July 09, 2025
On March 31, 2025, more than 13,000 cars (specifically, 13,201) were rented in Belgium through a Private Lease formula. A full 90 percent of these were equipped with a gasoline engine – hybrid or otherwise. Electric Private Lease cars represent only four percent of the total. Renta, the Belgian federation of long-term and short-term vehicle […]
July 09, 2025
German truck maker Daimler Trucks, one of the leading companies globally in the sector, has announced that it will cut 5,000 jobs in its homeland, Germany, by 2030 to become more market resilient and improve its profitability. In Germany, the company employs around 35,500 employees, of whom around 28,000 in its Stuttgart hub. Sluggish economic […]
July 08, 2025
The Flemish public transport company De Lijn will increase the amount of its administrative fines by 18.37%. The acceptable amounts thus follow the fare indexation implemented in April. According to Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA), it is logical for fines to follow that price trend and should “continue to encourage people to […]
July 08, 2025
Rainer Zietlow, a 55-year-old man from Mannheim (Germany), wants to prove that you can get anywhere with an electric car and that you can even travel around the world with it. His goal is to break the world record for the number of countries he visits in a single trip with an electric vehicle. He intends to […]
July 08, 2025
In Brussels, the bus, metro, streetcar, and train are regaining importance after a decline during the Covid-19 pandemic. Not only is the number of travelers increasing proportionally, but the number of trips by public transport in the capital is also rising, according to a recent survey by Brussels Mobility. Looking purely at the market share, […]
July 08, 2025
Energy provider Energy Vision is permitted to install 2,500 charging stations for electric cars at the railway company NMBS/SNCB’s station car parks. This was reported by the newspaper De Tijd. The charging stations, with a total of 5,000 charging points (with the possibility of expansion), are expected to be operational by 2032. The project involves a concession […]
July 08, 2025
Stellantis is launching the new Jeep Compass 4xe, in Europe, a successor to the current PHEV, which promises enhanced off-road capability. That includes a 195 hp engine, a 10 mm raised suspension, a dedicated off-road driving mode, dual off-road bumpers, an anti-scratch Bumper Shield, a matte anti-glare hood sticker, a rear tow hook, and 19-inch […]
July 08, 2025
According to a new study by the clean transport and energy lobbying group Transport & Environment (T&E), the European car industry, which is responsible for €330 billion of the EU’s GDP and employs three million people directly or indirectly, faces an agonizing choice. It can boost and ramp up EV production with proper EU support, […]
July 08, 2025
Deutsche Bahn will run a driverless train on the tracks for the first time in Europe in September. This will happen thanks to technology from OTIV. This Ghent-based start-up specializes in AI-driven systems that enable freight trains, buses, and streetcars to operate autonomously in complex environments safely and efficiently. According to the business newspaper De […]
July 07, 2025
Mercedes-Benz has taken the VLE, the successor to the V-Class and EQV, on a road trip from Stuttgart to Rome. The electric prototype proved more than capable for the 1,100-km journey, requiring only two brief charging stops of 15 minutes each, showcasing the electric minivan’s 800V technology. Granted, the VLE’s road trip from Germany to […]
July 07, 2025
Will we soon have self-driving Teslas in Belgium? The American carmaker has already applied to the European Commission in March for approval of autonomous driving (Full Self Driving), and more specifically, supervised hands-off driving. According to the Vers L’Avenir newspaper, Federal Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés), unlike his predecessor, is already in favor. […]
July 07, 2025
Four years after its unveiling, and two years after its launch, Ford is expanding the electric E-Transit Custom one-ton van’s offering. Both the cargo and passenger versions, known as the E-Tourneo Custom, will receive a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) variant in 2026. To say that the roll-out of the Ford E-Transit Custom has been steady, […]
July 07, 2025
On Saturday, tech billionaire and Tesla-boss Elon Musk announced the creation of a new political party in the United States on X: the America Party. President Trump touts Musk’s move as “ridiculous” and says her former best ‘buddy’ has gone “completely off the rails”. Musk says he wants to wipe out the Republicans and Democrats […]
July 07, 2025
The Flemish Government has presented a new climate plan for 2030, which is expected to appease the European Commission and avoid heavy fines. One of the most visible new measures is the intention to push down electricity prices by shifting 362 million euros in taxes to the natural gas invoice by 2028. Families heating with […]
July 04, 2025
BMW is gearing up to launch production of its ‘Neue Klasse’ series of vehicles. In September, at the IAA, the iX3 will be launched as the first vehicle of this class. To meet nearly the entire global demand for electric drives, BMW’s factory in Steyr was upgraded to produce both combustion engines and electric drives. […]
July 04, 2025
