Light that cleans: Hyundai bets on germ-killing vans

June 26, 2026

Hyundai, together with sister brand Kia, believes it can develop and bring to market vehicles that clean themselves. The only thing that’s needed is… light. Imagine this: you are a shuttle driver for a big hotel in Brussels. After the morning shift, you pull into the depot at 7 a.m., toss the empty coffee cups […]

Classic car booms in Brussels to bypass the LEZ

June 26, 2026

Between 2019 and 2024, the number of unique classic cars, or old-timers, driving through Brussels’ Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) more than tripled, from around 4,500 to nearly 14,000 vehicles. This is according to figures from Brussels Environment that Member of Parliament Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) requested. According to the Brussels parliamentarian, this indicates that these cars are […]

Goca: ‘Almost 1 in 5 used cars fails Flanders’ pre-sale inspection’

June 26, 2026

Last year, almost one in five used cars failed the pre-sale vehicle inspection due to a major or dangerous defect. Goca Flanders, the industry federation for vehicle inspections and driving tests, reported this on Thursday in its 2025 annual report. In 2025, a total of 3,600,249 cars underwent inspection, of which 482,809 were used vehicles, 2% […]

Polestar banned from selling in the USA, focus now on Europe

June 26, 2026

Polestar has been officially denied to sell cars in the United States as of 2027. After the brand retreated from China due to low adoption, the luxury EV maker now also faces losing the second-largest car market in the world. The company will focus largely on Europe. But that is still the backyard of German […]

China wants millions of EVs to balance its grid, but mass V2G is distant

June 26, 2026

China wants its vast electric-car fleet to become more than a transport revolution. Under its newly unveiled 15th five-year energy plan, Beijing aims to have EVs play a role in balancing a power system increasingly dominated by wind and solar. The plan, covering 2026 to 2030, targets a 50% share for non-fossil sources in electricity […]

T&E: EU promises seamless rail travel, but major cross-border gaps remain

June 25, 2026

The new rules the EU plans to introduce for booking tickets for cross-border rail travel still mean that nearly half of the busiest international train journeys are difficult or impossible to book. That’s according to T&E, a lobby group for sustainable mobility, in a new report. T&E also proposes several changes and measures that would […]

Study: ‘Heat, pollution, and pollen exacerbate allergies and asthma’

June 25, 2026

A new study by KU Leuven and Sciensano, published in the scientific journal ‘Environment International’, reveals that pollen allergy and asthma should not be treated as a ‘pollen-only’ problem but as a climate-health issue. It shows that the combination of higher temperatures, higher pollen concentrations, and air pollution leads to increased allergic symptoms and asthma in […]

Daimler Truck revives H₂ combustion as batteries keep the lead

June 25, 2026

Daimler Truck is adding hydrogen combustion to its zero-emission truck portfolio through a partnership with German specialist KEYOU. A move that gives the technology a high-profile industrial endorsement while underlining its likely role as a niche solution rather than the future default for heavy-duty transport. Under the agreement announced this week, Daimler Truck will supply […]

Flemish mileage-based road charge linked to CO2 emissions from July

June 25, 2026

From July 1, the Flemish kilometer charge for trucks will be linked to the vehicle’s CO2 emissions – the more environmentally friendly the truck, the lower the rate. In reality, the new measure will represent a material cost increase for many conventional trucks, leading the political parties Anders and Vlaams Belang to view this as a […]

Ford hasn’t admitted it yet, but new Mustang Mach-E is shelved

June 25, 2026

No, the Mach-E is not canceled today. Ford is still building it in Mexico and shipping it to dealers. But a second-generation Mach-E built on Ford’s new Universal EV architecture isn’t going to happen. A dead end seems ahead for the battery-powered vehicle that galloped the Blue Oval into the EV era, despite its unfortunate […]

Ferrari denies rumors that Luce EV is intended as a loyalty entry

June 25, 2026

According to media reports, Ferrari’s electric car Luce was intended to serve as a loyalty entry-level for wealthy customers. Insiders suggested that purchasing this model could secure access to “more desirable vehicles” from the manufacturer. Ferrari has now denied that customers would be required to buy the electric Luce model to access limited special editions. […]

Jeep Compass 4xe: a real electric off-roader or clever marketing?

