March 31, 2025
BYD is riding a wave of new model releases. This time, the Chinese car and battery maker teases with pictures of the e7, a mid-size all-electric sedan that blends cost-efficiency with practicality. While official specs remain restricted, there’s a strong indication of the vehicle’s place in BYD’s growing lineup. The Chinese automaker revealed the e7 […]
March 31, 2025
China’s fourth-largest carmaker, state-owned Changan, set foot ashore in Mainz, Germany, last week for the debut of its European introduction. In its homeland, it has launched presales for a fourth model of its Avatr car brand, the 06 sedans. Avatr is backed by two other Chinese tech giants: CATL and Huawei. The Avatr 06 is […]
March 31, 2025
Hakan Samuelsson, who led Volvo to multiple records for vehicle sales and profits during his ten years as CEO, will take over as chief executive again on April 1st. Samuelsson will succeed Jim Rowan, who will step down on March 31st and leave the Volvo board on the same date. Samuelsson (74) served as Volvo […]
March 31, 2025
BMW has opened an additional body shop for its factory in Regensburg. In the new production hall in Neutraubling, the manufacturer currently produces about 120 car bodies per day. This is because the plant’s output is constantly increasing, with more than a third of electrified cars already rolling off the production line in 2024. The […]
March 28, 2025
Peugeot is returning its famed GTi badge, but not as you know it. This time, it’s attached to an all-electric version of the 208 supermini, marking the brand’s first foray into sporty EVs. The carmaker’s newly appointed CEO, Alain Favey, confirmed the move and said the revival is part of an effort to reconnect with […]
March 28, 2025
Europe’s major airlines think that Europe’s ReFuel legislation is not going to succeed in creating the affordable market for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) that is promised. They said this at a press conference in Brussels. They fear there will not be enough production. The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report, released on Thursday, predicts a shortfall […]
March 28, 2025
The entrance to the new Antwerp Scheldt tunnel on the left bank is ready. It is a colossus of 85,000 m³ of concrete and 19,000 tons of steel. After more than three years of preparation and intensive construction work, the essential parts of the Scheldt Tunnel are ready. Everything is prepared now to place the […]
March 28, 2025
President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 25% tariff increase on all imported automobiles—set to take effect next week—has ignited sharp reactions across the global automotive industry, triggering concerns among European, Japanese, Korean, and even American manufacturers. Tesla seems to have gained the most from these measures, but Western and Asian countries are warning of […]
March 28, 2025
A new plant for a new class of BMW cars is coming to life in Debrecen, Hungary. The assembly line is ramping up to start full production of the Neue Klasse by the end of this year. New vehicle architecture means new possibilities for assembly: greater efficiency thanks to modularisation, fewer different connecting elements, a […]
March 27, 2025
Mercedes’ mid-size electric panel van, the eVito Tourer, is getting a serious battery upgrade: the panel van is now available with a 90 kWh battery and the existing 60 kWh pack. The larger pack comes from the passenger models EQV and eVito Tourer and offers up to 480 km of range. The W447 generation of […]
March 27, 2025
Poppy Mobility, D’Ieteren’s provider of shared mobility services in Antwerp, Brussels, and Belgian airports, plans to install smoke detectors in its cars to combat cigarette smell. Poppy wants to prevent smoking in its cars. The company’s goal is clear: to keep their fleet fresh and clean for everyone. “When smoke is detected, the system will […]
March 27, 2025
Brussels Airlines has presented its new themed aircraft, an Airbus A320 painted with a design based on the Atomium. The theme was chosen after a design competition. The first commercial flight of ‘Atomium’ is scheduled today toward Prague. However, on Monday, it will most likely not fly. Due to the general strike in Belgium directed […]
March 27, 2025
Japanese car manufacturer Nissan has confirmed that it will release a fully electric version of its Micra this year, the car’s first all-electric generation. The EV will be built by Nissan’s long-time partner Renault in France and will share the same platform as the electric R5. Two other Nissan EVs have also been announced. Meanwhile, […]
March 27, 2025
The global auto industry braces for disruption after President Donald Trump officially confirmed his plan to impose 25% tariffs on imported vehicles and car parts. Critics say this could destabilize supply chains, raise consumer prices, and strain international trade alliances. Even a close ally of Trump, Elon Musk, warned on his social media channel X […]
March 27, 2025
SAIC, the mother company of the now Chinese MG brand, unwrapped last October in China the fully electric MG ES5, a compact SUV, to succeed in the currently still popular MG ZS EV in Europe. And it’s ready to wash ashore on the Old Continent in the UK first, in April, for a base price […]
March 27, 2025
