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 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 08, 2022
DATS 24, Colruyt Group’s energy and fuel supplier, is opening its third H2 filling station at the Researchpark in Haasrode (near Louvain). With this opening, “DATS 24 emphasizes its belief in hydrogen as a fuel for electric vehicles”, says a press release. “Besides industrial and logistics applications, hydrogen also has a role to play in […]
July 07, 2022
At its second Power Day event, Chinese EV start-up Nio announced it wants to start with the roll-out of a fast-charging network capable of 500 kW. To underpin its overseas’ expansion, it plans to bring the technology to Europe. In China, rolling out muscles on charging is somewhat of a national sport… With the announcement, […]
July 06, 2022
According to a study by Belgian traffic safety institute Vias, more than half of all parcel carriers admit – sometimes or often – driving too fast. The Vias study was commissioned by Minister Petra De Sutter (Groen). The study was intended to map the impact of parcel deliveries on mobility and traffic safety in Belgium. […]
July 01, 2022
Not everyone is suffering from the supply shortage and the effects of the war in Ukraine. Big energy companies like TotalEnergies or maritime transport companies like CMA CGM register astronomic benefits. To avoid surtaxes, they propose ‘gifts’ to the average consumers. Total Energies will lower its gas prices along motorways by 12 euro cents per […]
June 30, 2022
The Dutch car-sharing company MyWheels merges with Amber, specialized in car-sharing for the business market. The merger should lead to a sharp increase in the number of kilometers driven per shared car. Both companies state this in a press release. The aim is to reduce drastically the impact of mobility, and in particular the problems […]
June 29, 2022
The organizer of the Brussels Motor Show, Febiac, has announced that the anniversary edition (100) will be memorable. From 13 to 22 January 2023, the 100th edition will take place at the Brussels expo premises, and Febiac promises some ‘specific experiences’ next to the ‘normal’ show to put the anniversary into perspective. “Many brands already […]
June 24, 2022
The Esso fuel station at the Antwerp Noorderlaan, run by Belgian family-owned G&V Energy Group, is the first in the country where the fuel pumps have been replaced by High Power Chargers (HPC) with 300kW capacity. A sign of the times coming, as G&V and Dutch Allego plan to do the same on 12 other […]
June 22, 2022
D’Ieteren Automotive sees mobility from a broader perspective. In addition to the classic car distribution activities of the VW Group brands, it invests in sustainable mobility solutions such as sharing platforms (Poppy), bicycles (Lucien), charging infrastructure (EDI), and now energy supply with the acquisition of Go-Solar, a specialist in solar panels and home batteries. With […]
June 22, 2022
Some 50% of all charging points in the European Union are concentrated in only two countries: The Netherlands and Germany. These findings were published in a study by the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association ACEA, unveiling a substantial disparity among the member states. At the same time, signals are appearing that the further rollout of the […]
June 20, 2022
Tesla has opened up more of its Supercharger network in Europe for EVs of other brands by adding Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Denmark, and Finland to the list at the beginning of the holiday season. After a pilot project in the Netherlands, Norway, France, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, and the UK were already released. Tesla announced […]
June 15, 2022
Dutch fast-charging company Fastned has ambitious plans to double its network in Europe from 207 today to 400 by 2024 and round the cape of 1 000 before 2030. That would require 100 new stations a year, compared to 60 now. And an extra 50 to 75 million euros to invest in the first step. […]
June 13, 2022
Following a pilot phase in Nuremberg and “overwhelmingly” positive feedback from customers, Audi has decided to expand its concept of charging hubs and take it beyond the German borders. Swiss Zurich is the next place where a mobile charging lounge of this type will be constructed, with Berlin and Salzburg shortly after. Remember Audi’s charging […]
June 13, 2022
Regarding itself as a car maker transforming into a tech company, the Volkswagen Group decided it couldn’t do without a TikTok account. Under the tag “newauto”, also the name of the Group’s future strategy, employer-made short films will be published to inform about electrification and digitalization. ‘You did not wait for us, but here we […]
June 10, 2022
According to a survey by the Smart Mobility Institute, partnered with consultancy giant Deloitte, Belgian companies have the highest maturity for mobility in Europe. This pole position is mainly attributed to the mobility budget put in place by the government for driving the switch from company cars to alternative mobility solutions. However, it doesn’t imply […]
June 10, 2022
