January 27, 2023
Belgian railway network operator Infrabel has inaugurated a new control room in Brussels. This forms the completion of a major operation in which 368 outdated signal boxes were replaced by ten modern counterparts. The program started 18 years ago and represents an investment of nearly 1 billion euros. It turns the operator into one of […]
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 […]
January 27, 2023
French automaker Renault has teamed up with compatriot R-FIT to offer, in 2023, electric retrofit kits for its iconic R4, R5, and later also for the first generation of the Twingo. A complete retrofit kit for the Renault 4 costs €11 900, VAT, and installation included. And the government is willing to subsidize it from […]
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 […]
January 26, 2023
By the end of this year, buses and trams of the Belgian public transport company TEC in Wallonia will automatically get a green light when approaching a traffic light at an intersection. This will reduce travel times, causing fewer delays, and as another positive result, allow for fewer emissions if not yet electric. To technically […]
January 26, 2023
The federal government in Belgium will conclude an agreement with the regions to set up a central bicycle register, MyBike. On it, owners can store the details of their bicycle and file a report, as well as check whether a second-hand bicycle has been reported as stolen. The initiative for a national bicycle register was […]
January 25, 2023
On Tuesday, the Colruyt Clevon delivery robot, on test since November last year, has delivered for the first time groceries to a client, 26-year-old Ellen Cools, who lives on the trajectory between the distribution center and the Collect & Go pickup point in Londerzeel. Colruyt has found thirty clients living along the route the robot […]
January 25, 2023
German multinational energy company RWE is building two new plants in the Maastricht-Roermond region in the Netherlands, to produce 54 000 tons of green hydrogen yearly out of 700 000 tons of municipal solid waste that otherwise would have to be incinerated. Hydrogen from non-recyclable solid waste streams saves around 3,6 million tons of CO2 […]
January 25, 2023
On Tuesday, Tesla announced in a statement an investment of “more than 3,6 billion dollars”, to expand its factory in Nevada for manufacturing its Semi-truck and the new 4680 batteries. The continuing growth of Tesla’s mother of all factories is demanding more infrastructure and more financial provisions. The new battery cell factory will have a […]
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 […]
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 […]
January 24, 2023
The French start-up Fairbrics, a pioneer in the field, wants to capture the CO2 released by manufacturers to transform it while using molecular chemistry into polyester spools for the clothing industry. To that end, it will establish a factory in Antwerp, a pioneering project that should be up and running by mid-2024. The project is […]
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 […]
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 […]
January 23, 2023
The project to run a self-driving electric shuttle bus at Brussels Airport has been called off. Nearly eight years after initial plans, the development of such a bus is proving too complex. The cancellation of the urban autonomous transport project in cooperation with about four Flemish cities is another setback for De Lijn in its […]
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 […]
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 […]
January 19, 2023
German airline group Lufthansa is the only bidder to take a stake in Italian airline ITA Airways, the successor to Alitalia. This was announced by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance on Wednesday evening, after the deadline. Earlier in the day, French-Dutch airline group Air France-KLM had announced that it would not submit a […]
January 19, 2023
Educam, the Belgian knowledge and training center for the automotive sector, wants to prepare the automotive industry for the advent of hydrogen vehicles. The organization, therefore, launched a brand new certification and training program focused on hydrogen-powered vehicles. The training will be given in Flanders and Wallonia. In addition, the organization has invested in hydrogen-ready […]
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 […]
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 – […]
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, […]
January 17, 2023
After Colruyt started experimenting with an Estonian delivery robot in November, French supermarket chain Carrefour is setting up a pilot in the business park Corporate Village in Zaventem near Brussels with a Turkish-branded autonomous robot. After the first test panel of twenty people, everybody in the Corporate Village will be able, starting next week, to […]
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 […]
January 16, 2023
The Euro 7 ruling keeps throwing oil on the fire. According to the Association of European Auto manufacturers (ACEA), the proposed norm demands a considerable investment for a small ecological trade-off. With practically no impact on the NOx emissions of road transport, the organization pleads that it better should be skipped. However, the Commission put […]
January 13, 2023
Nissan has brought its Ariya Single Seater Concept to the Brussels Motor Show, an ‘electric racecar’ conceived as a “high-performance exploration, development, and demonstration project”. It is in fact the dual motor all-wheel drive of Nissan’s second BEV, the Ariya crossover, squeezed into a Formula E-like single-seat racing chassis. It was presented for the first […]