Belgian public railroad company NMBS/SNCB is to roll out an action plan to “improve the working environment of employees.” It is doing so following a welfare survey conducted early this year by IDEWE, an external service for prevention and protection at work. According to the unions, the survey’s results and conclusions, which measured, among other […]
July 04, 2025
In contrast to other years, when registrations of new speed pedelecs often saw extreme peaks, the number of registrations remained relatively constant in the first half of 2025. A total of 7,509 units were registered, slightly more than last year (+0.4%). However, in June, we saw a 6% increase to 1,309 units. The figures were […]
July 04, 2025
Changan Automobile, one of China’s largest state-owned automakers, is accelerating its push into Europe. The carmaker has confirmed its intention to build its first manufacturing facility on the continent as part of a broader strategy to grow its electric vehicle footprint. The mounting trade barriers have persuaded the carmaker to localize operations. “We are committed […]
July 04, 2025
Flemish Minister of Mobility, Annick De Ridder (N-VA), is cancelling 72 planned section controls on regional roads. De Ridder only wants section controls at ‘black spots’, where serious accidents occur, which reduces the list to about ten of those speed checks. The decision has sparked outrage among experts. The number of section controls in Flanders has increased significantly […]
July 04, 2025
The recall problems at Stellantis don’t stop. Following issues with the PureTech gasoline engines and Takata airbags, the manufacturer is forced to recall nearly a million cars equipped with the 1.5 BlueHDi diesel engine. The timing chain has flaws and is prone to failure, which can potentially lead to an engine breakdown. Some 930,700 vehicles […]
July 03, 2025
Polestar is staking its European future on a new production strategy that focuses on local manufacturing for regional markets. The Swedish electric performance brand, owned by China’s Geely, confirmed this week that its upcoming Polestar 7 will roll off the lines at Volvo Cars’ under-construction factory in Košice, Slovakia. The 7 marks the premium brand’s […]
July 03, 2025
More than three years after the car carrier Felicity Ace vanished beneath the Atlantic with nearly 4,000 luxury vehicles on board, a German court has begun hearing what could become a landmark test of who’s responsible for the risks of electric vehicle logistics. The trial, which opened this week in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, pits the […]
July 03, 2025
On Sunday, July 6, 2025, the Euro Space Center in Transinne (province of Luxembourg, Belgium) will celebrate the official opening of its brand-new attraction. Five years after its reopening, the center is taking a new step with Lunar X. ‘Lunar X’, as the virtual trip to the moon is called, is a space-themed experience designed […]
July 03, 2025
Belgian drivers active in the transport sector and emergency services can now prepare themselves for complex traffic situations in a state-of-the-art driving simulator. As it happens, the Flemish employment service VDAB has invested in four advanced truck simulators, which are housed at the Provincial Institute for Education and Training (PIVO) in Asse. The simulators are […]
July 03, 2025
Stellantis is warning of potential factory closures across Europe as the automaker struggles to align with the European Union’s increasingly stringent CO₂ emissions targets. The alarm was sounded this week by Jean-Philippe Imparato, the group’s Europe chief, who described the situation as “just months away from a drama” if no regulatory adjustments are made before […]
July 03, 2025
According to Filip Rylant, spokesperson for the mobility federation Traxio, the second-hand car market performed well in the first six months of the year, with 373,810 used car registrations, representing a 7.1% increase compared to the same period last year. The second-hand market performed strongly in the first half of the year, with no less […]
July 03, 2025
The American research organization BloombergNEF (BNEF), widely regarded as an authority in global analyses across various domains, including electric mobility and clean energy, expects EV sales to surge this year like never before, with a 25% increase to 22 million vehicles. Nearly two-thirds of those 22 million will be sold in China, 17% in Europe—a […]
July 03, 2025
On Wednesday, 2 July, the Belgian Federal Minister of Mobility, Climate, and Ecological Transition, Jean-Luc Crucke, and the Mayor of Bornem, Greet De Bruyn, accompanied BMW Group Belux CEO Alexander Wehr to leave an ‘imprint’ at the launch of the rebuild of BMW’s headquarters in Bornem. The plans were announced at the end of 2023 […]
July 02, 2025
In June 2025, the figures of the federal service Mobility & Transport and Febiac show a 16.4% decrease in registrations in Belgium and Luxembourg, with 41,527 newly registered cars. Cumulatively, 234,616 cars were newly registered during the first six months of 2025, representing a 10.9% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. Noticeable is […]
July 02, 2025
The French-speaking liberal party MR wants to relaunch mining in Belgium. They advocate rebuilding a full value chain, from mine to recycling. After all, the energy transition is driving up demand for metals, and Europe needs to reduce its dependence on China in particular, according to the party’s study center. “If we have an idea […]