The European Commission has selected 47 strategic projects in 13 member states to strengthen the extraction, processing, and recycling of key raw materials in the European Union. The support should make the EU less dependent on rare earth metals from China. “We must avoid becoming as dependent on Chinese lithium for rechargeable batteries as we […]
March 27, 2025
Mobilize, Renault Group’s sustainable mobility arm has opened 25 fast-charging locations in France and plans to open as many as 100 by the end of 2025. The group also hopes to manage 650 EV charging hubs across Western Europe by the end of 2028. Belgium and Spain are a priority here. The Mobilize Fast Charge […]
March 26, 2025
Residents, commuters, and visitors to the city of Liège will have to be more patient if they want to use the new streetcar. The inauguration has been postponed again, this time to April 28th. The Walloon public transport company TEC indicates that several technical problems remain, so it has a new start date. Streetcars have […]
March 26, 2025
By the end of 2030, a uniform digital mobile driver’s license will be recognized in all Member States. Negotiators from the European Parliament and the EU Member States agreed on this during the night from Monday to Tuesday. Why a digital driver’s license? There are currently more than a hundred types of driver’s licenses in […]
March 26, 2025
BYD has officially unveiled the Sealion 05 EV, a compact all-electric SUV aimed squarely at the mass market, strengthening its growing Ocean lineup and reinforcing its aggressive pricing strategy in the global EV race. Whether the model comes to Belgium remains a question mark. Officially launched in China yesterday, the Sealion 05 EV starts at […]
March 26, 2025
Since the spin-off in 2023, Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo has managed the electric car division, Ampere, in a dual role. That will change now: Josep Maria Recasens will become the new CEO of Ampere on April 1st, 2025. There are also other new appointments in top management. Josep Maria Recasens is the current […]
March 26, 2025
The Brussels prosecutor’s office is prosecuting an influencer with more than 40,000 followers who filmed himself several times while driving at very high speeds through the capital. The man reached speeds as high as 250 km/hour in the Brussels tunnels. The public prosecutor has summoned the man to the police court, where he must answer […]
March 26, 2025
Geely brand and former Volvo sibling Lynk & Co, known in Europe for its monthly subscription model, is launching a new global flagship PHEV model: the six-seater SUV ‘009’. It’s opening for pre-sales now in China, with four trim levels offered and prices ranging from 330,000 to 435,000 yuan (42,105 – 55,500 euros). It is […]
March 26, 2025
Hyundai Motor Group has announced plans to invest $21 billion (±€ 19.5 billion) in the United States between 2025 and 2028. This investment aims to increase the company’s US production capacity to 1.2 million vehicles. Additionally, component manufacturing, including the production of battery packs, will be strengthened. Hyundai’s Executive President, Chung Eui-sun, announced the news […]
March 25, 2025
After Virgin Trains and Spain’s Evolyn, another candidate has come forward with plans to run passenger trains through the Channel Tunnel: British Gemini Trains. There is no timescale yet for when Eurostar’s new potential competitor plans to run services between London and continental Europe, particularly Paris and Brussels, although other media are talking about 2029. […]
March 25, 2025
Paris residents voted in a referendum on Sunday to make hundreds of streets car-free. With this measure, the left-wing city council wants to reduce car use further, improve air quality, and increase the quality of life in the French capital. However, turnout was low: barely 4% of the 1.4 million residents bothered to vote. Two-thirds […]
March 25, 2025
As previously announced in 2023, the Belgian federal government has created an exemption for using a tachograph in electric vans of up to 4.25 tons. Professional drivers of these heavier vans will not have to adhere to mandatory rest times, but there are some conditions. In an attempt to boost the electrification of light commercial […]
March 25, 2025
On May 27th, Hasselt University will award an honorary doctorate to Hugo Bollen, the inventor of the walking and cycling node network. Hugo Bollen, a former engineer at the Kempen Coal Mines (Kempische Steenkoolmijnen), came up with the now widespread cycling and walking junction network years ago. The doctorate is a recognition of his essential […]
March 25, 2025
Stellantis is under increasing pressure as thousands of customers report persistent issues with the onboard chargers in its electric vehicles across Europe. Since 2019, owners of Peugeot, Opel, DS, and Citroën models have been dealing with a recurring defect that renders their vehicles unable to charge via standard AC stations, forcing them to rely exclusively […]
March 25, 2025
BYD has surpassed Tesla in annual revenue for the first time, cementing its status as the new driving force in the global EV industry. The Chinese automaker reported a record revenue for 2024, up nearly 30 percent from the last year. Windfall was particularly advantageous in its home market. Where Tesla posted revenue of €90.5 […]
March 25, 2025