January 12, 2023
During the last quarter of 2022, the Dutch fast-charging operator witnessed a growth of almost factor three compared to the year before. Apart from a significant expansion of its network, this is attributed to the rise in BEVs on the roads. As well as price hikes due to the energy crisis. In the last quarter […]
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 […]
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 […]
January 09, 2023
The Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) has kept its word and unveiled its first running prototype, including the interior, at the Consumers Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas. However, there’s a but. No mass production is on the agenda. The rather brick-like looking Arrow is a showcase which demonstrates what the Canadian suppliers in the automotive […]
January 09, 2023
VW’s design and engineering studio Italdesign has explored the boundaries of autonomous shuttles roaming around future cities. It envisioned, together with Swiss Schindler integrating them into buildings as an elevator capsule. The Climb-E can pick you up on the 30th floor of your apartment building and, once on the street level, drive you to any […]
January 06, 2023
ProovStation and Michelin unveiled TireStation, a fast and reliable solution for automated tire inspection, at the CES in Las Vegas. Combining the expertise and know–how of both companies, the system optimizes professional tire inspection. According to both companies, TireStation is a turnkey tire diagnosis solution for professionals with a wide range of advantages: improved measurement […]
January 06, 2023
The Peugeot Inception Concept looks like a wild idea on wheels, born to grab attention, but underneath its razor-edged surface sits a guideline for the future EVs of the French brand. Peugeot’s planned entry into the US was ditched a few years ago. With no current models on offer over the Atlantic Ocean, it came […]
January 06, 2023
Mercedes plans the rollout of its own high-speed charging network. Called HiPower, North American customers will be served first, but other major markets, like Europe and China, will follow. By 2030, the German carmaker envisions an infrastructure of 10 000 charging stations. The announcement was made during the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas […]
January 06, 2023
The German automotive supplier ZF is looking to save range as much as possible for EVs. The latest attempt is a heated seat belt that claims somewhat surprising range improvements. At the same time, ZF is showing its next self-driving shuttle at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. The ZF ‘Heat Belt’ for […]
January 05, 2023
Mercedes-Benz has struck a deal with American silicon carbide (SiC) specialist Wolfspeed, the first company to introduce the more efficient SiC technology in semiconductors. These more efficient drivetrain parts will play a relatively important role as Mercedes gears up to introduce its new-gen electric architectures in 2025. Wolfspeed was a pioneer in silicon carbide technology […]
January 05, 2023
Zeekr, part of the Geely group, has given its shooting brake 001 an update for 2023. Along with the usual color and trim changes, the fully-electric Zeekr 001 also gains a new Qilin battery from CATL, promising a range of over 1 000 km. But there are a few caveats… The Zeekr 001 was launched […]
January 05, 2023
The Belgian, Seraing-based company, John Cockerill, a well-known hydrogen electrolysis specialist, will invest in Morocco’s green hydrogen production sector. This reports the newspaper L’Echo and is confirmed by a press release from the company. The main point of the investment is the creation of a gigafactory dedicated to manufacturing electrolyzers, the first of its kind […]
January 05, 2023
Hours before the official ‘unveiling’ of the first teaser pictures of its second solar car at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the Dutch scale-up opened on Thursday the waiting list for the Lightyear 2. This one, a more compact ‘grid-independent’ sedan with integrated solar panels and a range of +800 km, gets an […]
January 05, 2023
The BMW Group shows its vision of ‘the future digital experience’, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 in Las Vegas. The BMW i Vision Dee is a futuristic mid-size sedan with a new, pared-down design language. ‘Dee’ stands for Digital Emotional Experience, aiming to create an even stronger bond between people and their cars. […]
January 04, 2023
At the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, French automotive supplier Plastic Omnium and French deep-tech startup Greenwave are showing a revolutionary way of integrating radar sensors into the entire surface of the car’s bumpers to catch a high-resolution image of its surroundings. The companies claim that far more information can be gathered by […]
January 04, 2023
Volkswagen will showcase its first fully electric sedan based on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB) at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas (from 5 to 8 January). Following on from ID.4, the new sedan is Volkswagen’s next global electric vehicle and will be offered on three continents in the future. The world […]
January 03, 2023
The EV battle for record drag has spawned a new self-declared winner. Chinese brand Aion, a subsidiary of GAC, has unveiled the hyper GT featuring a Cd value of just 0.19. It’s worth mentioning that the car is still in concept. It remains to be seen whether the production version can uphold those record-breaking aerodynamics. […]
December 30, 2022