July 02, 2025
The European Commission has pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 and to incorporate this target into the European Climate Law. However, with the possibility of achieving part of that reduction in third countries outside the EU through so-called ‘carbon credits’. The European Commission, which will present this strategy on Wednesday, is […]
July 02, 2025
Leasing company Ayvens, formerly LeasePlan/ALD Automotive, is one of the first major leasing companies to actively promote extending the typical EV leasing contract from four to six years. “The combination of technical reliability and limited maintenance costs makes an extension of leasing contracts extra interesting today – both for the environment and the wallet,” Ayvens says […]
July 01, 2025
Mitsubishi Motors aims to sell 75,000 to 80,000 vehicles annually in Europe, a gain of 20 to 30 percent over last year, with the help of two new Renault-sourced models that arrive in 2025, regional CEO Frank Krol told the specialized magazine Automotive News Europe. It’s also thinking of (re)introducing some of its own Japanese […]
July 01, 2025
To boost the competitiveness of zero-emission road transport, the European Commission has proposed extending the toll exemption for electric and hydrogen trucks and buses. The exemption currently expires at the end of 2025, but the Commission wants to postpone the deadline until 2031. The market share of zero-emission trucks and buses remains marginal, primarily due […]
July 01, 2025
As climate shifts bring more extreme weather and high-water risks, new tests by the ADAC in Germany expose an often-overlooked danger: what happens when a car plunges into water? Are electric car drivers at a higher risk than those in a combustion-engined vehicle? In the experiment, the German organization submerged two cars: a conventional Seat […]
July 01, 2025
Lufthansa’s planned entry into Latvian airline airBaltic has been approved by the German competition authority. The German airline group will now have a 10% stake in airBaltic, which has Riga as its central hub. Otherwise, airBaltic’s main shareholder remains the government of Latvia. The entry involves a sum of € 14 million. Although the deal […]
July 01, 2025
A Tesla Model Y has driven itself from the company’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, to a customer’s doorstep with no one behind the wheel. Or not even somebody watching remotely, according to CEO Elon Musk, who trumpeted the feat as the first “fully autonomous delivery” of its kind. Musk posted triumphantly on X, the social […]
July 01, 2025
A new observational study by the Vias traffic institute has revealed that Belgian van drivers are most often distracted by their mobile phones or other devices. On average, they are not entirely focused on traffic for 8% of the time, it turns out. The Vias researchers observed almost 20,000 drivers for a month at 161 locations […]
July 01, 2025
Flemish public transport operator De Lijn is becoming greener without having to do anything about it. As of today, the private bus operators that provide rides on behalf of De Lijn are deploying 588 new electric buses on De Lijn’s network. According to the Federation of Belgian Bus and Coach Operators (FBAA), this is “the […]
July 01, 2025
Dutch navigation software specialist TomTom, which grew out of one of the world’s two pioneering digital mapping companies with a strong connection in Belgium, is forced to cut another 300 jobs from its 3,600 employees worldwide to “prepare for the future.” That future will be increasingly based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomous driving, as […]
July 01, 2025
Volkswagen has increased its stake in US partner Rivian. A second payment of one billion US dollars (approximately €850 million) became due on June 30, following Rivian’s achievement of the targets agreed upon in the contract. Meanwhile, the group also thinks about a new ‘Nova’ platform for its ICE/PHEV luxury and supercars. VW had invested […]
July 01, 2025
Audi’s latest vehicles are now compatible with the AirConsole gaming platform, which uses smartphones as controllers. However, thanks to the Active Privacy Mode on modern Audis equipped with a passenger screen, passengers can now also play games while driving, marking an industry first. Gaming in cars is becoming increasingly the norm. Tesla was the first […]
June 30, 2025
Leapmotor has launched its latest model in China: the B01 electric saloon. The 4.77-meter-long EV has a CLTC range of up to 650 km, is available with LiDAR-assisted semi-autonomous driving technology, and can be purchased in China for 105,800 RMB, or just under €12,600. Leapmotor is one of the more successful Chinese new-energy vehicle (NEV) […]
June 30, 2025
Frédéric Dunon, the CEO of the high-voltage grid operator Elia, warns that if the government does not intervene, the electricity supply will be compromised by 2035. “A clear energy strategy is urgently needed,” he says. “We need to know which energy mix we want: do we want more offshore wind energy, more nuclear energy, and […]
June 30, 2025
Children younger than twelve can travel for free on the coastal tram in July and August if they have a beach flower with them. Transport company De Lijn presented its colorful summer campaign last Friday in Bredene. With this campaign, De Lijn is linking a true coastal tradition to one of its most iconic lines and […]
