August 25, 2025
Ford’s SuperVan 4.2, a 2,000-horsepower electric van-shaped prototype, has made history at the fabled Nürburgring in Germany. Twenty years after the late Sabine Schmitz’s high-adrenaline lap, the SuperVan became the fastest van and the ninth-fastest vehicle overall on the 20.8-km track. In 2005, Sabine Schmitz, known as the ‘Queen of the Nürburgring’, set a lap […]
August 25, 2025
Hyundai and sister brand Kia have forged an unprecedented alliance with South Korea’s three largest battery producers in a bid to strengthen electric vehicle safety and restore the nation’s competitive edge against China’s growing dominance. At Hyundai’s Namyang R&D Center, both automakers signed a memorandum of understanding with LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK […]
August 25, 2025
We already knew that Nissan would also have its version of Renault’s smallest EV, the Twingo, coming in 2026. After earlier rumors suggesting that Nissan might revive the Pixo badge, it now seems that the small electric city car will be called Wave. After redesigning the Alliance, Renault and Nissan are leveraging their agreement to […]
August 22, 2025
The German start-up Voltfang, which repurposes electric vehicle (EV) batteries for stationary battery energy storage systems (BESS), opened its first factory on Tuesday. Old electric car batteries – typically those still retaining at least 80% of their original capacity – will be given a new life as a renewable energy storage facility. Businesses and households […]
August 22, 2025
Windrose Technology, the Chinese electric truck developer headquartered in Antwerp, might face insolvency. One of its senior executives publicly accused the company of failing to pay employees, while staging misleading announcements. Windrose’s Director of Customer Success and Operations, Kyle Maki, wrote on LinkedIn that the company is now 90 days behind on payroll and has […]
August 22, 2025
Chinese electric cars tend to be sold at half the price in their homeland than in Europe. If a company like China EV Marketplace announces it is launching a new door-to-door service for European customers, enabling them to purchase road-legal EVs directly from China, and handling most of the annoying stuff for you, is it […]
August 22, 2025
The Austrian motorcycle and sports car manufacturer KTM is in dire straits. It has to reorganize and sell its car division to Verlinvest, the investing firm of the well-known Belgian family De Mevius. KTM is known as a motorcycle manufacturer, but twenty years ago, it launched the X-Bow, a barchetta-style open sports car designed to […]
August 22, 2025
Porsche reportedly plans to shut down its battery unit, Cellforce, nearly. According to a media report from the German magazine Der Spiegel, all that will remain at the Cellforce site in Kirchentellinsfurt, Swabia, is “at best a small unit for research and development.” Porsche itself has declined to comment. Meanwhile, the sports car manufacturer seems […]
August 22, 2025
Indian vehicle manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra is rolling out an electric SUV that looks more at home in Gotham City than on Mumbai’s streets. Meet the BE 6 Batman Edition, a limited-run vehicle developed in partnership with Warner Bros. As Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy inspires it, it is very cinematic indeed. And it saves […]
August 21, 2025
Ford is promising more affordable electric vehicles, but it’s still looking to make a profit with EVs. After kicking off production at its new EV battery plant in Kentucky, Ford seems to be looking for customers other than itself and selling batteries to whoever wants them. According to a new report from Bloomberg, Ford’s battery […]
August 21, 2025
The most polluting way to travel is almost always the cheapest. Or: Trains are often slightly cheaper than planes. It’s a matter of interpretation or wording, but these are two headlines about a new Greenpeace study on the fact that flying in Europe is cheaper than talking the train in more than half of all […]
August 21, 2025
This year, 967,026 hectares of nature have already gone up in flames in the European Union – four times the average (244,011) since measurements began in 2006. Spain stands out with a staggering 4.4 times increase, or nearly 392,000 hectares of devastated land (and record fire emissions). Portugal is also severely affected (2.2 times its average), […]
August 21, 2025
Elon Musk has quietly abandoned his brief attempt to carve out a new political movement in the US. According to the Wall Street Journal, he has shelved his plans for an “America Party”. However, it isn’t just Tesla’s struggle with falling sales, lawsuits, and deepening investor unease that has shaped its decision. The billionaire, who […]
August 21, 2025
Volkswagen is facing a class-action lawsuit in the United States over one of its most derided designs: steering wheels fitted with capacitive touch buttons. Two American customers claim the controls are beyond irritating. They are straightforwardly dangerous. The lawsuit accuses Volkswagen of knowingly selling cars with controls so sensitive that drivers could activate crucial functions […]
August 21, 2025
South Korean carmaker Kia has started production of its EV4 full-electric hatchback at its Žilina plant in Slovakia. It’s the first Kia electric vehicle to be manufactured in Europe, although the factory itself opened in 2004, in a land that has rapidly become a ‘magnet’ for car factories. And there are good reasons why. Designed […]