The 100th-anniversary edition of the Brussels Motor Show (BMS, 14 to 22 January 2023) will show at least 14 world or European premieres and 48 Belgian ones. Of course, this has to do with the absence of the (live) show for a couple of years, but also with the painful exit of some of its […]
December 28, 2022
Retrofit, the transformation of an existing, sometimes old car into an electrically driven one, is becoming increasingly popular. But many countries have legal obstacles to such a conversion. Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) wants to solve these problems by creating a legal canvas for the proceedings. In France, Retrofit is already popular. One of […]
December 28, 2022
Along with introducing two new flagship SUVs, the third generation of battery-swapping stations was shown at the NIO Day 2022 event in Hefei, China. These stations can hold up to 21 charged battery packs (up from 13) and perform 408 swaps a day (+30%), as it now only takes two and a half minutes to […]
December 27, 2022
From now on, those who wish to do so can request a digital repayment plan for traffic fines. So reports Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open Vld). The application is made through the Justice Just-on-Web digital portal and is available for everyone, as the offender does not have to prove his financial situation. The initiative […]
December 27, 2022
Umicore, the Belgian materials technology group, and the Canadian battery developer Nano One announce the signing of a non-exclusive agreement to jointly develop production process technologies for lithium-ion battery active cathode materials. Both companies intend to share their technologies for high nickel NMC active cathode materials to increase throughput further while reducing the cost and […]
December 23, 2022
In its station at De Watering in Dutch Oostzaan, charging point operator Fastned has opened a charging column of 400 kW. In theory, vehicles can charge 100 kilometers of range in just about three minutes here. The milestone is a cooperation with charging solutions supplier EVBox. To reduce downtime in areas with high traffic rates, […]
December 23, 2022
BMW wants to produce solid-state battery cells in its own pilot plant in Germany based on the design of technology partner Solid Power. To this end, the Munich-based carmaker has obtained a research and development license from the US company. “Solid Power, Inc., an industry-leading developer of all-solid-state battery and sulfide-based electrolyte technology, today announced […]
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 […]
December 21, 2022
Belgian railway network operator Infrabel has inaugurated in Brussels an infrared system against track walkers. The system should avoid as many casualties as possible and protect the punctuality of trains. The advanced surveillance system was inaugurated at Brussels-Capelle Church, the busiest point on the rail network with a daily flow of 1 200 trains and […]
December 21, 2022
Audi has presented its plan for future production strategy under the slogan ‘360factory’. By the end of this decade, the brand will manufacture electrically powered models at all production sites worldwide. By 2033, ICE models will be phased out completely, and production costs will have to be halved. The background to this is Audi’s announcement […]
December 20, 2022
Arriving in mid-2023, Hyundai has released the first details on the new Kona, which must make its mark in the crowded C-segment for crossovers. But thanks to its unique lighting signature, the model won’t fail to draw attention. Next to the electric version, it will also be available with electrified combustion engines. A keen eye […]
December 19, 2022
Norway is the world leader in EV adoption, but in its far northern remote regions, a lot of its inhabitants still must make ends meet without an electricity grid. For one specific reindeer farm, Hyundai came to the rescue and powered a cabin for light and cooking lunch. No, not some Christmas magic, just the […]
December 19, 2022
For the first time in Germany, dynamic wireless charging technology for electric vehicles is being tested in practice. The main actor of the pilot project in Balingen is a shuttle bus for the Garden Show 2023, which is to charge its vehicle battery while driving. The Israeli company ElectReon, which specializes in inductive charging of […]
December 19, 2022
Mercedes-Benz has signed a letter of intent with Norwegian aluminum producer Hydro to significantly reduce the CO₂ footprint of aluminum in the automotive supply chain. A fully electric Mercedes luxury car can contain up to 700 kg of aluminum. From 2023, this metal delivered by the Norwegians for the German carmaker’s electric lineup will already […]
December 16, 2022
Two family businesses from Limburg (Belgium) – Orbix in Genk and Betonagglomeraten Gubbels Masterbloc in Maasmechelen (both Limburg) – have launched a world-first: they produce CO2 ‘absorbing’ construction blocks based on slag from the steel industry. The finished products are bricks in which cement has been replaced by CO2 as a binding agent. The bricks […]
December 16, 2022
The Japanese carmaker is adding up zero-emission versions of its pick-up Hilux. Joining the hydrogen prototype is a concept built around battery power. The Hilux Revo BEV Concept was unveiled at an anniversary event in Thailand, celebrating Toyota’s 60-year presence in the country. It’s a clear nod that the company is working on a battery […]
December 14, 2022
A recent Green Impact study, ordered by Mobility Minister George Gilkinet (Ecolo), confirms the potential of recycling and reusing batteries. The study results were presented on Tuesday at Umicore’s site in Hoboken (Antwerp). Batteries contain rare materials like lithium, nickel, and black lead, so they are a source of valuable resources. Besides, only a few […]
