June 03, 2025
Electric vehicle drivers will soon have to pay to enter central London, as part of Transport for London’s (TfL) plans to revise the Congestion Charge. The move has divided campaigners, business groups, and clean air advocates, but adds to a broader trend as cities are readressing their clean air policies. The overhaul doesn’t affect the […]
June 03, 2025
According to data from the Federal Public Service Mobility & Transport and the sector federation Febiac, 34,338 new cars were registered in Belgium and Luxembourg in May 2025. That’s 11.7% less than last year in May. Once again, the decrease is entirely due to the regression of the professional market (_20.1%), while individual buyers bought […]
June 03, 2025
Brussels Mobility is launching a pilot project in Forest to test a dedicated “Kiss & Cycle” zone for parents dropping their children off at school using cargo bikes, long tails, trailer bikes, or other exceptionally large bicycles. The special strip aims to reduce the chaos often seen on sidewalks and streets during school drop-off times, […]
June 03, 2025
Electric car batteries are getting considerably cheaper, but not everywhere, and not for everyone. The conclusion is based on the latest report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), which notes that battery prices experienced their steepest decline in eight years last year. The effect of scaling is materializing, but there are global differences to be […]
June 02, 2025
Ford Performance has unveiled its latest hill climb monster for Pikes Peak: the Super Mustang Mach-E. It might bear some similarities to the electric cross-over with the same name, but under the hood, this purpose-built race car features over 2.5 tonnes of downforce and likely thousands of horsepower. Ford has a crown to defend at […]
June 02, 2025
Once hailed as a beacon of Belgian innovation and green industrial ambition, Addax Motors — the only homegrown manufacturer of electric vans in the country — has filed for bankruptcy. The announcement, which puts 40 jobs at risk, brings a sudden halt to a bold experiment in sustainable manufacturing that began with lofty goals and […]
June 02, 2025
Maserati and D’Ieteren Luxury Performance, the Luxury division of D’Ieteren Mobility Company, a 100% Subsidiary of D’Ieteren Automotive, have joined forces and further expanded their cooperation for the Belgian market. As of May 28, 2025, D’Ieteren Luxury Performance is the sole distributor of Maserati in Belgium, operating with three sales outlets in Antwerp, Brussels, and […]
June 02, 2025
The first tunnel element for the new Scheldt Tunnel, which left Zeebrugge on Friday, arrived on Sunday in the port of Antwerp. The 160-meter-long, 42-meter-wide, and 60,000-ton colossus made a journey of more than 100 kilometers across the North Sea and the Scheldt, floated by four tugs and a pusher. It now remains “parked” in […]
June 02, 2025
The crumbling of Europe’s once-ambitious battery industry has prompted a strong warning from two of the continent’s most senior industrial leaders: forget going for it alone, partner with China, or risk falling further behind. The fall of battery maker Northvolt has left a vacuum in Europe, as it seeks to align itself with major Chinese […]
June 02, 2025
Opel appears to be considering whether there is a market for a more rugged, four-wheel-drive variant of its compact family SUV, the Frontera. The German manufacturer is testing the waters with the Frontera Gravel, an off-road-ready show car that debuted at the XS Carnight Wörthersee in Austria. The new Opel Frontera was unveiled in 2024 […]
June 02, 2025
The airline industry’s ambition to move to zero emissions by 2050 is in jeopardy. This was stated by IATA, the global airline umbrella organization, at a summit in New Delhi, India, to discuss the state of the industry. The aviation sector currently produces approximately 3% of global CO2 emissions; however, due to climate-skeptic policies, including […]
June 02, 2025
Omoda and Jaecoo have appointed Darren Tu as Managing Director for its Belux operations, after his successful tenure at the Spanish division, where the brands succeeded in outpacing legacy brands in the sales charts. The move appears to signal growth potential, as witnessed by holding company Chery. But how much momentum do these brands have […]
June 02, 2025
Toyota’s Aygo X urban crossover gets electrified, it’s the first full hybrid in its segment. The newcomer has the lowest CO2 emissions of any non-plug-in car on the market, claims Toyota: 86 g CO2/km. At the same time, a GR Sport version will be introduced in the Aygo X lineup. “The Aygo X has attracted […]
June 02, 2025
BMW has announced a series of model upgrades for summer 2025. In terms of electric cars, this includes the i4, where not only the two rear-wheel drive models become more efficient, but a more powerful top-of-the-range model will also be added to the range. The two variants, i4 eDrive35 and i4 eDrive40, will be equipped […]
May 30, 2025
On June 1, 1975, the Belgian government made wearing a seat belt in the front of a car mandatory. A safety measure that significantly reduced the risk of death during car crashes, but the public needed some convincing. And even today, an alarmingly large number of road deaths come from people not wearing their seat […]
May 29, 2025