August 21, 2025
This summer, Belgium has 100,000 public charging points in the country, possibly providing energy for over 380,000 fully electric cars and 270,000 PHEVs driving on Belgian roads. This puts Belgium in third place across Europe when looking at the availability of charging points per inhabitant. Belgium now has 7.6 charging points per 1,000 inhabitants; only […]
August 20, 2025
As the saying goes: Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. And with the still marginal market share of electric trucks, odds are that many transporters haven’t yet experienced them in real life. That’s why Scania is bringing its fully electric range to 14 European cities between mid-August and mid-December. As not many incentives are […]
August 20, 2025
Tesla is reversing one of its most controversial design decisions. Two years after stripping the Model 3 of its traditional steering column stalks in the Highland refresh, the automaker is now reintroducing the turn signal lever—at least in China. The decision is not about giving customers options, but instead admitting a design flaw due to […]
August 20, 2025
Lamborghini has unveiled its first ‘Few Off’ model of its new hybrid era in the shape of the Fenomeno. This Revuelto-based supercar amplifies its hybrid V12 powertrain to well over 1,000 horsepower, making it not only the most powerful Lamborghini to date, but also the fastest. Lamborghini has a rich history of creating special models […]
August 20, 2025
As of October 1st, the city of Bruges will designate almost the entire city center as a cycling zone. The current 90 ‘bicycle streets’ will be expanded by an additional 300. Only the access roads to the city and the De Lijn route will be excluded from the expansion of the bicycle zone. This is […]
August 20, 2025
The Antwerp-based maritime group CMB.TECH is acquiring Golden Ocean, the Norwegian dry bulk shipping company. The acquisition, not a traditional cash acquisition but a merger through a share exchange, was approved yesterday by Golden Ocean’s shareholders during an extraordinary general meeting in Hamilton, Bermuda’s capital. The merger will make CMB.TECH one of the largest listed […]
August 20, 2025
According to the French 24-hour rolling news channel, BFM TV, there is growing concern among Renault staff about possible drone production in France or Ukraine, as first suggested by the government in June. The channel, one of France’s most-watched news channels similar to CNN or Sky News, quoted a Force Ouvrière union representative saying: “Many […]
August 19, 2025
Can-Am, known for its light terrain vehicles, three-wheelers, and quad bikes (ATVs), has launched the new Outlander Electric ATV. The electric quad bike gets the same in-house developed electric drivetrain as the group’s electric motorbikes and snowmobiles, making it more capable than its combustion counterparts. Can-Am is part of the Canadian BRP group (Bombardier Recreational […]
August 19, 2025
Chinese car manufacturer BYD’s new all-terrain circuit is the first of its kind in China, and it’s pretty wild. It’s more than a test track. The complex is essentially a playground for electric vehicles with indoor dunes, ice fields, off-road mountains, and high-speed racetracks. It even has a pool. It shouldn’t be open only to […]
August 19, 2025
Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L, its stretched six-seat variant of its best-selling crossover. The model is built exclusively for the Chinese market, where the carmaker works hard to reinvigorate demand. Chinese customers like being driven while sitting on the rear bench, and Tesla now wants to serve them that treat without too […]
August 19, 2025
The Brussels Ring Road is only 75 km long, but it can be seen as a symbol of Belgium’s communal complexity. The Works Association (De Werkvennootschap), an entity within the Flemish government established to tackle complex projects, has just reached an agreement with the environmental organization Dryade on the redevelopment of the Brussels Ring Road, […]
August 19, 2025
Farizon’s SuperVan, or SV, is getting two new model variants. The mid-sized van is now able to accommodate up to seven passengers in the Taxi configuration, or up to six people in the Combi spec, which still retains a functional cargo space of up to 5 m³. Both variants were introduced in Hong Kong and […]
August 19, 2025
Leapmotor, a once-overlooked Chinese electric vehicle start-up part-owned by Stellantis, has surged to the front of China’s fiercely competitive EV race. The carmaker posted record sales, its first-ever profit, while its expansion into Europe is growing at a rapid pace. What explains its success? The outlook is positive. The Hangzhou-based company delivered more than 221,000 […]
August 19, 2025
A new P3 analysis published this week finds today’s EVs need ~95,000 km to ~120,000 km on the average EU grid to offset their higher production footprint. Innovations in battery manufacturing, renewable energy, and recycling could cut the break-even distance to ~50,000 km or even below 30,000 km with 100% renewable charging. Compared to other […]
August 19, 2025
At the event in Emden, where a VW top brass handed over the 1.5 millionth ID. model, VW sales chief Martin Sander was calling for greater government support to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles. Meanwhile, VW introduced a power hike on its ID.3 EV by subscription. First reactions aren’t that enthusiastic. “We need a […]
August 18, 2025
