February 14, 2025
The sustainability of the European electricity market is going well. Last year, solar panels supplied more power than coal-fired power stations in the European Union for the first time, and gas declined for the fifth year in a row. Solar power grew strongly, by 21.7 percent to 304 TWh. On the other hand, the share of […]
February 14, 2025
Porsche plans to cut 1,900 jobs in Germany as part of cost-cutting measures to reverse sliding profitability amid weak electric vehicle demand and “challenging geopolitical and economic conditions.” The job losses will affect workers at Porsche’s main plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen and its R&D site in Weissach. A year ago, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume lauded his […]
February 14, 2025
Ahead of its official world premiere on March 5th, Volkswagen already teased further with two sketches on LinkedIn of how the €20.000 budget EV of the brand, the ID.1, will look like. And it inherits some of the straight lines of that other budget VW, the Up! This successor to the VW Lupo and Up!, […]
February 13, 2025
Flemish public transport company De Lijn will pass on the index of recent years in the fare framework. Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA) confirmed this in the Flemish Parliament. Usually, an average ticket becomes 18% more expensive in April, so a ride will no longer cost 2.5 euros but 3 euros. With the […]
February 13, 2025
A University of Cambridge scientists team, led by professor Erwin Reisner, has created a solar-powered flow reactor that can capture C02 from the air at night and convert it into fuels like diesel, methanol, or ammonia during the day with the help of the sun. If scaled up, it would theoretically allow people to generate […]
February 13, 2025
Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. are set to scrap their plan to merge into what would have become the world’s third-biggest auto group by volume as negotiations collapsed less than two months after its announcement. Meanwhile, Chinese Foxconn is lurking around the corner, not to take over Nissan but to cooperate with them. […]
February 13, 2025
The mobility budget has become more popular over the last few years. Designed as an alternative to a company car, it can be spent on public transport, shared cars, bicycles, or possibly a small, environmentally friendly company car. Although only a minority of employers (3.2%) offer it, one in 20 employees exchanged their company car […]
February 13, 2025
As automakers continue to push the boundaries of the electric vehicle range, two industry namesakes – Lucid Motors and BMW – are advocating for a different approach. Both companies argue that more miniature battery packs, increased efficiency, and improved charging infrastructure are the future of sustainable EV adoption. Can less really be more? Lucid Motors, […]
February 13, 2025
Kia is holding its second EV Day on February 27, 2025, where it will showcase its newest electric models and its electric strategy for the coming years. Already announced to be present are the production-ready EV4, the PV5 electric light commercial vehicle, and the EV2 Concept, a preview of a more compact electric model within […]
February 12, 2025
Tesla has officially commenced production at its newly constructed Megafactory in Shanghai, a new milestone in its rapidly expanding energy storage division. This facility is Tesla’s second dedicated energy storage production plant and has already rolled out its first Megapack unit, with initial orders ready for shipment. While Tesla’s core automotive business has recently encountered […]
February 12, 2025
Last year, travelers offset their air travel emissions by purchasing approximately 28,000 tons of CO2 equivalents (CO2e) through the Brussels-based climate consultancy agency Greentripper. The organization uses ‘CO2 equivalent’ because this takes into account all greenhouse gases, not just CO2. According to Greentripper’s data, last year’s result is a status quo compared to 2023. The precise […]
February 12, 2025
To boost the sales volume of its most accessible electric model, Audi is reintroducing the 40 designations to its Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-Tron lineup. However, it receives a revamped powertrain to improve efficiency while lowering the price threshold. In late 2023, Audi made a series of technical upgrades to the Q4 e-tron range, […]
February 12, 2025
Ush and Poppy Mobility, two daughter companies of D’Ieteren Automotive, introduce a new mobility solution in collaboration with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges: remote-controlled rental cars that navigate through the harbor premises. Boluda, a maritime service provider in the Antwerp port, uses the two cars currently available. Specialist Vay provides advanced technology. Boluda employees often work […]
February 12, 2025
Whether the action can count on much sympathy remains to be seen, but the trade unions VSOA Spoor and OVS have submitted notices for a railway strike of no less than nine days, from 21 February at 10 pm to 2 March at 10 pm. The strike is mainly directed against a number of measures […]
February 12, 2025
China and, by extension, the world’s largest battery maker, CATL, is lodging its filings with regulators to go public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Reuters says. The company aims to raise some 5 billion dollars (€4.82 billion). It will be CATL’s secondary listing, as it has been on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange since June […]