Almost five years after the introduction of the general 30 kph zone in the Brussels Capital Region, it is abundantly clear that the introduction of that plan was a good idea. According to Brussels Mobility, there are fewer serious accidents and fatalities, and the introduction of Zone 30 also does not lead to longer travel […]
May 29, 2025
A German court has condemned four former top managers of Volkswagen to jail sentences for “fraud and ganging up”. It’s been almost ten years since the biggest scandal in the automotive world, known as the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal, broke out in the United States. Volkswagen Group had installed fraud software in its vehicles to circumvent official […]
May 29, 2025
The three-millionth electrified vehicle rolled off the assembly line today at the BMW Group’s main plant in Munich, a BMW 330e Touring (PHEV) in Portimao Blue, destined for the UK market. In 2024, one in four vehicles sold by the company were already either fully electric or plug-in hybrids. At BMW Group plants, vehicles with […]
May 28, 2025
Stellantis has named Antonio Filosa as its new Chief Executive Officer, drawing a line under months of uncertainty following the abrupt departure of Carlos Tavares. The 51-year-old Italian, who currently oversees operations across the Americas and also serves as Chief Quality Officer, will officially step into the role on 23 June. His formal appointment as […]
May 28, 2025
The EU Parliament has approved the Commission’s request to soften the 2025 CO2 fleet targets. The proposal received 458 votes in favour, 101 against, and 14 abstentions. All that remains is for the European Council to approve it, which it did on 27 May. The more flexible CO2 targets are one measure the EU Commission […]
May 27, 2025
China’s biggest carmaker, BYD, has rolled out sweeping price cuts across its Dynasty and Ocean series electric vehicles in a move that underscores growing pressure in the world’s largest auto market. The discounts — as high as 34% — come amid ballooning dealer inventories and a cooling appetite among Chinese consumers, and have sent shockwaves […]
May 27, 2025
After the US, France now also has the necessary equipment to conduct fire resistance tests on aircraft engines. So reports the French business newspaper Le Figaro. The platform for aircraft engine fire research will be located at the French National Center for Aerospace Research (ONERA), 15 km south of Toulouse. The center, founded in 1968, […]
May 27, 2025
Car manufacturer Volvo Cars, owned by the Chinese Geely group, will cut 3,000 jobs (about 7% of its total workforce), primarily in Sweden. It’s a decision as part of the cost-cutting announced at the end of April. The goal is “to make Volvo cars more resilient in an era where the automotive industry is confronted […]
May 27, 2025
Chinese electric carmaker Nio has unveiled updated versions of its core models: the ET5 saloon, ET5 Touring estate, and EL6 SUV. The trio accounts for a large chunk of the firm’s global sales and has received over 500 upgrades ranging from styling tweaks to major technological enhancements, improving driver assistance. The updates are most noticeable […]
May 27, 2025
After halting production for a year and teetering on the brink of collapse, Chinese premium EV brand HiPhi is preparing a return. This time under new ownership. Lebanese EV startup EV Electra acquired a majority stake in the embattled automaker. The stage is set for a potential reboot of one of China’s most ambitious electric […]
May 27, 2025
The Dutch railroad company NS is going to remove first class in about half of all Sprinter trains to create additional second-class seats. A total of 3,580 additional second-class seats would be involved. According to NS, first class in the sprinter, a train for short travel distances used for stopping services, is only about 10% […]
May 27, 2025
According to data from ACEA, the European Car Manufacturers Association, new EU car registrations fell by 1.2% in April 2025 compared to last year’s first four months. Nonetheless, registrations rebounded with a 1.3% increase last month, showing signs of recovery despite the ongoing unpredictable global economic environment. The battery-electric car market share for April 2025 […]
May 26, 2025
Greenhouse gas emissions in Flanders have fallen to their lowest point this century. So reports Statistics Flanders, based on figures from the Flemish Environment Agency for 2023. Emissions, still accounting for 65,4 megatons (Mton) of greenhouse gas CO2 equivalents, were notably lower than in the COVID-19 year 2020. Decrease of 3,5 Mton CO2 In 2023, […]
May 26, 2025
Up to 3 million households on low or modest incomes in Europe’s five largest countries (Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and Poland) could switch to electric cars by 2032 thanks to social leasing, according to an analysis by T&E based on data from the Öko-Institut. This scheme, which allows affordable electric vehicles under €25,000 to be […]
May 26, 2025
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has revealed the key specs for the BYD Sealion 06, a new mid-sized electric or hybrid SUV first unveiled in April at Auto Shanghai 2025. The Sealion 06 promises lots of space and a comfortable electric driving range for a relatively low price. BYD unveiled its expanded […]
May 26, 2025