June 25, 2026

Jeep has opened Belgian orders for the new Compass 4xe, presenting its electric flagship not simply as another high-powered SUV but as a credible off-road option. The brand’s accompanying “Capability Stories” videos show it tackling Sardinian sand dunes, while Jeep points to its dual-motor four-wheel drive, raised suspension, and dedicated terrain modes as proof that […]

Spain launches new EV incentive scheme in July

June 25, 2026

Spain’s new ‘Plan Auto+’ subsidy program is nearly ready for launch. Applications can reportedly be submitted starting in July, and retroactively for EVs purchased on or after January 1, 2026. The maximum grant is €4,500 per vehicle, but complex conditions apply. Spain has restructured its electromobility incentives at the beginning of 2026, dividing them into […]

Increasing demand for cooling pushes energy prices to record highs

June 24, 2026

Yesterday, we reported that electricity prices are rising sharply due to the massive demand for power to run air conditioners. The heat of the past few days and the demand for cooling are driving power prices to record highs. Prices above 1,000 euros per megawatt-hour have not been seen since 2020. However, to obtain electricity on […]

Fastned’s bet attracts fresh millions from private investors

June 24, 2026

Fastned has raised €36.5 million in its latest retail bond issue, providing fresh capital for its European expansion as the Dutch fast-charging specialist continues to build stations faster than it turns a net profit. The company said €35.1 million of the June issue came from new investments, with the balance rolled over by existing bondholders. […]

NMBS/SNCB cancels 100 trains a day due to heat wave

June 24, 2026

The ongoing heat wave continues to cause problems for NMBS/SNCB: through Friday, the Belgian public railway company will cancel 100 trains daily. According to NMBS/SNCB, the measure is necessary to ensure the well-being and safety of both passengers and staff. Despite recent modernization efforts, many older trains lack air conditioning and are also more prone […]

Škoda Peaq: seven-seat electric flagship built to undercut Kia EV9

June 24, 2026

Nomen est omen. A peak is a summit. So, conveniently, the new Peaq sits at the top of Skoda’s electric range. Stuffed with seven seats and a 91 kWh battery at best, the Czech brand has built its largest vehicle in 130 years. The Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9 are facing a strong contender, […]

T&E: ‘Ever bigger cars are a threat to urban space and vulnerable road users’

June 24, 2026

European cities are facing an unprecedented threat to urban space because the trend towards large SUVs risks eliminating vast numbers of parking spaces. According to a new report published today by T&E and Clean Cities, all cities are set to lose between 8.5% and 14% of their on-street parking spaces by 2040 if the size […]

Geely E2 heads for Belgium with Chinese sales star pedigree

June 24, 2026

Geely will introduce the E2 in Belgium after the summer, bringing one of China’s biggest recent EV successes to the crowded European small-car market. The compact five-door is intended to make Geely a player at the accessible end of the electric market, starting around €20,000, but final Belgian prices and several core technical details remain […]

Mercedes chairman: ‘work 40 hours or lose the car industry’

June 23, 2026

A 40-hour week is normal in the automotive sector when you work in France, in the USA, or in China. Germany trimmed it to 35 hours when its carmakers were on the top of the world, and unions demanded better conditions. But in the changing reality of low-wage production, these privileges are now being pressured. […]

UK-made EVs risk higher EU prices as new Brexit tariff deadline looms

June 23, 2026

European and British carmakers are again seeking a reprieve from a post-Brexit trade rule that could impose a 10% tariff on electric vehicles crossing the Channel from 1 January 2027. The risk does not arise simply because a car is assembled in Britain. To remain tariff-free under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, an electric […]

Heat pushes electricity prices to highest levels in years

June 23, 2026

The heat of the past few days is driving electricity prices to their highest level in years. On the wholesale electricity market, 658.09 euros per megawatt-hour must now be paid. It has been since December 2022 that electricity has been this expensive. The most expensive time is around a quarter to nine and nine o’clock in […]

Sweden asks EU to reject Tesla FSD over speeding issues

June 23, 2026

Sweden’s Transport Administration has told the European Union to vote against rolling out Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software unless the company disables a feature that allows the car to break posted speed limits. Belgium has approved since the beginning of the month.  The Swedish recommendation arrived in a letter dated one month ago, addressed to […]

Mazda CX-6e: Chinese hardware, Japanese soul, European ambitions

June 23, 2026

At Silo’s Brussels, the former brewery complex beside the Willebroek Canal, Mazda Motor Belux last week gathered journalists, dealers, fleet managers, and other stakeholders for its Mazda Experience Days, putting the spotlight on the CX-6e that made its world debut at the Brussels Motor Show in January. The occasion was as much about strategy as […]