February 12, 2025
According to Deloitte’s Global Automotive Consumer Study 2025, four key trends will impact the Belgian automotive market most in the coming year. The most important is the hesitation to switch to electric cars. The study surveyed more than 31,000 consumers in 30 countries, including 999 Belgians, from October through December 2024 to explore opinions regarding […]
February 11, 2025
Nowhere is train traffic less punctual than in Genk (Flanders) and Rixensart (Wallonia). In 2024, NMBS/SNCB scored an overall punctuality score of 90%. That is, nine out of ten trains arrived at their destination “with less than six minutes delay”. However, Genk’s punctuality rate is only 75.7%. One in four trains arrives in Genk with […]
February 11, 2025
Five people were killed, and nine were seriously injured: that is a painful record of accidents last year at level crossings in Belgium. In total, there were 30 accidents, one less than in 2023. According to rail infrastructure manager Infrabel, the balance is clearly in decline. During the 2008-2021 period, for example, there were an […]
February 11, 2025
According to Korean media ET News, Hyundai plans to introduce a pilot production line for solid-state batteries inside the brand-new Uiwang Battery Research Center in the Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. The opening ceremony should be held in March, with a prototype expected by the end of the year. To be clear, Hyundai has not […]
February 11, 2025
During the last Bob campaign—between November 29th, 2024, and February 3rd, 2025—only 1.22% of drivers took a positive breath test, the lowest figure in the past thirty years. Last year, it was 1.57%; ten years ago, it was still 2.8%. During the nine weeks, more than 600,000 people (605,759) were checked—200,000 more than in 2024. […]
February 11, 2025
According to a report in the newspaper De Tijd, the number of public EV charging points in Flanders nearly doubled in 2024, significantly surpassing government targets. This further cements Belgium’s position as a frontrunner in the adoption of electric mobility, as new registrations of EVs last year surged to the highest rate of any European […]
February 11, 2025
Volvo Cars has added a ‘Cross Country’ version to its EX30 electric model portfolio. The new version uses the same all-wheel drive as the top model but comes with unique accessories and more ground clearance. The Volvo EX30 Cross Country is based on the top-of-the-range Ultra equipment line and features the familiar all-wheel drive with […]
February 11, 2025
China’s most significant EV carmaker, BYD, has launched its newest advanced driver system, ‘God’s Eye’. It will be available in all its models in China, top-down, from the luxury Yangwang U9 supercar to the modest cars under 100,000 yuan (€13,278) like Dolphin or Seagull. It comes in three flavors, À-B-C, with or without LiDAR, to […]
February 10, 2025
This wasn’t supposed to happen. Italian tuner Caselani showcased a prototype of an Ami disguised as an old Type H van at the 2CV 24H race at Spa-Francorchamps. The concept was meant to remain a concept. But reactions were so overwhelming that the company decided to offer it as part of its portfolio. From movies […]
February 10, 2025
European aircraft manufacturer Airbus’s development of the hydrogen aircraft is proceeding slower than expected, it says in a statement to the French news agency AFP. In doing so, Airbus is responding to a union pamphlet stating that the aircraft manufacturer has pushed back the target date for the aircraft’s entry into service by five to […]
February 10, 2025
France and Italy will explore the possibility of drilling a second tunnel tube under Mont Blanc in addition to the one already in place, the two countries foreign ministers, Jean-Noël Barrot, and Antonio Tajani, said at a recent meeting in Nice. The Mont Blanc Tunnel, inaugurated in 1962, is 11,6 km long between Chamonix, France, […]
February 10, 2025
Renault has unveiled its new generation of electric light commercial vehicles (LCVs), which will be called Estafette, Goelette, and Trafic. The names are new, but the cars were already presented under the Flexis name in January due to the joint venture between Renault Group, Volvo Group, and CMA CGM. A couple of weeks ago, Flexis […]
February 10, 2025
Porsche is shifting gears on its electrification strategy, scaling back its ambitious EV plans to bolster combustion and hybrid powertrains. However, this strategic pivot comes with substantial costs and mounting challenges, as the automaker faces declining earnings, market uncertainty, and potential trade tariffs that could further disrupt its global operations. More details have surfaced about […]
February 10, 2025
Most Dutch citizens want stricter penalties for driving under the influence. According to an Ipsos I&O survey commissioned by the Victim Support Fund (Fonds Slachtofferhulp), among almost 2,200 people aged 16 and older, three-quarters of Dutch people want a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol in traffic. In addition, 84 percent want the alcolock to return for repeat […]
February 10, 2025
It looks like it is further going downhill with American hydrogen truckmaker Nicola, following a The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg report that the company is considering Chapter 11 to propose a plan of reorganization to keep its business alive and pay creditors over time. Last week, Nicola (NASDAQ: NKLA) shares tumbled as much as […]
