June 27, 2024
The Belgian federal authorities will only buy or lease electric service vehicles from July 2024. The Council of Ministers approved a plan by Minister of Civil Service Petra De Sutter (Groen) in March last year, which is now in effect. One consequence of the measure is that by 2030, most service vehicles within the federal […]
June 26, 2024
According to Statbel, the Belgian statistics office, 501 people lost their lives in accidents on Belgian roads in 2023. Accident figures also decreased again last year after increasing in 2021 and 2022. Also striking: the number of accidents fell more sharply in Brussels than in the rest of the country. Last year, there were 36,855 […]
June 26, 2024
According to a new study by the environmental group Transport & Environment (T&E), 52 million people in Europe – more than 10% of Europe’s total population –are exposed to ultrafine particles (UFP) from aviation. The study, released on Tuesday by Dutch consultancy CE Delft on behalf of T&E, found that they’re affected by the 32 […]
June 26, 2024
German airline group Lufthansa, to which Brussels Airlines also belongs, is launching an environmental surcharge of 1 to 72 euros for all flights departing from Europe and the UK, Norway, and Switzerland. For Brussels Airlines, the surcharge will be a maximum of 36 euros per flight. The surcharge will be charged on bookings starting today […]
June 26, 2024
After 40 years, the seventh generation of the BMW M5 gets a combination of a high-revving V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology and a specific version of the M HYBRID system, boosting power to 535 kW or 727 hp and a peak system torque of 1,000 Nm. The world premiere will take place at […]
June 26, 2024
According to a study by HR service provider Acerta, the average CO2 emissions from leasing cars have fallen by almost 20% in one year and 40% in ten years. The study analyzed a database listing more than 270,000 workers and employees in Belgium. Tax deductibility for fossil fuel cars purchased between July 1, 2023, and […]
June 26, 2024
Chinese electric vehicle brand Voyah, a subsidiary of Dongfeng Motor for luxury EVs, has announced plans to open its first showroom in Belgium by the end of the year. The new Chinese brand is imported into the Benelux region by the Gomes Group, a successful Mercedes dealer group from the Netherlands. Voyah’s entry into Europe […]
June 26, 2024
Polestar announces another update for the Polestar 2 after the extensive overhaul from last year. All versions gain range, but the base model Standard Range Single Motor also benefits from a new battery. Dubbed the 2025 model, the upgraded Polestar 4 can immediately be ordered in Europe. Other markets—except for Canada—will follow in late 2024. […]
June 25, 2024
VIL, the point of contact for the Flemish logistics sector, and WaterStofNet have installed the first mobile hydrogen refueling station at Brussels Airport. At the same time, DHL is testing the first hydrogen prototype for ground handling operations, a Mulag tractor with an integrated hydrogen fuel cell system. This is a first for the airport. […]
June 25, 2024
Mobility organization Touring is calling on the new Brussels government, which has yet to be formed, to include in its policy plan the tightening of the low-emission zone (LEZ) on its territory, which usually takes effect in January 2025. Touring is thus calling for a relaxation of the LEZ. According to the organization, if the […]
June 25, 2024
Aptera Motors, the Californian start-up for solar electric vehicles (SEV), wants to expand into new mobility industries by licensing its innovative solar technology. Retrofitting cars with solar panels can significantly boost their range. Aptera Motors is looking into various sectors to offer its propriety technology, not only automotive. Aptera is in the phase of scaling […]
June 25, 2024
Electra, a French startup in fast charging stations, will open and operate 23 fast charging stations over the next two years at the Belgian fast-food chain Quick’s existing and future restaurant locations. The charging stations will have a fast charging capacity of 400 kW and will be accessible to everyone at any time of the […]
June 25, 2024
During a trip to China, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck made headway in the trade dispute over additional tariffs for EVs in the EU. The Chinese government and the EU want to start intensive negotiations, fuelling hopes of a short-term solution. Of course, it’s not a coincidence that a German Minister has made the opening, […]
June 25, 2024
BloombergNEF’s Electric Vehicle Outlook 2024 shows that EV adoption is still growing worldwide. With advances in EV technology and battery prices further falling, the future is bright despite an apparent slowdown in some countries and car manufacturers revising their EV policies. EVs are still the most cost-effective and commercially viable route to fully decarbonizing transport. […]
June 24, 2024
That is a shame and bad for the climate because tall forests are critical for storing carbon and hosting biodiversity. Moreover, old trees absorb more carbon dioxide than young ones. This is the conclusion of the World Resources Institute (WRI), which conducts worldwide research into climate and natural resources. Over the past 20 years, the […]
June 24, 2024