Flibco.com, a private company that already organizes transport to and from airports like Charerloi, will launch a new passenger transport service to and from Brussel Airport as of June 23rd. The company will be operational in several major cities in Flanders, the Netherlands, and France. And it will operate day and night. Flibco will provide […]
June 10, 2022
With two Ioniq 5 RoboRide cars with in-house developed level 4 autonomous driving technology, South Korean carmaker Hyundai has kicked off its first autonomous ride-hailing service in the country’s capital, Seoul. It got a temporary driving permit from the government, provided a safety driver is always on board. The pilot RoboRide will be the first […]
June 08, 2022
As for the North American market, Ford joins the growing list of car makers that sells electric models from the factory at fixed prices. Jim Farley announced at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference but didn’t specify when the Model e branch responsible for all zero-emission Fords would start with the new distribution model nor when […]
June 07, 2022
Sofico, the Walloon Region’s agency for the management of the structural road network, will launch the deployment of a network of electric charging stations on national roads that make up the network between the major towns. A budget of five million euros will allow the deployment of 40 charging stations, writes the newspaper L’Echo. To […]
June 07, 2022
Renault’s mobility branch Mobilize has delivered 40 units of the Limo model to its first customer, the Spanish ride-hailing brand Cabify. The cars will be operated in Madrid by Vecttor, a subsidiary of Cabify. In autumn, Mobilize will expand its Vehicle-as-a-Service (VaaS) model to Paris, with more European cities to follow in the coming months. […]
June 03, 2022
Shell plans to install 330 double charging points at various sites of Belgian shopping centers by the end of 2024. The company is working together with real estate investor Redevco. The first charging stations will be installed in Borsbeek, Korbeek-Lo, Drogenbos, Auderghem, Waterloo and Herstal. Financial details of the investment were not disclosed. 100% green […]
May 31, 2022
As part of a complete network of five hydrogen filling stations, DATS24 opened a second unit in Wilrijk yesterday. The forecourt lies along the busy lanes of the A12 and not far from the city of Antwerp, where garbage trucks drive on the emission-free fuel carrier. The plan for DATS24 to roll out several hydrogen […]
May 20, 2022
The Brussels government has launched a project call to boost the rollout of charging stations for electric vehicles. All owners of private car parks in Brussels have a chance of receiving a subsidy on the condition that their charging stations run on green electricity, are public, and are accessible 24/7. This has been confirmed by […]
May 19, 2022
In a press release, the American EV manufacturer announced that also in Belgium, certain Tesla superchargers would be made available to electric vehicles of other brands. This means that 141 additional fast-charging points will now be available in Belgium. Tesla drivers are not complaining Tesla announced last year that it would open up its charging […]
May 16, 2022
The board of directors has validated the ambitious draft business plan and investment plan up to 2032 for the NMBS/SNCB on Friday. They agreed on a 10% increase in train capacity, which must bring about a 30% growth in passenger numbers by 2032. Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet says that he will ensure that the […]
May 10, 2022
On ‘Mobilize Day’, the Mobilize department has shown its ambitions in services and technology inside the Renault Group. Its target is 20% of the total turnover of the Group by 2030. At the same time, Renault’s RCI Bank and Services become Mobilize Financial Services. At the start of the day, Renault CEO Luca de Meo […]
May 09, 2022
Taiwanese scooter manufacturer Kymco has plans to bring its range of electric scooters to Europe. The two-wheelers will be sold through the ionex brand and use battery swap. The arrival of an electric scooter of Kymco origin is not big news, as the manufacturer is already present in our market. However, the appearance of an […]
April 29, 2022
The metro station Albert in Forrest will be linked directly to the university districts (ULB-VUB) of Ixelles. The Brussels Region and the Brussels transport company MIVB/STIB have agreed on this. The Brussels Government, on the other hand, has definitively approved the draft ordinance on taxi services of Minister-President Rudi Vervoort (PS). The text now goes […]
April 26, 2022
The board of directors at Twitter has accepted Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s buy-out deal of 44 billion dollars to obtain complete control of the company. As a result, Musk is now set to own his most cherished communication channel. “I hope that even my worst critics remain on Twitter because that is what free speech […]
April 20, 2022
Belgian logistics player BD Logistics has asked Antwerp University to develop a tool to calculate the CO2 emissions of its urban delivery activities using a standardized calculation method. The calculation tool perfectly estimates the carbon impact of a specific delivery or shipment. This technology would also allow consumers to compare different players or means of […]
April 13, 2022