No one bats an eyelid anymore at a billionaire with a private jet or a collection of exclusive luxury cars. But having your own private train carriage or railway line is, of course, a different matter altogether. In the United States in particular, investing in historic train cars has been the latest status symbol for […]
August 18, 2025
A recent UCLA study discovered that the air around EV fast chargers in use had twice the amount of harmful fine particles typically found in an urban environment. Plugging an EV into a DC fast charger kicks up fine particles that pollute the air. Electric vehicles may be completely tailpipe emissions-free, but they still pollute […]
August 18, 2025
Geely Group’s Livan Automotive has pulled the covers off its latest entry in China’s booming micro-EV segment. It bears a name that is all too familiar to the Belgian public: the Livan Smurf, named after the beloved comic characters from Peyo, is a compact, four-seat hatchback priced to compete directly with bestsellers like the Wuling […]
August 18, 2025
Norwegian customers in Oslo, Stavanger, and Dutch customers in Utrecht are the first in Europe to get their NIO Firefly, a subcompact rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive hatchback with a 105 kW motor and 330 km of WLTP range. With a price of €29,900, it is to challenge Renault’s 5 e-Tech or the Fiat 500e and the upcoming […]
August 18, 2025
For seven decades, the Chevrolet Corvette has been defined by one thing above all: a thundering V8 soundtrack. But if the brand’s latest pair of concept cars is any indication, the future of America’s most famous sports car may kill that. Though not entirely. Unveiled at The Quail, a motorsports gathering during Monterey Car Week, […]
August 18, 2025
Following Håkan Samuelsson’s return to the CEO position in the spring, Volvo Cars has made further changes to its top management team. In addition, there will be managers responsible for the individual product lines in the future. In March, Volvo’s board of directors dismissed CEO Jim Rowan and appointed his predecessor, Håkan Samuelsson, as his successor […]
August 18, 2025
A new ‘Center for Special and Individual Paintwork’ is about to be built at BMW Group Plant Dingolfing. Over the next two years, an investment of more than €30 million will enable the construction of a new southern extension to the existing paint shop. Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2025, with the new […]
August 14, 2025
Cowboy, the Brussels-based manufacturer of trendy, usually dark black electric bikes, has always been surrounded by a certain amount of financial haze. The recall of the C4 ST (Edition MR) model in early May due to the risk of frame breakage has once again thrown the company into turmoil. There is even talk of a new […]
August 14, 2025
The Brussels public prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into an incident at Brussels North train station in which Securail agents allegedly assaulted a woman of African origin. According to the public prosecutor’s office, blows were inflicted by both a Securail officer and another person involved in the incident. Both are now under investigation, but […]
August 14, 2025
According to Bloomberg, BNP Paribas is in late-stage negotiations with Mercedes over the acquisition of its European leasing subsidiary Athlon. The deal would further consolidate the fleet management landscape after ALD Automotive and LeasePlan merged to Ayvens. Earlier this year, news broke that Mercedes was scouting for a possible buyer for its leasing arm, Athlon, […]
August 14, 2025
Polestar has etched its name into the record books, with a standard version of the 3 covering 935.44 kilometers on a single charge, claiming the Guinness World Record for the longest distance driven by an electric SUV without recharging. Sedans like the Lucid Air or the Mercedes EQS covered even more distance in the past. […]
August 14, 2025
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has once again lowered its global oil demand growth forecast for 2025 to 680,000 barrels per day (bpd), down from previous estimates of around 700,000 bpd. This reflects oversupply and weak consumption across major economies like China, India, and Brazil. This marks the slowest demand growth since 2009, excluding the impact […]
August 14, 2025
A new study by the German Insurance Association (GDV) challenges some entrenched, widely shared preconceptions about electric cars (EVs) being more accident-prone than cars with a classic combustion engine (ICE). They are equal in accident frequency and damage, GDV says. And the gap in actual repair costs after an accident is currently shrinking, averaging now […]
August 13, 2025
A new kind of charging station is cropping up in the US — and you can’t miss it. Quite literally. Dubbed ‘EV totems’, these tall poles pair electric vehicle chargers with high-definition advertising screens mounted several meters above the ground. The idea is part infrastructure upgrade, part digital billboard. Blink, the American firm rolling out […]
August 13, 2025
Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, Paccar, and Traton have sued California over its obligation to follow the state’s emissions rules, joining US President Trump in the war against EV mandates. The truck manufacturers want to follow the less stringent federal regulations and disregard the state-level emissions rules that have been in place for decades. In June, […]
August 13, 2025
