April 16, 2024
According to a BeMob survey by FPS Mobility, 32% of Belgian workers used a bicycle to commute to work last year, either for all or part of the journey. This is an increase compared to 2019, when 29% of Belgian workers (partly) cycled to work. However, there are big differences between regions as, on average, […]
April 16, 2024
More bad news for Tesla. After its worst quarter results since the pandemic, the EV maker is cutting its workforce by roughly 10%, or about 14,000 people. The company cites “hiring inefficiencies over rapid growth”, but heads are rolling over some key projects as well. The worldwide headcount of Tesla is 140,473 people. Citing the […]
April 16, 2024
Yin Tongyue, chairman of China’s Chery Auto, said the Wuhu-based car manufacturer is planning to sign a deal with a premium European brand through platform cooperation. “Two premium European brands want to use our platform, and a deal will be signed with one of them, which is a more premium brand than us,” Yin said. […]
April 16, 2024
For the first time in the Belux, more electrified vehicles (BEV, PHEV, and HEV) were registered in the first quarter of 2024 than cars with only a combustion engine (ICE). According to the data of the importers federation, Febiac, 135,140 cars were registered in Q1 2024, the best result since 2020. 52.8% of them were […]
April 15, 2024
The Pininfarina Battista is already one of the most exclusive EVs on the planet, but the one-off Reversario ups the stakes. This bespoke all-electric hypercar was commissioned by a customer who wanted to add a stablemate to the one he already had. As typical for the hyper exclusive category, it can never be exclusive enough, […]
April 15, 2024
The Walloon government has approved the Mobi’Park project for public transport company TEC. The project involves developing a new bus depot in Tilleur, in the province of Liège. Philippe Henry (Ecolo), Walloon Minister of Mobility, says this will be the first electrified depot in Wallonia. A budget of 105 million euros has been allocated for […]
April 15, 2024
Sales of EV brand Polestar took a big hit during the first quarter of this year. With only 7,200 units delivered, the figures slid by 40% in a year-on-year comparison. Most automakers managed to grow their EV deliveries compared to the same period last year (but reported strong declines compared to the final quarter of […]
April 15, 2024
Ecolo, the French-speaking Green party in Belgium, remains behind its choice for 100 kph on motorways in Belgium. At the Flemish Green Party, the proposal is no longer to be found in the 2024 election program. Coalition partner Ecolo does want to go full steam ahead with it, writes the newspaper La Dernière Heure, but […]
April 15, 2024
Sales of electric models from the Volkswagen Group showed strong regional differences in the first quarter of 2024. While sales fell significantly in Europe and the US, the Chinese market stood for outstanding growth. To further cement its position in China, the brand Volkswagen has announced an investment of 2.5 billion euro to expand its […]
April 15, 2024
Last Friday, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and other members of the federal and regional governments met with Audi’s top managers to try to save Audi Brussels. “The Factory of the Future” (award title in 2020) is fighting for its survival. Dark clouds are gathering on the horizon. A few months ago, Brussels was […]
April 12, 2024
Volvo Cars’ Taizhou manufacturing plant has switched to biogas, making it Volvo’s first plant in China to achieve climate-neutral status. The plant’s switch from natural gas will result in a reduction of more than 7,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. “Despite being a small share of our total Scope 1-3 emissions of 43 million tons, […]
April 12, 2024
In Paris, the bicycle has overtaken the car as a means of transport and is now behind walking and public transport. According to a survey by the Paris Region Institute (IPR), conducted at the request of some 15 public and private institutions, Parisians use bicycles more, chosen for 11,2% of intramural trips, than cars, with […]
April 12, 2024
The European Parliament has approved stricter CO2 standards for buses and trucks. This includes the requirement that all new buses should be emission-free by 2035 and almost all new trucks by 2040. The European Council still must give the green light, but this is considered a formality. A complete ban on combustion engines for lorries […]
April 12, 2024
Charging stations installed as of tomorrow must be in rule with Europe’s latest standards. Just like conventional fuel forecourts, they will display real-time prices and allow payment through bank cards. The regulations take effect as Europe has finalized its fifth funding round for AFIR (Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulations), largely expanding the continent’s charging infrastructure. The […]
April 12, 2024
Mercedes-Benz is recalling 341,000 of its cars worldwide because of a fire risk. GLE and GLS models built from 2017 to 2023 are concerned. Meanwhile, the Stuttgarters are upgrading their electric flagship EQS. The recall has been announced by the German transport authority Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA). The cause for the possible fire risk is a possibly […]
April 12, 2024