June 30, 2025
The pedestrian zone in the center of Brussels, between Place Fontainas and Boulevard Adolphe Max, has been in place for ten years since Sunday. The zone has since become one of the busiest in the capital, but it has also been criticized for being too focused on tourists and events, rather than on residents. Additionally, […]
June 30, 2025
BMW has to recall more than 70,000 electric vehicles in the U.S. due to a software issue with the electric motor. It could lead to a sudden loss of propulsion while driving, increasing the risk of an accident. The i4, i5, i7, and iX model series are affected. As is customary in the United States, […]
June 30, 2025
The Board of Directors of the Belgian public railroad company NMBS/SNCB has postponed its decision on designating Spanish CAF as the preferred bidder for a billion-euro order for new railcars. NMBS/SNCB’s decision drew considerable political criticism, and CAF competitors Alstom and Siemens also appealed to the Council of State. In a reaction, NMBS/SNCB refers to […]
June 30, 2025
After months of tense negotiations with the European Commission, the Belgian federal government has decided to drastically limit its planned extension of tax deductions for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). What was once pitched as a broad incentive to support businesses transitioning away from older combustion engine cars will now apply only to self-employed individuals. Companies […]
June 27, 2025
The increase in the flight tax that the De Wever government wants to introduce will cost Brussels Airlines 1 million euros. So, write the business newspapers L’Echo and De Tijd. Indeed, it turns out that the increase also applies to tickets that were already purchased before the introduction of the new law, usually on July […]
June 27, 2025
The Flemish Waterway is planning to install speed meters on towpaths. The measure is part of a ‘fun’ awareness campaign to encourage users to respect traffic and courtesy rules on the paths. Towpaths are increasingly used by walkers, joggers, cyclists, skaters, and service vehicles, all of which move at different speeds. Courtesy is, therefore, essential […]
June 27, 2025
Belgium’s tax-friendly treatment of company cars is depriving the state of up to €6 billion a year in lost revenues, as calculated in a damning new report by the Federal Planning Bureau. The analysis, published on Thursday, highlights how a system initially designed to ease wage costs has evolved into one of the most expensive […]
June 27, 2025
Mercedes-AMG has presented the CONCEPT AMG GT XX, a technology platform featuring axial flux motors and a newly developed high-voltage battery. Delivering over 1,000 kW of system output, the concept previews a fully electric four-door performance model scheduled for series production in 2026, based on the AMG.EA platform. “The CONCEPT AMG GT XX is the […]
June 27, 2025
It was announced as China’s latest Tesla Y-killer, and it lives up to the expectations, creating a virtual ‘stampede’ within minutes of its official launch on Thursday. Xiaomi claims to have received over 200,000 confirmed orders in three minutes for its newest YU7 electric SUV, a vehicle that resembles a Ferrari Purosangue and nearly outperforms […]
June 26, 2025
Walloon industrial group John Cockerill has completed a 166 million euros capital increase. With that much-needed money, it intends to pursue its strategic development plan around hydrogen, and thus the production of its electrolyzers. Among others, the semi-public investment company SFPIM and gas grid operator Fluxys are stepping into the project. John Cockerill Hydrogen had […]
June 26, 2025
Lancia has unveiled its own interpretation of an electric hot hatchback at the Balocco Proving Ground in Italy. The Ypsilon HF shares the same 280 hp electric drivetrain as its cousin, the Peugeot E-208 GTi. And for those who want the muscled look, Lancia is also offering the Ypsilon HF Line. It appears that Stellantis […]
June 26, 2025
The Berlin Constitutional Court has ruled that an initiative to make the city largely car-free is legal, paving the way for organizers to collect signatures for a referendum. The draft law is thus compatible with the Berlin Constitution, the Basic Law, and federal law. Now, the initiators can further pursue their legislative proposal for a […]
June 26, 2025
The financial analysis platform TradingPedia analyzed global sales of electrified vehicles worldwide in 2024 by examining new car registration data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). The fact that China is by far the leading country in EV sales is confirmed here. According to TradingPedia research, China led […]
June 26, 2025
After some embarrassing failures in the past to do it alone, such as Volkswagen’s, eleven giants from the German automotive industry have realized they need to join forces in developing the software that will increasingly define the car of the future. Under the impetus of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), they signed […]
June 26, 2025
According to the data of the European car manufacturers’ association, ACEA, new car registrations increased by 1.6% in May, compared to the same month last year. EV sales rose 25% last month. For the first five months, there was a slight decrease of 0.6% due to fewer sales in the first three months of this […]