The world’s largest battery maker, CATL, has launched CTP-battery repairs in China through its Ning Service independent aftermarket brand, costing only a fraction – typically 10 to 20% – of a complete battery pack replacement. Affordable battery repair can be a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) game-changer for electric cars, reducing depreciation, preventing catastrophic repair […]
August 13, 2025
BMW plans to expand its lineup with a rugged utility model to challenge the iconic Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Production of the rock crawler is scheduled for the second half of 2029 at BMW’s plant in Greer, South Carolina, US, two people with knowledge of the plan told Automotive News. A BMW spokesperson declined to comment on […]
August 13, 2025
Fatbikes may be very popular, especially among young people, but most cities are happy to see them gone. Some Dutch cities – Enschede, Hengelo, and Amsterdam, for instance – have even considered banning these cumbersome electric bikes, and now the Belgian town of Hasselt in Limburg is also considering a ban. But what exactly is […]
August 13, 2025
The European Space Agency (ESA) has successfully launched an Ariane 6 rocket from French Guiana, placing the four-ton MetOp-SG-A1 satellite into orbit around the Earth. The satellite will monitor weather, climate, and air pollution, marking an important step toward greater European independence in space and meteorology. More accurate measurements The MetOp-SG-A1 is equipped with six […]
August 13, 2025
According to Arval Mobility Observatory, three smaller BEVs lead the list of most ordered company cars at leasing and mobility solutions company Arval. Although the BMW iX1 remained the number one in the second half of 2024, it has now been overtaken by the Kia EV3 and the Skoda Enyaq. “We knew these smaller BEVs […]
August 12, 2025
The head of German carmaker Mercedes-Benz has highlighted the challenges facing the company in an interview with the German business newspaper Handelsblatt. CEO Ola Källenius, also the current President of ACEA, warns of a European car market collapse if the ban on ICE vehicles in 2035 is implemented. Källenius proposes to drop an actual date […]
August 12, 2025
The United Kingdom is considering plans to introduce a mandatory eye test for older road users to reduce road deaths and injuries. According to news media BBC and Sky News, people over 70 may face a driving ban in the future if they fail a mandatory eye test. In 2024, 1,633 people were killed in traffic and […]
August 12, 2025
BYD’s latest model in the Fang Cheng Bao range, which produces rugged-looking SUVs, has started production in China. The Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 is the second-largest model in the range and sports a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. It may also come to Europe under the Denza umbrella. The Fang Cheng Bao Ti7 takes over the same […]
August 12, 2025
Brussels is getting a new cycle highway: the C223 will connect Bockstael (Laeken) with the former Kuregem station (Anderlecht) along railway line 28, which runs between Schaerbeek station and Brussels-South. The 6.5 km long cycle and walking path, which is being constructed just now by the Brussels public works contractor Beliris, crosses five municipalities: the […]
August 12, 2025
After 28 years, the curtain is coming down in the Netherlands on one of the world’s most iconic hybrids: the Toyota Prius. From September, the model will be removed from the line-up. Outside the Netherlands, the Prius will remain in production and on sale. The decision draws particular attention as the current generation of the […]
August 12, 2025
At Ford, they’re talking about a new ‘Model T moment’. That’s how important they estimate the venue of the ‘Universal EV Platform’ linked with a new production system that reduces weight, parts, and cost. The American car manufacturer is preparing to launch a family of affordable electric vehicles based on this new Ford Universal EV […]
August 12, 2025
Global lithium markets are surging after the world’s largest battery manufacturer, China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), suspended operations at one of the country’s biggest mines. The shutdown followed after the Beijing administration blocked the mine’s permit to curb industrial overcapacity. The Jianxiawo mine is no small working field. It accounts for an estimated 5-6% of […]
August 12, 2025
According to Chinese media, Renault is entering a new stage of collaboration with Geely by having its Shanghai R&D team look into using the Chinese carmaker’s new GEA platform to develop new EVs and PHEVs for ’emerging overseas markets’. That’s merely South Korea, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and North Africa. The news wasn’t officially confirmed […]
August 11, 2025
Summer is only halfway over, but last Sunday, last year’s Belgian record of 408 hours of negative electricity prices was broken. This means that once again, we generated more electricity than we consumed, causing the price to drop so much that it fell below zero euros. A significant factor contributing to these frequent negative prices […]
August 11, 2025
BYD’s luxury performance brand Yangwang is preparing to unleash one of the most powerful electric cars ever built. New regulatory filings in China reveal a Track Edition of its U9 supercar boasting more than 3,000 hp. Lotus Evija and Rimac Nevera: beware! China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) regularly discloses models ahead of […]