February 10, 2025
Leasing company Arval Belgium has published new data from its Arval Mobility Observatory indicating that the smaller EV is now seriously breaking through in the company car market. The number of PHEVs has fallen back to 10% of new registrations in this market. Nine of ten company cars ordered in 2024 through Arval have a […]
February 07, 2025
Continental has unveiled its latest innovation in tire technology, the EcoContact 7 and 7 S, designed to maximize electric car efficiency and improve range. The company has drawn inspiration from an unusual source: golf ball aerodynamics. This is how it works. Tire manufacturers are continuously seeking innovative ways to improve the rolling resistance of their […]
February 07, 2025
It has been proven again: Limburg is the cycling paradise par excellence. In 2024, more than four million cyclists – 4,059,224 to be precise – were counted on the bicycle highways—a slight increase compared to the year before despite an extremely wet summer. An average of almost 11,300 cyclists passed the counters every day. Limburg […]
February 07, 2025
Plug-in hybrids saw a modest decline in Europe last year (-4%), and despite renewed government strategies and binding CO2 targets, their popularity isn’t expected to rise much. Stricter emission rulings will prevent carmakers from launching new models. So, as the Belgian government provides some slack for these plugged fossil drivelines, nothing fundamental is about to […]
February 07, 2025
In Wallonia, nearly 8 in 10 drivers (77%) admit that they cannot resist the temptation to use their phones while driving. This is according to a survey by the Walloon Road Safety Agency (AWSR) published on Thursday, World Mobile Phone Free Day. In Wallonia, an average of 16 accidents with deaths or injuries are caused […]
February 07, 2025
Ford, the North American car manufacturer, made good profits in 2024 but once again recorded a hefty loss in its Model e division. At $5.1 billion, it was even higher than in 2023. Ford now wants to get the division back on track with a change of personnel at the very top and proposes extended-range […]
February 07, 2025
The British government has called off plans to allow doubling the motor power of e-bikes from 250 watts to a maximum of 500 watts. The main reason for not implementing the measure is because of safety concerns. The decision keeps the U.K. in line with EU countries where the exact same support limit of 25 […]
February 06, 2025
The last locomotive built in Belgium, the so-called “2160,” has been saved from scrapping, according to the newspaper Le Soir. The unit, initially sold to a scrap dealer, is moving to the Musée de Chemin de Fer à Vapeur des Trois Vallées in Treignes, in the province of Namur. Anyone who now thinks that the […]
February 06, 2025
The European Commission is revising its plan to remedy the ongoing EV crisis. Green lobby group Transport & Environment has reflected upon the impact of the upcoming proposal, clarifying that a well-chosen scheme for electrifying company cars could create market demand of 2.2 million EVs by the decade’s end. The study reveals that this would […]
February 06, 2025
Volvo Cars had a second consecutive record-breaking year in 2024 and reports the highest full-year retail sales, revenues and core operating profit in its 98-year history. However, the company anticipates a turbulent 2025 due to challenging market conditions. Full-year revenues exceeded SEK 400 billion (€35.2 billion) for the first time in the company’s history due […]
February 05, 2025
At Ypto, the IT company of the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB, consultants have been awarded lucrative contracts without public tender for years. This appears from an investigation by the Treasury, reports the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. In a reaction, the NMBS/SNCB states that it has already taken measures at its IT subsidiary Ypto over […]
February 05, 2025
DB Schenker France, the French branch of the German logistics multinational, is expanding its electric truck fleet with 66 additional Renault Trucks E-Tech models that will join the 69 electric vehicles already in circulation. By 2040, DB Schenker France wants to achieve carbon neutrality. After a large order of 53 electric trucks at the end […]
February 05, 2025
To improve safety on Belgian roads, the new De Wever I government plans to introduce a driver’s license system with points–without describing it in those words. Anyone who accumulates violations in the future will no longer slip through the net but will automatically be summoned to the police court. For example, the coalition agreement states that […]
February 05, 2025
Genesis, Hyundai’s premium brand, is moving forward with the production of its flagship electric SUV GV90. A camouflaged near-production prototype was spotted in South Korea, indicating that the model, likely based on the Hyundai Ioniq 9, is coming to market later this year. In March of last year, Genesis unveiled the Neolun Concept, a large […]
February 05, 2025
There will not be a train station at Charleroi Airport after all. That is what the new Minister of Mobility, Climate and Environmental Transition Jean-Luc Crucke (ex MR, but Les Engagés since 2023) told his predecessor Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) during the power transfer. “It would cost way too much. We cannot spend public money this […]