Porsche is sticking to its ‘Road-to-X’ strategy, whereby the manufacturer believes that by 2025 half of all new Porsches will be electric, and by 2030 that figure will be 80%. As more electric vehicles leave the showroom, the need to prepare the workshops for these vehicles also increases. Contrary to what is often claimed, an […]
April 07, 2022
Chinese electric carmaker NIO has upgraded its car rental service in several Chinese cities by offering a decremental fee for the monthly subscription and adding four free battery swaps. It’s an attempt to breathe new life into the subscription model that isn’t very popular with the Chinese, who rather want to buy a car as […]
April 04, 2022
Car rental giant Herz is buying 65 000 fully electric Polestars in the next five years and will start offering them in Spring 2022 in Europe and end this year in America and Australia. It’s a massive deal for Polestar, as the latter reached its global sales target of 29 000 vehicles in 2021 and […]
April 01, 2022
D’Ieteren is buying itself into the profitable B2B bicycle leasing market through its Lab Box daughter, investing one million euros to gain a majority part in Belgian Joule. This Ghent-based start-up, founded in 2018, offers full bicycle fleet leasing for companies and governments with a portfolio of some 20 different brands. In that arena, D’Ieteren […]
March 31, 2022
Carrefour will install 3 000 charging points for electric vehicles in the car parks of its 400-plus Carrefour Market supermarkets by 2025. On Wednesday, the French multinational retail corporation announced that the franchise supermarkets should also be equipped. According to the press release, Carrefour will thus become France’s leading electric charging network, with more than […]
March 31, 2022
The Belgian car distribution landscape is constantly changing. Consolidation is the keyword, and foreign players are moving fast, especially the Dutch Van Mossel Group. Today, it is prepared to ‘eat’ the Vereenooghe Group, a collection of nine dealerships in West Flanders. Vereenooghe is a family company, almost 100 years old, now run by nephews Alain […]
March 29, 2022
Supported by new research, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) calls on all EU member states to urgently step-up investments in infrastructure for electrically chargeable cars, vans, trucks, and buses. “The auto industry is already placing hundreds of models of low- and zero-emission vehicles on the market, but has serious concerns about the slow deployment […]
March 25, 2022
Ride-hailing giant Uber is smoking the peace pipe with the New York yellow cabs by integrating their service on its app. Users and yellow cab drivers will be informed before booking on the nature of their ride and subsequent prices. Each has the option to reject. Nothing much changes on the streets, as only taxis […]
March 23, 2022
In Saint-Gilles, cargo bikes have replaced the trams in the former Belgrade workshop of the public transport company MIVB/STIB. The Brussels-based cyclo-logistics cooperative Urbike has taken up residence there, the result of a call for projects before the building is completely renovated. Urbike is one of the reference companies in delivering goods by cargo bicycle. […]
March 18, 2022
Ford is opening up its ‘secret’ Lommel Proving Ground facilities and its team of highly skilled trainers to the general public, offering basic safety up to specialist sporty driving skills courses. At €249 per person, everyone can learn to control a vehicle on a slippery surface in all kinds of conditions or how to avoid […]
March 10, 2022
Public transport company De Lijn has introduced a new way of providing real-time traffic information via Google Maps. Since Wednesday, passengers of De Lijn can check whether their bus or tram will be on time or delayed via Google Maps. Until now, they could only check timetables, but now they get the actual times of […]
March 08, 2022
On Monday, Arval revealed its 2021 results, and despite the current difficulties, profit is on the rise. The branch of BNP Paribas Group specialized in vehicle leasing and mobility solutions’ net profit reached nearly €700 million, equating to a 52% increase in one year. This strong performance is led by the growth of the activity […]
March 04, 2022
On Wednesday, Tier Mobility, Europe’s leading shared mobility provider, announced its acquisition of Ford’s subsidiary Spin, which specialized in shared electric bikes and scooters. Through this acquisition, Tier expands into North America, becoming the largest multimodal micro-mobility operator globally in terms of number of cities and vehicles. The purchase price or other financial information about […]
February 16, 2022
After a pilot that started with ten Dutch stations in November last year, Tesla is opening up all of its Superchargers in the Netherlands to non-Tesla EV drivers with a CCS connector. It also starts gradually opening charging for third parties in Norway and France. Tesla announced the latter on its Twitter channel. But you […]
February 11, 2022
2021 seems to have been a positive year for automotive leasing companies. After Arval posted good results, now is the turn of ALD Automotive with a record net income of €843 million, 71,2% more than the previous year. This growth is mainly due to tensions in the second-hand car market, which drove prices upwards. “Following […]