Mercedes has completed its EQT and (e)Citan model range with a long-wheelbase version of the electric versions of its compact van, while the Citan gets a new ‘Mixto’ variant. All Citan and EQT models also bring more safety systems as standard, following the EU regulations. Thanks to an additional 38 centimeters in the wheelbase, the […]
June 24, 2024
Belgian high-voltage operator Elia is calling on the market to be vigilant this summer. There is a chance that Belgium will produce too much power because all available nuclear power plants are running, and especially because a lot of solar panels have been added this year. This threatens to put pressure on the electricity system. […]
June 24, 2024
Fisker’s bankruptcy leaves thousands of Ocean SUV owners in limbo. With the company’s future in doubt, customer concern about the long-term support and maintenance for their cars is growing. In the US, they decided to unite. The European branch is still up and running, so servicing is not an immediate worry. Some Ocean owners have […]
June 24, 2024
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), based in Washington, D.C., Chinese car manufacturers received some €216 billion in government aid to produce electric cars. The American think tank’s researcher Scott Kennedy says more than half of it was given as a turnover tax exemption. Other subsidies include premiums for new electric […]
June 21, 2024
Flemish public transport operator De Lijn’s flex transport, vans on demand, is not operating efficiently. That’s according to the business newspaper De Tijd, based on figures the newspaper requested from De Lijn. According to the newspaper, 56% of all kilometers traveled have only the driver on board. In other words, minibusses drive around without passengers […]
June 21, 2024
The successor to the Bugatti Chiron loses its quad-turbocharged W16 engine but gains an electrified and naturally aspirated V16 instead. The Tourbillon is not only even faster than the Chiron but also achieves a fully electric range of 60 kilometers and features gemstones in the instrument cluster made by Swiss watchmakers. As Bugatti entered a […]
June 21, 2024
Citroën has presented its new ë-C3 Aircross in more detail after the Stellantis brand showed the first images of the model in April. Now, there is also information about the drive system, the seat configuration, and prices in some markets. The battery-electric drive is only available for the five-seater version, as Citroën has now specified. […]
June 21, 2024
The BMW i1 and BMW i2 have long been in the rumor mill. BMW Group’s company’s board has finally approved the launch of the compact EVs. A new report from the specialized English magazine Autocar says the BMW i1 and i2 have received the green signal. These entry-level EVs have been developed at the BMW […]
June 21, 2024
Demand for fossil fuels has never been as high as in 2023. Demand for oil and coal, in particular, pushed the consumption of fossil fuels to unprecedented heights. As a result, never before have so many greenhouse gases been emitted. Last year, they increased by 2%, exceeding 40 gigatons of CO2 for the first time. […]
June 21, 2024
“Unprecedented” and “shocking”. The Chinese automotive players involved in the EU survey into state subsidies are stirred by the resulting tariff proposal. They have joined forces and called upon Beijing to impose retaliating import duties, which could hurt the premium brand’s sales performance in the region. Chinese manufacturers are urging their government to implement punitive […]
June 21, 2024
BMW announced on Thursday it’s pulling back from the €2 billion deal it concluded in 2020 with Swedish battery maker Nortvolt to deliver cells from 2024 as part of a long-term contract. But Northvolt is two years behind schedule and would deliver ‘too many rejects’, German media, like Manager Magazine, report. BMW Group downplays the […]
June 20, 2024
It seems like an entirely hypothetical question, but at least the Finish paper industry is convinced it can make EV battery production much more sustainable. Using lignin, a byproduct of its cellulose fiber (like for cloths) and paper pulp industry, Stora Enso has developed a bio-renewable replacement for the graphite carbon used for anodes today. […]
June 20, 2024
Toyota Motor Corporation’s chairman, Akio Toyoda, and nine other members of the automaker’s board were re-elected at an annual general meeting on Tuesday. Shareholders finally shrugged off concerns about governance and certification test scandals. Two leading proxy advisers had recommended against Toyoda’s re-election. But his re-appointment was widely expected, given the automaker’s shareholdings owned by […]
June 20, 2024
80% of the world’s population is increasingly concerned about the devastating effects of climate change and wants more action on climate. This is according to a major survey, the biggest ever standalone public opinion survey on climate change, by the UN development agency UNDP and Oxford University. The call is especially strongest in the poorest […]
June 20, 2024
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is reviving its Freelander brand for future electric cars. The Freelander models will be based on a platform from its Chinese partner Chery Automotive, built in China and sold only there for the time being. However, export to the rest of the world is envisaged. Not so long ago, JLR revealed […]
June 20, 2024
Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell has inaugurated its first self-developed megawatt charger for dual use by electric trucks and shipping vessels at the Energy Transition Campus Amsterdam (ETCA) in the Netherlands. The Shell megawatt charger provides a crucial additional charging facility for local operators and facilitates end-to-end testing for high-power charging solutions across marine and road […]
June 20, 2024
Elia, the Belgian high-voltage grid operator, has awarded three contracts worth almost 1.5 billion euros to construct the High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) infrastructure of Princess Elisabeth Island, an artificial energy island of 3.5 gigawatts located approximately 45 kilometers off the Belgian coast. The infrastructure will bundle 2.1 gigawatts of wind energy and bring it […]
June 20, 2024
According to the European Car Manufacturers Association (ACEA) data, car registrations in the European Union decreased by 3% in May 2024. Declines were observed in three out of the region’s four major markets: Italy (-6.6%), Germany (-4.3%), and France (-2.9%). Spain, on the other hand, achieved a modest growth of 3.4% last month. Despite the […]
June 19, 2024
“Modernity, presence, and sporting flair reach new levels: the best-seller embarks on a new era,” says BMW at the launch of the renewed best-seller X3. The new range won’t have a full-electric version, as this iX3 successor will be the first product of the “Neue Klasse”, launched next year. But there’s an improved PHEV version. […]
June 19, 2024
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation in a US Senate hearing on the quality of Boeing production and apologized for the grief that Boeing has caused. At the same time, he added that progress has since been made. Behind the top man were relatives of people killed in Boeing aircraft […]
June 19, 2024
Polestar is gearing up to expand its retail operations, targeting seven new markets in 2025, including a return to France, where Citroën kicked it out. As the company’s model line-up grows, the conquest of new markets aims to capitalize on emerging opportunities. In 2025, Polestar plans to accelerate its geographic expansion by entering seven new […]
June 19, 2024
On Tuesday, the Flemish and Belgian governments signed energy agreements with Norway to bring Norwegian wind energy to Belgium and store CO2 from Belgian industry in Norway. Princess Astrid of Belgium leads a Belgian delegation to discuss energy transition, circular economy, life sciences, and design. The joint statement on energy cooperation in the North Sea […]
June 19, 2024
Kia is preparing to launch its new, cost-effective EV4, slated for next year. The car has already been unveiled as a concept, and final testing versions popping up in South Korean videos hint at how the production version sticks closely to the ‘wild’ form factor of the show car. As anticipation builds for the official […]
June 19, 2024
Suppose you’re willing to pay €120 to €160 and not weigh nearly 100 kg. In that case, you can be one of the first to experience pure electric flying between the airports of Liege (Belgium), Maastricht (Netherlands), and Aachen (Germany) as a passenger in a Pipistrel Velis Electro, currently the only EASA-certified electric aircraft. The […]
June 19, 2024
A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Ferrari’s first electric car will cost at least €500,000. The luxury automaker is preparing to open a plant to make the model, which could boost group production by up to a third in the long run. The exclusive Italian brand has said it will launch an […]
June 18, 2024
The Ostend-Bruges airport will soon have the largest solar park in West Flanders and the second-largest park in Belgium. The 66,200 solar panels on the site, covering a total area of about 303,864 m2, the equivalent of 61 football fields, will produce almost 37,000 MWh of annual energy – much more than the airport can […]
June 18, 2024
Like several of its Stellantis counterparts, Jeep is also working on an affordable battery-electric model to target younger people and private customers in North America and Europe. This new model will be the next-generation Renegade, expected by 2027, with a sub-$25,000 price tag for the electric version. Like Fiat and Citroën, which recently unveiled their […]
June 18, 2024
The first French-built Mercedes eCitaro electric city bus rolled off the Ligny-en-Barrois production line in France after the model was initially only built in Mannheim, Germany. Daimler Truck has confirmed its dedication to the French plant with a €50 million investment between now and 2030. Until now, the Ligny-en-Barrois production facility in Lorraine, France, exclusively […]
June 18, 2024
Audi is following the slipstream of the recently facelifted Porsche Taycan and unveiling an updated version of its all-electric sports car, the E-Tron GT. The new version boasts enhanced range, sharper performance, and faster charging capabilities to align with the advancements seen in its Porsche Taycan counterpart. The E-Tron GT was introduced in 2021 as […]
June 18, 2024
Fiat has officially revealed the fourth-generation Fiat Panda, aptly named the Grande Panda. It ventures back into European showrooms with a blending style of off-road and retro borrowed from the concept car from earlier this year. Obviously, the latest iteration boasts an entirely new look and will offer electric powertrain options and a mild hybrid. […]
June 18, 2024