February 05, 2025
In a significant move for the electric vehicle (EV) industry, Avere, Europe’s leading e-mobility association, has officially rebranded itself as E-Mobility Europe. The new identity was unveiled on Monday during a launch event at Autoworld in Brussels. Chris Heron, Secretary General of E-Mobility Europe, emphasized the importance of 2025 for Europe’s EV transition. “This year […]
February 05, 2025
In January 2025, 63,008 second-hand cars were registered, 1,100 units more than in January 2024 and 5,873 units more than in January 2023. According to Filip Rylant, spokesperson for mobility federation Traxio, this indicates a continued growth trend thanks to a gradual price decline and abundant supply. The total figure for January 2023 was 57,135 […]
February 05, 2025
It sounds like a ‘contradictio in terminis,’ an exhaust system for fully electric vehicles that are supposed to have no emissions at all. Still, Stellantis Group, parent company to Peugeot, Jeep, and Fiat, among others, has filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a system that would evacuate dangerous […]
February 05, 2025
At the end of December, we informed you of a merger between Honda and Nissan, with Mitsubishi possibly joining in. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi hesitates, and now there seems to be a problem between the two main protagonists. Sources familiar with the matter said Tuesday that Honda Motor Co. has sounded out Nissan Motor Co. about becoming […]
February 05, 2025
On Tuesday, Ferrari raised its targets for 2025 after a bumper 2024 and announced six new models this year, including its first BEV. The iconic sports car manufacturer said it is revising its 2025 targets upward, with revenues above €7 billion, up at least 5% compared to 2024. 2024 was a fantastic year for Ferrari, […]
February 04, 2025
According to the manufacturer’s name-giving logic introduced in 2023, Audi models with even numbers are electric, while those with combustion engines have odd numbers in their names. However, this nomenclature is history again. In March, there will be another new A6 with a combustion engine. In 2023, the now deposed CEO Markus Duesmann announced a […]
February 04, 2025
From March 3rd, a lane on the Paris ‘périphérique’ will be reserved for carpool cars, security services, and public transport. Only cars with at least two occupants, public transport vehicles (buses and taxis), emergency services, and persons with reduced mobility are allowed to drive in the left lane of the Paris Ring Road. The rule […]
February 04, 2025
In a mandatory statement, German sports car manufacturer Porsche announced that it is planning talks with Chief Financial Officer Lutz Meschke and Chief Sales Officer Detlev von Platen to terminate their position on the Executive Board early. A sign of desperate times, desperate measures? The statement issued by Porsche is very short and reads: “The […]
February 04, 2025
Norway has set another benchmark in electric vehicle adoption, with 8,954 of the 9,343 new passenger cars registered in January being fully electric. This translates to a market share of 95.8%, a new record. Norway remains on track to meeting its goal of EV-only sales by the end of the year, though officials still express […]
February 04, 2025
The new federal government plans to expand the permitted use of smart cameras to facilitate police work. According to business newspaper De Tijd, the intention is to use more AI cameras to track down suspects and, for example, detect mobile phone use behind the wheel. The network of license plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will be […]
February 04, 2025
The year 2024 wasn’t the best for the European car market, with a slowdown in growth that the industry began to see signs of in 2022, resulting in only a 0.9% growth, where this still was 28% in 2023. New detailed figures from JATO Dynamics show a clear trend toward ‘cheaper’ hybrids driven by Toyota’s […]
February 04, 2025
The number of car registrations in Belgium and Luxembourg was down 13% in January compared to last year. According to data from the Federal Service Mobility and Transport and Importer Federation Febiac, this decrease is due to a 23.8% regress in company car registrations. Individual buyers bought 11.7% more cars. This means the Belgian car […]
February 04, 2025
Tesla is facing a significant downturn in sales across major markets, marking a challenging start to 2025 for the EV giant. In Belgium, registrations plummeted 44.8%, but also in the Netherlands, France, and Germany sales slid to their lowest level in over a year. The backdrop is noticeably bigger than its rivals. It seems that […]
February 03, 2025
Looser Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Flanders allows the Antwerp Classic Car Event (ACCE) to return to its roots at the Cockerill Quay on the borders of the Scheldt River in the Antwerp city center on 3 and 4 May of this year. Some 15,000 car enthusiasts are expected to come and see some 1,000 […]
February 03, 2025
Flemish shared bike provider Blue-bike, owned by public transport operator De Lijn, experienced its most vigorous membership growth last year since its inception in 2011. The more than 45,000 members also made a record number of rides, at just over 377,000. Blue-bike, known for the slogan ‘Always a bike at the tip of your fingers,’ […]
