at a few weeks ago, Mazda revealed a new car at the Brussels Motor Show. The independent Japanese manufacturer is adding a plug-in hybrid version to its battery-electric MX-30. The MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV is the announced new variant with a rotary engine acting as a range extender. It’s sold at […]

Seres 5 for Europe unveiled at Brussels Motor Show

January 16, 2023

The American-Chinese manufacturer Seres, from the same group as DFSK, has launched its second model for Europe at the Brussels Motor Show. The Seres 5 is a midsize electric SUV with up to 585 hp and a driving range of around 500 km. Seres was first introduced to Belgium and other European markets with the […]

Car of the Year 2023 is Jeep Avenger

January 16, 2023

For the first time, the award-winning Car of the Year (COTY) ceremony was at the Brussels Motor Show. Fifty-seven car journalists from 23 countries have finally voted for the fully electric Jeep Avenger as COTY 2023. Before the voting, there was no great rival this year, although the VW ID. Buzz was the most noticed […]

Astara to distribute Spanish Silence scooters and ‘nanocars’ (update)

January 13, 2023

Astara Western Europe, the former Belgian Alcomotive group and importer of Hyundai, Suzuki, MG, SsangYong, and Maxus, also becomes the BeLux distributor for the Spanish Silence scooters and micro-mobility EV, the so-called ‘nanocars’. The latter share an interesting ‘swapping battery’ technology. At the opening of the Brussels Motor Show, Belgian prices were communicated with the […]

Mercedes to drop EQ badge for its electric cars?

January 13, 2023

According to internal sources quoted by the German Handelsblatt, Mercedes-Benz intends to drop its EQ-label it uses to differentiate its electric models from regular ICE cars. As the premium brand plans to go full electric by the end of the decade, it might start doctoring with the labels from 2024 and return to its old […]

D’Ieteren will show more than cars at BMS

January 12, 2023

Where VW Group importer D’Ieteren had decided not to be present at the 2022 BMS (which was finally canceled), it’s again present with an entire exposition hall (11) at the BMS 2023. But the importer will not only show the novelties of its VW Group brands. Apart from that, all ‘new mobility’ proposals will also […]

‘Premium experiences and events’ instead of a motor show

January 12, 2023

The organizers of the Brussels Motor Show are announcing the presence of 95% of the market at the motor show opening its doors (for the press and VIP guests) tomorrow. However, it’s only 85% considering that Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar Land Rover will only be ‘symbolically’ present. Volvo and Mercedes explain that they prefer organizing their […]

Porsche Macan EV favors performance over range

January 12, 2023

Accompanied by some pictures of prototypes and a video, Porsche has released further details on the upcoming Macan EV. The sports carmaker confirms that its first all-electric SUV will feature a battery pack of 100 kWh, ‘bank charging’, and a clever rear axle. A fast charge from 5 to 80% shouldn’t take more than 25 […]

Rolls-Royce and Co: newly preferred toys for the super rich (update)

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 […]

Everybody ‘premium’? How the ‘generalists’ are losing their clients

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 […]

Sony and Honda unveil Afeela prototype EV (update)

January 10, 2023

Sony Honda Mobility Inc. (SHM) is planning to launch as soon as possible two other models besides the sedan – an SUV and probably an MPV – under the new Afeela EV brand, announced at CES in Las Vegas last week. It would make no sense to limit the brand to one model for the […]

VinFast gives details about smaller cars VF6 and VF7

January 09, 2023

VinFast, Vietnam’s electric car manufacturer, is lining up its following two models after the VF 8 and VF 9 that were previously presented. At CES, VinFast specified the VF 6 and VF 7, their new B and C segment electric cars. Vinfast expects to open reservations this coming March. Meanwhile, the brand’s launch in Europe […]

Stellantis CEO Tavares warns: ‘Middle-class consumers will buy Chinese’

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 […]