In selected European markets, including Belgium, Tesla is extending its Model Y offering. The new rear-wheel drive version can travel exactly 600 kilometers between charges. It bears the badge Long Range for a good reason. As the American automaker comes to terms with a sales slowdown, it is counteracting the trend with a new version […]
April 12, 2024
Officials failed to reach on agreement on EV subsidies for cars exported from the EU to the US. The recent negotiations were considered a last chance before presidential elections might turn the tables. However, negotiations will continue. The EU and the US have held talks for some time to reach a bilateral agreement over EV […]
April 12, 2024
As an aside in a press release about the king of Spain visiting the Martorell production facility, Seat has announced that the Cupra Raval will become the first of the VW Group’s small EVs to be produced at the renewed factory. Production will kick off in late 2025 and will be supplied directly by the […]
April 11, 2024
Last year, 569,605 new bikes were delivered in Belgium, down one-fifth compared to the peak year 2022. Mobility Federation Traxio says the fewer new bicycles purchased are due to large stocks at bicycle dealers. Yet a historic milestone has also been rounded in the meantime: the e-bike achieves a market share of more than half […]
April 11, 2024
Italian carmaker Alfa Romeo has lifted the veil on the new Milano. The small crossover is the brand’s first-ever EV, and it’s offered in two guises with power ranging from 156 to 240 hp. Both versions share the same 54-kWh battery, offering 410 km of range. That being said, like its numerous brothers from the […]
April 11, 2024
In a tough market, sales of all-electric BMWs have grown significantly. During the first three months of the year, the Bavarian automaker witnessed a global growth of 27.8%, while competitors like Mercedes and Tesla faced substantial drops. BMW’s solid performance was epitomized by the delivery of its one-millionth electric car. It took the automaker roughly […]
April 11, 2024
On Wednesday evening, two days after Van Hool had been declared bankrupt by the Court in Mechelen, the curators finally chose the initial bids of VDL (for the bus section) and Schmitz Cargobull (for the trailer section). The curators thoroughly investigated the bids of the Dutch VDL Group and the South African GRW company (a […]
April 10, 2024
Western European ports, particularly Zeebrugge and Antwerp, face unprecedented challenges as they morph into vast car storage facilities. The influx of vehicles, especially from Asia and America, has outpaced the outflow, leading to significant congestion. The bottleneck has several automakers scouting for inland parking lots to keep up with the pace of factory output. The large […]
April 10, 2024
The business newspaper De Tijd reports that drivers of the Flemish public transport company De Lijn received a record number and amount of traffic fines last year. Altogether, 2,531 traffic violations were recorded, accounting for a fine amount of over 173,000 euros. Compared with 2022, the previous record year, the number of offenses recorded is […]
April 10, 2024
American automaker Ford is upgrading its electric Mustang Mach-E crossover. All versions are equipped with a new rear e-motor, which produces more torque. The batteries don’t change, but the range is increased on all versions, and fast charging times are cut by almost 20%. The high-performance Mach-E GT is now faster than both the Tesla […]
April 10, 2024
American EV startup Canoo paid $1.7 million for CEO Tony Aquila’s private jet bills, twice its total revenue last year. According to its earnings report released this week, Canoo lost $302 million in 2023 and is urgently looking for new investors. Aquila, who is also the company’s chairman, owns about 14% of Canoo. In 2022, […]
April 10, 2024
Paolo Pininfarina, Chairman of the Pininfarina Group and son of famous designer, Sergio Pininfarina, passed away yesterday in Turin surrounded by his family. The 65-year-old worked for Cadillac, Honda, and GM before taking the lead of Pininfarina Group in 2008, after the death of his brother. His grandfather, Battista Pininfarina, founded the Carrozzeria Pinin Farina […]
April 10, 2024
After an accident in San Francisco caused Cruise to suspend its operations with its robotaxi fleet nationwide, it announced that it would restart driving on public roads. However, GM’s subsidiary is straightening its back carefully, as this first batch of vehicles is equipped with a driver on board. Cruise has chosen Phoenix as the gateway […]
April 10, 2024
The Roads and Traffic Agency reports that additional work has unexpectedly emerged during the renovation of the Leonard Tunnel in Tervuren. From 16 April, these will cause serious disruption to traffic and residents of the Brussels and Flemish municipalities around the site. The Auderghem municipality and the Brussels Region have called on the Flemish authorities […]
April 10, 2024
Last month, the last units of the Smart ForTwo came off the line at the plant in Hambach, France. There are rumors that Smart is brooding on a successor but has difficulties finding partners to join forces for the project. Smart Europe CEO Dirk Adelmann recently announced that the company is developing a new platform […]
April 09, 2024