Daimler Truck has launched the new Mercedes-Benz Trucks Remote 3.0 app, which can now be used with the electric eActros 600 and with the Actros L and Arocs from this summer. The updated app adds more remote real-time vehicle data monitoring, such as charge level, tyre pressure, and more, but a mobile data connection is […]
May 26, 2025
Xpeng Motors has pulled the covers off the latest iteration of its flagship electric saloon, previewing a sleeker, sportier successor to the original P7. Internally codenamed E29 and now officially named the “P7 Ultra,” the car maker revealed its core specs ahead of an expected market debut in Q3 2025. Pricing is projected to start […]
May 26, 2025
As of yesterday, the British South Western Railway (SWR), which serves more than 200 stations in southern England, is once again in government hands. It is, in fact, the first train company to be nationalized under Labour. The Starmer government called the renationalization of British Rail, which was privatized in 1990, a “new era for […]
May 26, 2025
With sales leveling off last year, Mazda Belgium remains on a steady course. The all-new, all-electric 6e is gaining traction and could reposition the brand in the fleet sector. But despite strong interest, the new model won’t drive up total sales, as key models are aging. Mazda Motor Corp. reported global sales of 1.3 million […]
May 26, 2025
At the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2025, the renowned celebration of historic vehicles on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, where the BMW Group has long been a leading actor, the Munich company presented an exclusive new concept car that will subsequently be made available for purchase in a small series. “The BMW Concept […]
May 26, 2025
Hyundai Motor Group and Incheon International Airport Corporation will deploy AI-powered automatic EV charging robots in South Korea to demonstrate the next stage in automated electric mobility infrastructure. The partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The company aims to commercialize its automatic charging robot (ACR) for electric vehicles through a strategic collaboration with Incheon International […]
May 26, 2025
Northvolt, an insolvent battery cell manufacturer, is discontinuing production at its main plant in Skellefteå, Sweden. Most recently, the factory only served a single customer, truck manufacturer Scania. The doors will shut by June 30 at the latest, and 900 people could lose their jobs. However, the company insists that work on the German Heide […]
May 26, 2025
Many people are still wondering why, for Christ’s sake, one should go electric instead of staying with the combustion engine (ICE) that has been finetuned to nearly perfection in the last 130 years. The reason is quite apparent: electric cars are superior in nearly every aspect. The Smart #5 Brabus we had the opportunity to […]
May 25, 2025
The bicycle continues gaining popularity in Flanders: 18,5% of Flemish travel by (electric) bicycle. In other words, never has there been so much cycling in Flanders. This is according to the Flemish government’s seventh study on travel behavior in Flanders. By comparison, in the Netherlands, 27% of journeys are made by bicycle. Still, the car […]
May 23, 2025
The Walloon public transport company TEC has put the first full electric bus into service. This happened in Liège. The bus in question is a Mercedes-Benz Citaro. The ambition is to be fully electric by 2045. “With this first 100% e-bus, TEC opens a new chapter in its history: that of a cleaner, quieter and […]
May 23, 2025
On Xiaomi’s 15th anniversary, CEO Lei Jun introduced the company’s first electric SUV, the YU7, marking another step in its automotive transition following the SU7 sedan. Lei confirmed that Xiaomi has delivered over 258,000 units of the SU7. The YU7 is a fairly large electric SUV built on the company’s Modena platform. It measures 4999 […]
May 23, 2025
Fiat has unveiled the Tris, its first three-wheeled electric commercial vehicle. It is aimed at affordable, low-emission transport in dense urban areas. Designed for Africa and the Middle East, the compact EV blends Italian design with pragmatic utility. It is a modern take on the nostalgic Ape. After the Topolino, a rebadged Citroën Ami, Fiat […]
May 22, 2025
BYD has overtaken Tesla in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales in Europe for the first time, marking a major turning point in the continent’s electric vehicle market. The milestone is reached bilaterally. As the Chinese carmaker profits from a model offensive, Tesla is witnessing one of its weakest performances since entering the European marketplace. In […]
May 22, 2025
Honda has announced that it will reduce its investments in electric cars due to declining demand and focus on the growing demand for hybrid vehicles with new models. Motorcycles will also play a larger role in the company’s plans. The Japanese manufacturer has stated that it will reduce its investments in electrification and software from […]
May 22, 2025
Chinese carmaker BYD is making another push into the European electric vehicle market, this time at the more affordable end of the spectrum. Its new compact model, the Dolphin Surf, launched this week in several continental markets, including Belgium, arrives with a promise that could rattle established players: fully electric motoring for just under €22,000. […]