ACEA: EU car market grows 4% in May, EV shift is reshaping industry

June 23, 2026

New car registrations in the European Union rose 4.0% in the first five months of 2026, reaching 4.75 million units. The headline masks a much more profound market shift: battery-electric cars now account for 1 in 5 registrations, while gasoline and diesel are rapidly losing ground. According to the latest figures from ACEA, 950,521 battery-electric […]

Fewer NMBS/SNCB trains due to the heat

June 22, 2026

The Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB will cancel some P-trains today and tomorrow due to the heat wave. These are mostly older, non-air-conditioned trains that have been parked in direct sunlight all day. Passengers are advised to plan their trips before departure via the NMBS/SNCB website or app. No airco P-trains operate during peak hours. […]

EEB: ‘Heatwaves fuel dangerous smog across Europe’

June 22, 2026

Parts of Europe are experiencing a severe heatwave. Several countries are suffering through the second heatwave of the year, leading to dangerous spikes in ground-level ozone pollution with devastating consequences for human and environmental health, warns the European Environmental Bureau (EEB), Europe’s largest network of environmental NGOs. After several days of temperatures above 35°C, Italian […]

After storm of criticism, Flanders backs down on special education bus cuts

June 22, 2026

Following a storm of criticism over Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder’s (N-VA) plan to cut more than 200 bus routes for special education starting in September – to stay within the set budget of 139 million euros – the Flemish government has decided that no additional cuts will be imposed on De Lijn after all. […]

Volvo offers to open its factories to Chinese sister brands

June 22, 2026

Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson has made an explicit offer to his Chinese parent company. In an interview with Automobilwoche, Samuelsson said it would be “positive and possible” for Geely’s sibling brands to produce vehicles at Volvo’s European factories, including the Ghent, Belgium, plant. Samuelsson’s offer is a direct invitation for Geely Auto (the brand, […]

Dutch transport company buys Van Hool sites

June 22, 2026

Last week, we reported that the site in Koningshooikt, which the bankrupt bus manufacturer Van Hool had offered for sale, had been sold for 21.5 million euros, but that it was not clear who ultimately bought the land. According to Van Hool’s bankruptcy trustee, the Dutch transport company G.A. den Otter Trucks is the new owner. […]

Europe on final straight-line for tariffs on PHEVs made in China

June 22, 2026

According to German newspaper Handelsblatt, the European Commission has finalized a proposal for punitive tariffs on plug-in hybrids made in China. These bread-and-butter models could face a similar fate to their counterparts with full-electric drivelines. However, the percentages would be lower. Europe set out to punish Chinese electric cars. Instead, it created a market for […]

Renault remakes the Mégane E-Tech for a tougher EV fight

June 22, 2026

At a European press preview in Barcelona, Renault showed us an assertive yet familiar Mégane E-Tech Electric, featuring a new, larger LFP battery, more range, and a sharper look. Yet beyond the styling and improved electrical hardware, Renault’s deeper bet is digital. The Mégane’s everyday experience is increasingly built around Google’s in-car ecosystem, bringing real […]

Smart #2 lands in Europe to reclaim lost ground

June 22, 2026

At the Beijing Motor Show, Smart unveiled the concept that matters most to its renaissance under new German-Chinese ownership: the #2. Will the successor make an impact just as quirky, revolutionary, and safe as the legendary original, or has modern reality overruled the formula? We find out in Rome, where the concept version hit European […]

Brussels to revamp North and South Station

June 19, 2026

The Brussels government has green lighted the Station Plan. This master plan aims to improve safety at the Brussels North and Brussels South train stations, make them cleaner, and at the same time address the presence of homeless people and drug users. An annual budget of 10 million euros has been allocated for the plan. […]

Volkswagen to cut 50.000 jobs? Blume says real problem is ‘relevance’

June 19, 2026

At the annual general meeting, VW CEO Oliver Blume didn’t shy away from blunt words. Though the group is on track shedding 50,000 workforce, he stated that the “business model is no longer working today.” Volkswagen is struggling hard with the modern-day reality of car building, to the point that the question no longer is […]