According to the European Car Manufacturers Association (ACEA) date, new EU car registrations declined by 3% in February compared to the same period in 2024. Notably, the bloc’s significant markets saw declines, with Italy (-6%), Germany (-4.6%), and France (-3.3%). Spain conversely recorded an 8.4% increase. In February 2025, the year-on-year (YOY) decline was 3.4%, […]
March 24, 2025
According to the Progress Report on the Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen, nitrogen oxide emissions in Flanders have fallen by 35 percent between 2015 and 2022, and ammonia emissions have fallen by 9 percent in those seven years. Environment Minister Jo Brouns presented the report on Friday, March 21st. Nitrogen oxides (80%) mainly come from the […]
March 24, 2025
Brussels Airport is adding six new destinations to its network this summer, starting on March 30th. These destinations are both within Europe and intercontinental. Passengers will be able to fly directly from Brussels Airport to 180 destinations offered by 68 airlines. Some new summer destinations, such as Curaçao (TUI fly) and Bangkok (Thai Airways International), […]
March 24, 2025
Transdev Nederland, one of the Netherlands’ public transport operators, runs buses nationwide. It has chosen Dutch bus manufacturer VDL to deliver 42 Citea e-buses for the Hoeksche Waard/Goeree-Overflakkee (HWGO) concession. Meanwhile, the last Van Hool buses after the bankruptcy are auctioned. Transdev is a French multinational public transport and ambulance company operating in 19 countries. […]
March 24, 2025
The Brussels Parliament has approved the proposal for an ordinance clarifying specific provisions postponing the tightening of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) until January 1, 2027. The vote was 67 to 14, with the Greens and DéFI voting against and Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) abstaining. Whether this definitively eliminates the problems remains to be seen. Touring, […]
March 24, 2025
Once a symbol of Europe’s proud automotive tradition, several closed or downsized car factories across Western Europe are now being repurposed for defense manufacturing. Not only Audi Brussels but also VDL Nedcar and Volkswagen Osnabrück are trading in automotive parts for military components. This reminds us of how the automotive assembly sector was transformed for […]
March 24, 2025
In January, BMW Group announced it continued its growth path in 2024, delivering 426,594 fully electric vehicles to customers and achieving BEV-sales growth of +13.5 %. Now that more figures are available of its all-time competitors at the premium home front, Mercedes and Audi, it’s clear that they sold more EVs than those two combined. […]
March 22, 2025
With the next one—the #5—hitting the market in a few weeks, Smart has grown up. With its 4,695 mm length, width of 1,920 mm, height of 1,705 mm, and wheelbase of 2,900 mm, it is almost double the size of the original Smart ForTwo, which saw the light of day in 1998. Mercedes’ little brother, […]
March 22, 2025
With 540,356 bikes sold, bicycle sales in Belgium have declined for the second consecutive year. Mobility federation Traxio Velo announced this at the Bike Brussels trade fair opening at Tour & Taxis, which runs until Sunday. However, this slight 4.75% drop isn’t necessarily a cause for concern, says Frank Glorieux, General Secretary of Traxio Velo. […]
March 21, 2025
China has apparently delayed the approval for the construction of BYD’s Mexican plant. Chinese authorities fear that Mexico could gain unrestricted access to BYD’s advanced technology and know-how and potentially share it with the US. The Financial Times reports, citing two people familiar with the matter, that there are other reasons why Beijing could oppose […]
March 21, 2025
Contract builder Magna Steyr, which today still builds cars like the Mercedes G-Class, Toyota GR Supra, and BMW Z4 that share the same platform at its plant in Graz, Austria, is, according to a new report, closing a deal with Chinese Xpeng and GAC to build EVs for the European market. It would work on […]
March 21, 2025
The European Union and Belgium have made a clear commitment to climate neutrality to achieve the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement. However, achieving this objective will require significant investments, leading to a profound transformation of our society. According to a new report from the Federal Climate Change Service in collaboration with the Study Committee […]
March 21, 2025
“Our sales in Europe will make a big jump starting in March and April,” says Stella Li, Vice-President of the Chinese car manufacturer BYD. The carmaker still wants to expand its offer of PHEVs and BEVs, including a very affordable entry-level model. Meanwhile, Europe is investigating the financial aid the company got to build its […]
March 21, 2025
North Sea Port, the cross-border port area between Vlissingen (the Netherlands) and Ghent (Belgium), has installed a new jetty with shore power. Ships arriving in Ghent must now dock here. With this investment, North Sea Port strengthens its position as a European sustainable port. The sustainable jetty, located at the head of the Grootdok, is […]
March 21, 2025
Tesla has met its recall, which an over-the-air update can’t fix. The company must reserve all 46,096 Cybertrucks built to date after reports that stainless-steel body panels could detach while driving due to faulty adhesive. This raised safety concerns and further complicated the electric pickup’s rocky launch. The American National Highway Traffic Safety Administration disclosed […]