May 22, 2025
Opel’s GSE label, introduced in 2022 as an electrified sports sub-brand, is taking the step towards fully electric sports cars. Under the OMG! GSE campaign, Opel has given a first hint at what we might expect with the Mokka GSE Rally, the successor to the Corsa-e Rally from 2021. Opel has been a pioneer in […]
May 22, 2025
An all-new Lexus ES made its world-first appearance a few weeks ago at the Shanghai Auto Show, signalling the introduction of an eighth generation of the global luxury sedan later this year. Lexus has now also provided some details about the battery. While the ES has been a key model for Lexus in North America […]
May 22, 2025
Apple has introduced the next generation of CarPlay, called CarPlay Ultra, which can take over the instrument display and core features like temperature controls. Meanwhile, Google announced a deepened partnership with Volvo at its developer conference Google I/O, where the Swedish manufacturer will serve as a reference for Android car development. While Apple CarPlay and […]
May 22, 2025
Last year, 16,403 fines were issued in the Brussels region for motorists who entered the low-emission zone (LEZ) with an overly polluting car. That’s almost a halving from the record year of 2023, when 29,643 drivers were fined. Meanwhile, several citizens’ associations have started proceedings at the Constitutional Court to annul the two-year postponement of […]
May 22, 2025
It’s no secret that the global car industry is undergoing a power shift, but the numbers suggest that the United States are more severely on the back foot than generally assumed. A new benchmark report by Chinese manufacturing network RapidDirect places the U.S. a distant fifth among the world’s top automotive producers—well behind China, Germany, […]
May 21, 2025
Volvo Trucks has released more details on its new FH Aero Electric, its most ambitious battery-electric truck yet. The long-distance hauler will debut with an extended driving range, fast-charging capabilities, and payload capacity on par with diesel-powered models. But some patience is required, as the electric flagship model is slated to hit the market in […]
May 21, 2025
The Chinese Maxus T90, the first all-electric pickup in Belgium, is getting stiff and rugged competition from South Korea. Neither Kia nor Hyundai is stepping up on an emission-free alternative for the utilitarian market, but KGM—formerly known as Ssangyong—adds a Musso with a traction battery to its range. It will be available in Belgium as […]
May 21, 2025
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) unveiled its new RAV4 on May 21. The model will be launched in Japan before the end of the fiscal year 2025. It’s the sixth generation of a car that debuted in 1993 and has sold 15 million units worldwide, 2.5 million of which were sold in Europe. “Under the concept […]
May 21, 2025
Three years after the introduction of stricter rules for e-scooters, many Belgians still do not know the most important rules. This emerges from a new representative survey by the traffic institute Vias. For example, 44% of those surveyed do not know that you must be at least 16 years old to drive an e-scooter. The […]
May 21, 2025
The BMW Group has integrated large-format solid-state battery cells from partner Solid Power into a test vehicle, a BMW i7. The aim is to test how the solid-state cells behave in everyday road operation. BMW and Solid Power have been working together on solid-state batteries for years. The partnership dates back to 2016. Things turned […]
May 20, 2025
According to a monitoring report of the Belgian governmental service for social security (RSZ), there were 572,416 company cars in Belgium, which can also be used privately by company employees. The number of cars still increases (+10.9 % compared to 2022), as does the number of companies offering a company car (+3.6%). “Despite all the […]
May 20, 2025
Westfalia Technologies, a US-based storage and retrieval systems specialist (not to be confused with the German campervan manufacturer), unveiled the Weplug automated charging system. It features a robotic arm on an overhead gantry that moves from car to car, but some human intervention is still required. Westfalia Technologies was founded in 1992 and specializes in […]
May 20, 2025
The groundbreaking hydrogen discovery in northeastern France last year is reigniting interest in a long-overlooked source of clean energy—natural hydrogen. At a moment when the bets on hydrogen for transportation are severely off the table, scientists have started mapping vast amounts of mineable hydrogen and laid out the challenges for exploitation methods. Tucked beneath the […]
May 20, 2025
Ryanair’s net profit is down 16% compared to last year, to 1,6 billion euros. That’s according to figures for the fiscal year that ended at the end of March. The Irish low-cost carriers had to cut their prices by 7% to fill up planes. That strategy led to a record number of just over 200 […]
May 20, 2025
Since yesterday, the Volta 1, the first electric tug in Europe, has been sailing in the Antwerp port area. With the commissioning of Volta 1, the port is taking another step towards greening. In the long term, the port wants no tugboats to run on diesel fuel anymore because diesel still causes a lot of […]