The writing on the wall said that a miracle was needed to save Danish designer Henrik Fisker’s American-based electric car start-up. According to Reuters, talks on new investments with a non-disclosed ‘major car manufacturer’ finally failed, and Fisker Group officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware on June 17. Things had been looking bleak […]
June 18, 2024
Infrabel has pushed a new bicycle and pedestrian tunnel under the Leuven-Aarschot-Hasselt railway line in Langdorp. Final work on the tunnel still needs to be finished, but cyclists and pedestrians will be able to use it by the end of this year. This weekend, the tunnel was moved into place using a unique sliding system, […]
June 18, 2024
Lancia’s unexpected European comeback starts in Belgium and Luxembourg, where the famous Italian brand strategically relaunched itself in six dealerships. This marks the beginning of the brand’s ambitious ten-year plan, which aims to re-establish the brand in the European premium segment. The opening of six new showrooms took place over the weekend. The newly opened […]
June 17, 2024
The SNCF will increase the supply of seats on the TGV or HST by 15% in France and 10% internationally over the next ten years. Thanks to an increase in Ouigo’s low-cost trains, the expansion of that offer is possible. The SNCF in France is under strong pressure because different companies will launch regional high-speed […]
June 17, 2024
The first new electric buses ordered by Brussels public transport operator MIVB/STIB from German manufacturer Daimler Buses will be in service from July. This is reported by the newspapers La Capital and Le Soir. A total of 106 e-buses are involved. With this order, MIVB/STIB intends to replace its diesel models under the Euro-5 and […]
June 17, 2024
A new showroom for exclusive vehicles was inaugurated last weekend in the industrial zone in Heusden-Zolder, in Limburg (Belgium). Numerous models of Mercedes, BMW, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin, among others, are on display. However, they’re not real cars but electric children’s vehicles. The target group is children between three and eight years old. With […]
June 15, 2024
Chinese car manufacturer Nio has revealed the EL8, a new luxury SUV for Europe. The large SUV seats six, has a range of 500+ km, and will cost approximately €80,000 if nothing changes tax-wise. It will first be offered in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. According to the manufacturer, the EL8 will have […]
June 14, 2024
One year after Bpost put its thousandth electric delivery van into use, the Belgian postal company surpassed the 2,000 electric vehicle mark. This means that Bpost has doubled its fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles in just one year. These figures underline the company’s commitment to further reducing emissions and delivering CO2-free mail and parcels throughout […]
June 14, 2024
A new electric sedan from China, the Xpeng Mona 03, debuted online on 11 June. It is the first EV resulting from the collaboration between Xpeng Motors and ride-hailing service provider Didi. Xpeng Motors hasn’t revealed the M03’s specifications yet, but according to a report from Autohome, the new electric sedan should deliver a range […]
June 14, 2024
Petrochemical analysis samples can now be transported by drone from the Antwerp port area to a laboratory. The innovative project by SGS, German chemical giant BASF, and ADLC was launched to make port operations more efficient and reduce the environmental impact of transporting analysis samples. According to SGS, a Swiss multinational specializing in inspections and […]
June 14, 2024
The Chinese car manufacturer Chery confirmed that Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will use its M3X and E0X modular platforms for future battery-electric and plug-in cars, which will probably be sold mainly in China. To that end, JLR has signed a strategic agreement with Chery brand Exeed. JLR, owned by Indian Tata Motors, will use two […]
June 14, 2024
A majority of Tesla shareholders voted Thursday in Austin (Texas) to ratify CEO Elon Musk’s 2018 pay package worth $56 billion in stock after a Delaware judge rescinded that in January. They also approved moving Tesla’s incorporation site from Delaware to Texas, home to the automaker’s largest US factory. A move initiated in reply to […]
June 14, 2024
The EU Commission revealed on Wednesday the rate of the ‘intended’ extra taxes on imported Chinese EVs, ranging from 17.4 to 38.1% on top of the existing 10% import duties on all cars today. China, meanwhile, accuses the EU of intended protectionism and warns “not to go the wrong way.” It threatens to open a […]
June 14, 2024
Alpine, Renault’s performance brand, has officially entered the electric era by launching the A290, an electric hot hatch emphasizing performance, agility, and lightness. The new model marks a significant departure from Alpine’s traditional line-up and is set to debut later this year. The A290 is heavily inspired by last year’s Beta concept, bringing a bold […]
June 14, 2024
Mercedes-Benz is accelerating its electric vehicle infrastructure plans with a new deployment of cutting-edge charging technology from supplier Alpitronic. The German carmaker already collaborates with the provider for its branded high power charging (HPC) network, but the announced charging points offer up to 400 kW peak power. Alpitronic is Mercedes’ partner for the rollout of […]