New iX5 will carry largest battery ever fitted in a BMW

June 19, 2026

In August, the first all-electric BMW X5 will roll off the production line at Spartanburg, South Carolina. The SUV is expected to weigh roughly three thousand kilograms, as it carries a battery larger than any BMW has ever fitted to a production car. That’s because it sits on a platform that was never designed to […]

From July 1st, Belgian traffic fines increase by 10%

June 19, 2026

From 1 July 2026, many traffic fines in Belgium will increase by 10%. The De Wever government announced the measure late last year as part of its efforts to raise additional budget revenue. The effective date has now been set. The increase applies to immediate-collection fines: the standard penalties imposed for many common offenses without […]

MG takes Belgian distribution in house as Astara chapter closes July 1st

June 19, 2026

For all the attention around the MG 07, the more immediate Belgian story is happening behind the scenes. On 1 July, MG Motor Europe takes direct control of MG in Belgium and Luxembourg. A press release from the UK confirms the establishment of a Belgian subsidiary and the end of the distribution arrangement under which […]

Maserati bets on sharper nose and a partner to boost sales

June 19, 2026

Maserati has had a rough few years. Sales are down. The brand’s EV pivot has moved more slowly than planned, and the Grecale, its core volume model, has quietly fallen behind the competition on the one metric that matters most for electric cars: range. Revised Folgore versions of the Grecale and GranTurismo must help fix […]

Dacia teases new Spring as Europe’s cheapest EV prepares for a reset

June 19, 2026

Dacia has given the first official glimpse of the next Spring, confirming that its smallest electric car will keep the Spring name for a second generation. The teaser does not yet reveal prices, technical specifications, or timing for Belgium, but it does confirm two important points: the new model will remain a fully electric city […]

BYD Great Tang offers top tech on a reasonable budget

June 18, 2026

BYD has officially released the Great Tang in China. This is not the successor of the Tang, but a more luxurious model positioned higher in the hierarchy. Its size and technology give it the allure of a limo in an SUV, though its price tells a different story.  The BYD Great Tang doesn’t arrive empty-handed […]

Belgium helps to build a German power outlet in the North Sea

June 18, 2026

The Antwerp-based construction company Smulders will participate in the construction of a power outlet in the North Sea for the German grid operator 50Hertz, a subsidiary of the Belgian high-voltage group Elia. The offshore power connector, known as ‘North Sea Connector 2,’ will enable up to 2 gigawatts of wind power electricity to be transmitted […]

Controversy erupts over De Lijn’s special education bus plan

June 18, 2026

The news that De Lijn plans to cut back on student transportation to special educations schools starting in September has sparked a great deal of criticism and uproar from school principals and parents to ordinary citizens on the street and in parliament. More than 200 bus routes are being eliminated because Flemish Minister of Mobility […]

Porsche updates Taycan with fake gears

June 18, 2026

The Porsche Taycan was the first EV to feature a two-speed gearboc. But now the German sports carmaker wants to reinvogarate the driving joy by adding fake gears, a feature that debuted on the Ioniq 5 N and which is also investigated by Toyota. The appeal for electric sports cars seems to reside in old-fashioned […]

Private player buys land from bus manufacturer Van Hool for 21.5 million euros

June 18, 2026

We recently reported that the bankrupt bus manufacturer Van Hool from Koninkshooikt (Lier, Belgium) had put a 30-hectare business expansion site up for sale, and that the Flemish government was participating in the bidding process.  In the meantime, the bidding period has ended and the land in Lier has been sold for 21.5 million euros. Flanders was […]

Powerdot enters Flanders with Carrefour charging site in Zulte

June 18, 2026

European charge point operator Powerdot is taking its first visible steps into Flanders with the opening of a new fast-charging station at the Carrefour supermarket in Zulte, East Flanders. The site has two charging points with a combined capacity of 140 kW, allowing customers to charge their electric vehicles while doing their shopping. The launch […]

Continental and Renault push EV tire development beyond label limits

June 17, 2026

Continental has developed a high-efficiency tire with Renault Group that is claimed to cut rolling resistance far beyond today’s best European label standard. According to Continental, it achieves up to 35% lower rolling resistance than required for the EU tire label’s top A rating, which could add up to 30 kilometers to an electric car’s […]

Brussels to pull the plug on ‘flopped’ Floya mobility app (update)