February 10, 2022
Belgian’s most prominent car importer, D’Ieteren, is bringing together all its new bicycle businesses under the Lucien brand, the listed company announced on Thursday. Lucien is a nod to Lucien Van Impe, the last Belgian Tour winner. But it also refers to Lucien D’Ieteren (1880-1966), who decided in 1931 to switch from car bodybuilding to […]
February 09, 2022
As the debate on taxi services and ride-hailing in Brussels rages on, newcomer Bolt puts its cards on the table. Estonian company Bolt – previously known as Taxify – expands its e-scooter offer in Brussels with ride-hailing, as a competitor to Uber. The relatively young company doesn’t want to add oil to the fire and […]
February 08, 2022
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) is slightly optimistic about car sales in 2022 but also deeply worried about the pace of charging infrastructure roll-out. “It’s lagging way behind consumer demand for electrified cars,” an ACEA press release comments. “The strong performance of electrically-chargeable cars is very welcome news,” stated ACEA President and CEO of […]
February 03, 2022
Corona restrictions have triggered a creative idea at Audi. Due to the pandemic, visitors worldwide are no longer allowed in their plants, bringing guided tours to a halt. As compensation, the brand has launched AudiStream. This service offers a free digital tour of some of their plants. One of the first online is Audi Brussels. […]
January 31, 2022
A few days after D’Ieteren’s car and e-scooter sharing service Poppy Mobility blew its fourth birthday candle, the user base counter exceeds more than 100 000 today, the company heralds in a new press release. The free-floating fleet, operational in Antwerp, Brussels, Malines, and three airports, consists of 700 cars and 550 electric kick scooters. […]
January 26, 2022
Car website Vroom launches the EV checker, an online tool that aims to guide prospective car buyers in their choice of car, particularly electromobility. The device is online today via vroom-ev.com. By entering some initial data like your location, the kilometers driven per year, whether you’ll use highways, city streets, or local roads mostly, the […]
January 25, 2022
Belgian road service and mobility organization Touring and traffic data specialist BeMobile offer a smart route planner on the Touring Mobilis website that tackles the ‘range anxiety’ of many newbie EV-drivers. It lets you calculate your route with planned charging stops tailored to your specific electric car, predicting availability at the time of arrival. You […]
January 24, 2022
Four in ten Belgian drivers use their car less often since the pandemic, an iVox survey ordered by Corona Direct Insurances, a daughter of Belgian state-owned Belfius bank, reveals. A large group chooses other means of transport for shorter trips and works at home more often. The survey done with 1 000 Belgians at the […]
January 21, 2022
Screens are the real motors driving the car of the 21st century. With Renault launching its all-electric Mégane E-Tech, firestarter of the so-called Renaulution reform, another example is added to the list. On the inside, the French compact crossover features a vertical touch screen for infotainment with a diameter of 12 inches. A flipped vent […]
January 20, 2022
Electric scooters with universal swappable batteries provided by a network of swapping stations may become the future mobility solution in busy cities. Yamaha is launching such a scooter on the Taiwanese market (Yamaha EMF), and for the exchangeable batteries, the manufacturer is working together with local Gogoro. Of course, one can take the removable battery […]
January 20, 2022
Belgian Mobility Card (BMC), the joint subsidiary of Belgium’s four public transport operators (NMBS/SNCB, MIVB/STIB, Tec, and De Lijn), is buying the startup Stoomlink. The latter specializes in creating new digital solutions to simplify travel with public transport. Through this acquisition, BMC aims to simplify the journey of intermodal customers. This means providing information and […]
January 14, 2022
AG Insurance, one of the leading players in the Belgian insurance market, wants to make charging infrastructure accessible to a broader public. With the Optimile Mobiflow card displaying actual prices that apply, it wants to give users a more transparent view of the different charging units. AG previously (2020) took a stake in Optimile in […]
January 13, 2022
The Belgian consumer organization TestAankoop/TestAchats has done a survey in five European countries concerning the reliability of cars. Asian cars are by far the most reliable, with Japanese brands at the top. Lexus is (again) number one, followed by Subaru and Toyota. Together with its sister organizations TestAankoop/TestAchats interrogated some 60 000 car owners (cars […]
January 07, 2022
Last year, the Antwerp shared bicycle platform, Velo, registered a total of 4,482 million rides or 288 000 more than in 2020. In 2019, Velo still registered a total of 6,8 million rides, but the popularity of the red bikes waned when the corona crisis broke out. In 2020, the use of Velo bikes decreased […]