The BMW Group and Rimac Technology, headquartered near Zagreb, Croatia, officially announced a long-term partnership. The aim of the collaboration is to co-develop and co-produce innovative solutions in the field of high-voltage battery technology for battery-electric vehicles. The results will be used in the BMW Group’s future product range, more specifically, in model generations slated […]
April 09, 2024
DS Automobiles has introduced two non-plug-in hybrids to its model range: the DS 3 and DS 4 Hybrid, which make use of Stellantis’ new mild hybrid 1.2 three-cylinder engine, offering a nearly 20% reduction in fuel consumption. But more electric news is coming later this year. The new 1.2 PureTech Hybrid engine was introduced last […]
April 09, 2024
Interparking is equipping the public car parks at Brussels Airport with more than 700 charging points for EVs. These slow charging points are optimized for long parking periods and are perfect for cars that stay for several days or weeks while the owner is traveling. There are no additional charges for parking in these car […]
April 09, 2024
Opel has resurrected the Frontera nameplate for the successor of the Crossland. The new compact SUV focuses on practicality, clever technology and a high degree of electrification thanks to the choice between a (mild) hybrid or a fully electric drivetrain – although not every detail is yet known. The first Opel Frontera was a fully-fledged […]
April 09, 2024
The French provider of DC fast-charging infrastructure, Electra, is entering the Dutch market and will compete with Dutch charging network provider Fastned on its home turf. The plan is to install 100 fast-charging stations and 600 charging points for EVs before 2030. Electra is already present in France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, and […]
April 09, 2024
For the first time since August, more than nine out of ten NMBS/SNCB trains ran on time in March, i.e., with less than 6 minutes delay upon arrival in Brussels or at the ultimate destination. According to the NMBS/SNCB, these are “the best punctuality figures since the full resumption of rail traffic after the COVID-19 […]
April 09, 2024
Yesterday, the commercial court of Malines officially adjudicated Belgian bus builder Van Hool in Koninghooikt (Lier). Last Friday, news broke that only one candidate was left for a takeover and quick restart: the combination of competitor Dutch VDL, which saw itself a challenging year in 2023, and German truck builder Schmitz Cargobull. The latest news […]
April 08, 2024
In their quest to squeeze as much range as possible from their electric models, automakers have launched a trend towards flush door handles. They are sleek and aerodynamic, but the German automobile club ADAC points to safety risks witnessed in real-life incidents. Tesla popularised them and introduced pop-out door handles in 2012 as one of […]
April 08, 2024
Like other car brands, such as Skoda and DS, Nio is integrating artificial intelligence into its cars. Nio’s voice assistant, Nomi, recently received a GPT update. GPT stands for Generative Pretrained Transformer, a form of artificial intelligence. We first ‘met’ Nio in the Nio ET7 sedan we drove in May 2023. Nomi is the little […]
April 08, 2024
There has been outrage in Wallonia, and particularly in the Liège region, over the holiday regime of Belgian public train operator NMBS/SNCB. Due to the switch to a holiday regime across the country, because it is Easter holiday in Flanders, there are fewer trains in Wallonia, especially during rush hours and in the busy region […]
April 08, 2024
ALD Automotive/LeasePlan and Smart Europe GmbH have come to an agreement to offer the two recent Smart models, the #1 and the #3, to companies and individual buyers in a private or operational leasing formula. Both individual and professional clients are now able to lease the Smart #1 and its somewhat larger brother, the Smart […]
April 08, 2024
With the arrival of spring, many motorcyclists are also jumping back on their bikes. Road Safety Institute Vias wants to warn motorbike enthusiasts about all kinds of distractions on their bikes, such as helmets with built-in infotainment systems. Although there is no evidence that such systems can contribute to road accidents, Vias nevertheless calls for […]
April 08, 2024
Tesla was caught in a whirlwind last week when Reuters reported that the carmaker had axed the development of its affordable compact car. But after the news broke, CEO Elon Musk lashed back on his social media platform X: “Reuters is lying (again).” He countered by claiming his company would reveal its Robotaxi, based on […]
April 05, 2024
Tailan New Energy, a Chinese company developing solid-state lithium battery technology, has disclosed significant advancements in its latest prototype cell. In its most recent announcement, the researchers point to an extremely high energy density, aiming to deliver a 2,000-kilometer range for BEVs on a single charge. Tailan isn’t one of the household names in solid-state […]
April 05, 2024
According to the specialized website H2mobile, the Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari seems interested in using a hybrid hydrogen-burning internal combustion engine (HICE) in its sports cars. Ferrari has apparently filed a patent to protect this idea. A number of manufacturers are still investigating the possibility of using hydrogen as a cleaner fuel for internal […]
April 05, 2024