June 17, 2026

Brussels Minister of Mobility Elke Van den Brandt (Groen) acknowledged as much last year: Floya, the Brussels-Capital Region’s multimodal app, needs to become better known. MIVB/STIB is now addressing the issue itself by announcing that it will discontinue the multimodal mobility app starting in 2027. The app cost 6 million euros to develop, although Van […]

Chinese Tesla drivers defeat safety camera with fake $30 plastic heads

June 17, 2026

To fool the camera detection systems on their Teslas while driving in automated mode, Chinese customers turn to fake plastic doll heads. Screwed onto the ceiling of their cars, they successfully trick the system into thinking the driver is alert. It’s not the first time the aftermarket has tried to outsmart the safety systems of […]

De Lijn is cutting 204 bus routes for special education

June 17, 2026

Next school year, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn will cut 204 bus routes for student transportation to special education schools, according to several media. De Lijn confirms that routes will be eliminated, but has not yet provided a specific number. The cuts are being made because Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder […]

Tesla Cybercab specs rule, but robotaxi reality doesn’t

June 17, 2026

The paper looks good, now that the American certification body has officially registered the Cybercab as the most efficient EV it has ever filed. But the streets are a completely different story for Tesla. With a shrinking fleet in place, Robotaxi rides are diminishing instead of growing  Tesla has filed its official EPA documents for […]

Global EV boom loses speed, but Europe and Belgium tell a different story

June 17, 2026

Global electric vehicle registrations reached around 1.8 million in May, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence data reported by Reuters. That was only 3% more than in May last year, bringing the first five months of 2026 to a modest 0.9% increase. On paper, that looks like a clear slowdown after years of double-digit growth. In […]

Provost draws defense line, but Thales deal pulls Renault deeper into (update)

June 17, 2026

Renault Group will not turn itself into a defense company, CEO François Provost insisted in Brussels last week. But barely days later, the French carmaker announced a new Thales deal that makes that red line harder to read. In an interview with De Tijd’s Bas Kurstjens and other media during the Automotive News Europe Congress, […]

Car obesity: Brussels eyes weight limits for SUVs

June 16, 2026

The Brussels Environment Council is calling on the region to adopt “a coherent strategy to reduce the weight of passenger cars gradually.” According to the Council, the weight of new passenger cars has increased by about 50% over the past 20 years. In 2023, more than half of new registrations in Brussels were SUVs, with […]

China rolls out a masterplan to electrify its trucks: 40% by 2030

June 16, 2026

China aims to achieve a 40% market share for electric heavy trucks by 2030. That’s almost half of the national fleet sales in less than five years from now. And if the country’s new energy cars and vans, or renewable energy policy, are anything to go by, the People’s Republic does not do half measures […]

Benelux urges EU to end e-scooter rule chaos

June 16, 2026

After 16 European countries, including Belgium and the Netherlands, called for uniform European legislation on e-scooters late last year, the Benelux countries are now also urging the European Commission to work toward a harmonized European framework for e-scooters and other light electric vehicles. The three countries point to increasing fragmentation in national regulations, “which leads […]

Renault gives electric Twingo eyes and ears for smarter cities

June 16, 2026

Renault’s new electric Twingo has already been pitched as a cheerful answer to the affordable urban EV. Now the French carmaker is giving it a second role: a mobile data collector for cities. Together with Software République, Renault has unveiled cleveR insights, a Twingo E-Tech electric equipped with cameras and sensors to collect and analyze […]

Reuters: Tesla used misleading safety data to win FSD approval in Europe

June 16, 2026

As Tesla is gradually but quickly rolling out its supervised autonomous driving tech in Europe, details are emerging about how the company is trying to influence the approval process. According to Reuters, a policy manager is on a roadshow with a polished presentation that overestimates the safety benefits of FSD Supervised. After Tesla obtained approval […]

MG 07 lands in China as Belgian import switch nears

June 16, 2026

MG has unveiled the new MG 07 in China, a sleek, electrified fastback that gives a first indication of how the brand may further expand beyond SUVs and hatchbacks. The model has not been confirmed for Europe, but its timing is interesting. In Belgium and Luxembourg, MG is preparing to take over its own distribution […]

¡Hola, VLE!: Mercedes starts electric van production in Spain

June 15, 2026

Three months after its world premiere, series production of the all-electric VLE officially kicked off at Mercedes’ plant in Vitoria, Spain. The occasion was deemed important enough to bring the company’s CEO out on site. Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, attended the production launch ceremony alongside Thomas Klein, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans. They […]

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