March 21, 2025
A few days before first deliveries on March 29th, Chinese premium EV maker NIO started customers tests in China with its new flagship ET9 sedan that is to take on the ‘crème de la crème’ of the German premium competition. With a starting price of 788,000 yuan (€100,340), including the battery pack, it is Nio’s […]
March 20, 2025
Advertisers may have returned, and the value may be valued again at 44 billion dollars, but individuals and companies continue to abandon social media platform X. For example, De Lijn, NMBS/SNCB, TEC, and MIVB/STIB, each with a separate message on the same platform, have stated that they are leaving X. The main reason seems to […]
March 20, 2025
IKEA Belgium is ramping up its sustainability efforts by introducing seven new electric trucks for home deliveries. The move aims to modernize its logistics operations. Built by Volvo Trucks in Ghent, these vehicles will handle large orders, such as kitchens and wardrobes, reinforcing the retailer’s commitment to eco-friendly transportation. The purchase of the electric trucks […]
March 20, 2025
French logistics group CMA CGM, best known for its container ships, has also submitted a bid to take over cargo operations with airline Air Belgium. The cargo operations of the judicially reorganized Air Belgium were first to be taken over by Air One Belgium. But about two weeks ago, the Nivelles business court reversed that […]
March 20, 2025
Four scientists from KU Leuven, the University of Ghent, and Transport and Mobility Leuven have concluded that it makes no sense to choose the train instead of the plane for trips within the European Union to emit less CO2. Due to the European emission ceilings, someone else will emit the saved CO2 anyway. The Emission […]
March 20, 2025
Surprisingly, SAIC Motor’s daughter MG will launch a completely new version of its MG4 EV. This car sells well overseas but has very low sales in China. The new version is larger than the previous one and has a brand-new design. This might signal that the company decided to start all over again with its […]
March 19, 2025
“Working on better sidewalks with Stapscore,” a project to improve the quality of sidewalks in Flanders, has won the Flemish Road Safety Award 2025. The winner was announced on Tuesday at the annual road safety conference organized by the Flemish Foundation for Road Safety (Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde, VSV). The award is presented to projects […]
March 19, 2025
Tesla’s turbulent start to 2025, fueled by CEO Elon Musk’s political narrative, is lashing back at its owners. These face not only repercussions from activists throwing eggs and dog excrement at their cars but also higher running costs. For a brand that once set the pace for the global electric vehicle market, Tesla’s past few […]
March 19, 2025
Scientists in China claim to have found a way to breathe new life into worn-out lithium-ion batteries. Researchers at Fudan University have developed a revolutionary lithium injection method that could restore degraded batteries to near-factory conditions. They say this breakthrough could dramatically extend battery lifespan and stabilize EV resale values. The findings, published in the […]
March 19, 2025
The Belgian FPS Mobility registered 277 reports on unruly airline passengers in 2024, according to the newspaper Le Soir. Although FPS Mobility does not have precise statistics on in-flight aggression, crew testimony shows that alcohol and nicotine addiction often play a role in incidents. Indeed, according to the figures on the in-flight incident count of […]
March 19, 2025
British start-up Longbow Motors wants to electrify the sports car segment with its Roadster and Speedster models. Both weigh under 1,000 kg, cost €100,000 or less, and will be available for sale as early as 2026. So where’s the catch? British industrial estates and car graveyards are lined with failed sports car projects from hopeful […]
March 19, 2025
The new federal government wants to explore the idea of driverless trains and see if trains without a train attendant, the so-called ‘one-man car,’ can be done. This is according to the policy statement of federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés). The proposal is remarkable. On the one hand, it may help bring down […]
March 18, 2025
De Lijn’s buses and streetcars were involved in a combined 23 accidents per day last year, a record average. Overall, in 2024, buses were involved in 7,207 accidents, and streetcars in 1,191. So, the numbers are on the rise, as are the number of victims. The figures also show that De Lijn is often not […]
March 18, 2025
Stellantis is partnering with Swedish startup Luvly to explore its innovative flat-pack vehicle production method. This method could dramatically reduce manufacturing and transportation costs and prove a worthwhile Western alternative to Chinese low-cost production. With the Citroën Ami and its siblings at Opel (Rock-e) and Fiat (Topolino), Stellantis has already explored the market for microcars. […]
March 18, 2025
The crisis at Audi deepens. Just weeks after the full closure of its Brussels plant, the luxury carmaker announced that it will slash 7,500 jobs in Germany by 2029 as part of a broad cost-cutting strategy. The Volkswagen-owned luxury automaker announced the move after lengthy negotiations with the company’s works council. The job cuts, which […]