The French-speaking Brussels socialist party PS wants the ban on diesel vehicles with emission class Euro 5, which will apply from January 2025, to be postponed for two years. The socio-liberal DéFI also wants a review of the low-emission zone (LEZ) rules. Energia, the former Belgian Petroleum Federation, in turn, wants the rules around the […]
April 05, 2024
Volvo Cars achieved a record-breaking sales performance last month, with figures reaching an all-time high. The surge in sales was notably propelled by the enthusiastic market reception of its new all-electric model, the EX30, and robust sales across its diversified portfolio in Europe and the United States. The Swedish automaker disclosed an impressive tally of […]
April 05, 2024
Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng has announced the launch of its third model in Europe. The coupé-like electric SUV Xpeng G6, which has been available in China since last year, can be ordered in Europe from May and will hit the road in Q3/2024. In China, Xpeng launched the G6 last summer as a competitor […]
April 05, 2024
New Jersey, the US’s ‘Garden State’, is imposing the highest road tax on electric vehicles nationwide, requiring a $250 fee yearly, increasing by $10 each year to top off at $290 in 2028. The money is used for the state’s Transportation Trust Fund to maintain roads, railways, and bridges. While EVs worldwide are mostly exempted […]
April 04, 2024
China’s biggest battery manufacturer, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd. (CATL), has announced a commercial vehicle battery with a lifespan of 1.5 million kilometers or a 15-year warranty. It was developed with one of the world’s biggest bus makers, Zhengzhou Yutong Bus Co. Ltd., but the battery also suits light and heavy trucks. The new lithium […]
April 04, 2024
The European Union wants to work on improving cycling infrastructure among its member states and wants to make (electric) cycling more attractive. This is stated in the “European Declaration on the Use of Bicycles,” signed by the EU’s three central legislative institutions on Wednesday. “Cycling has numerous benefits: it reduces pollution and traffic congestion and […]
April 04, 2024
The page is officially turned. After over 25 years, the Hambach, France, plant has churned out its last Smart ForTwo. It’s the end for the small 2.5-m car that was seen as a revolution in urban transport. The Hambach plant, often nicknamed ‘Smartville,’ has produced up to 140,000 cars yearly. However, the plant, which benefited […]
April 04, 2024
Today, Renault presented an update on its popular B-Segment SUV, the Renault Captur. Renault calls the category urban SUVs and points out that this is a market accounting for half of all sales in the B-segment, which itself makes up 30% of the total market. “Captur is the B-segment “voiture à vivre” (car for living). […]
April 04, 2024
The number of second-hand car registrations in the first quarter of 2024 increased by 9% (+15,481 vehicles) compared to last year. Registrations of gasoline cars remained stable (54.9%), but the share of diesel vehicles fell from 35.5% in 2023 to 31.9% this year in favor of hybrid and electric cars, which saw their market share […]
April 04, 2024
Flemish minister for Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) has launched a new project call to improve the charging infrastructure for heavy electric commercial vehicles. Not only chargers but also innovative solutions like battery swap stations are eligible for the €3 million subsidy allocation. This isn’t the first time the Flemish government has offered to subsidize […]
April 04, 2024
On Wednesday, BMW Group started the building works for the new battery assembly plant in Straßkirchen, Germany. According to a German media report, the manufacturer submitted an application to the local district office for an early start of construction. It was approved last week. According to the Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), the first construction machinery has […]
April 04, 2024
The fuel mix of Norway’s national fleet is nearing a watershed moment. The share of electric cars is poised to eclipse gasoline cars by the end of the year. As a result, fossil fuel sales are also declining. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are on the verge of outnumbering petrol cars in Norway, signaling a potentially […]
April 03, 2024
Danish car subscription start-up ‘:Dribe’ is ogling Belgium to export its fully digital platform to the rest of Europe. Offering subscriptions of 30 days and the freedom to switch cars when needed, this concept of Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) goes beyond any car leasing platform, the company claims. “We want to do this in collaboration with a […]
April 03, 2024
The upcoming entry-level Mercedes-Benz EV was finally caught out in the wild. The electric Mercedes CLA was spotted testing near the Arctic Circle. The new EV is seen as Mercedes-Benz’s answer to the Tesla Model 3 and will be the most affordable EV from Stuttgart. The new CLA is also dubbed the ‘electric hypermiler’ or […]
April 03, 2024
The car is still the preferred mode of transport for families in Flanders, and the train remains an uninviting option. This is according to the latest family poll of the Gezinsbond, an independent family organization that surveyed 1,072 families. Those same families also want safer cycle routes to school and find De Lijn’s new bus […]
