ACEA report: growth returns, but Europe’s car industry loses its edge

April 03, 2026

The latest Economic and Market Report for full-year 2025 from ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, paints a cautiously optimistic picture on the surface, but a deeper reading reveals a more unsettling reality for Europe’s automotive sector. While the headline figures point to stabilizing macroeconomic conditions and modest market growth, the underlying data highlights structural […]

Electra opens Belgium’s first 1000 kW ‘flash charging’ station

April 02, 2026

Electra, one of Belgium’s leading fast-charging operators, has opened Belgium’s first 1000 kW station in Malle. The chargers themselves have a capacity of 1000 kW, but ‘only’ 600 kW is available per car. Although that’s still enough to recharge them in the time it takes to have a coffee and bathroom break on the road. […]

Millions of ghost passengers at NMBS: figures corrected, profits drop again

April 02, 2026

“Sometimes the wrong train takes you to the right place,” goes a well-known saying. It’s a perfect quote to describe the optimism with which the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB viewed its own passenger figures during all those difficult years, because it now turns out that those figures were far too high for years. Meanwhile, […]

Stellantis faces a massive recall… again

April 02, 2026

Auto manufacturing group Stellantis has to recall 700,000 vehicles worldwide due to a fire risk. Models built between 2023 and 2026 have components from the fuel and electrical systems that are too close together, posing a potential fire hazard. In Belgium, 22,000 vehicles are concerned. Stellantis is facing yet another reliability concern with its vehicles. […]

Brussels wants to lower the price of CO2 emissions

April 02, 2026

The European Commission wants to limit high energy costs for heavy industry by lowering the price European companies pay to Brussels for their CO2 emissions. It would give entrepreneurs more financial breathing room in times of high energy prices and geopolitical unrest. A growing number of countries, including Poland and Italy, have been pushing for […]

World Car of the Year 2026 is the BMW iX3

April 02, 2026

At the New York International Auto Show, the World Car Awards for 2026 have been revealed. It was the 22nd time that a car obtained the title of World Car of the Year, and this year it was the new BMW iX3, the first of the ‘Neue Klasse’, that won. The World Car Awards are […]

Belux car sales up 8.8% in March, almost 54% of them electrified

April 02, 2026

According to data from the federal public service Mobility and the sector federation Febiac, 43,733 new cars were registered in Belgium and Luxembourg, an increase of 8.8% compared to last year. In the first three months (YTD), 113,805 new cars were sold, a 5.9% decrease from the same period last year. Most noticeable in March: […]

Inside BMW’s urban iFactory: how the new i3 transforms Munich production

April 02, 2026

The start of production of the new BMW i3 this summer marks more than just the launch of another electric vehicle. It signals a fundamental transformation at BMW Group Plant Munich, one of the most unusual and strategically important car factories in Europe. As BMW invited the international press, we were able to visit the […]

Skydiving from an e-plane? For now, it remains Cerfontaine’s dream

April 02, 2026

The Société Wallone des Aéroports (SOWAER) has appointed a new manager for Cerfontaine airfield, located in the province of Namur. The new manager aims to make the site more environmentally friendly, in part by using an electric aircraft for the skydiving school operating there. However, it’s not that simple: Fully electric aircraft specifically designed for […]

End of the road for Volvo’s go-it-alone strategy as Geely calls the shots

April 01, 2026

Volvo Cars is drawing closer to sister brand Polestar and its Chinese parent, Geely, through a pair of moves that signal the end of the Swedish carmaker’s long-running independence. Volvo has long benefitted from an exclusive position within the Geely group, lending the brand a strong independence to safeguard its Swedish roots. But that privilege […]

Extra Belgian flights, grounded older jets: airlines’ summer dilemma

April 01, 2026

As demand rises, Brussels Airlines will operate additional flights during the summer vacation. It will therefore add approximately 170 extra round-trip flights within Europe, providing 60,000 additional seats. Lufthansa, the group to which Brussels Airlines belongs, is, on the other hand, exploring various scenarios to cope with rising kerosene prices driven by the war in […]

Is the new Citroën 2CV finally coming?

April 01, 2026

With retro design very popular these days and new EU regulations promoting small European EVs, the time may have come for a modern version of the iconic Citroën 2CV. Rumors have it that Citroën wants to surprise everybody at the next Paris Motor Show in October with an entirely new 2CV Concept. Citroen’s new CEO, […]

New Volvo hydrogen truck coincides with Toyota–Daimler alliance

April 01, 2026

The unveiling on Wednesday of a new hydrogen-powered truck by Volvo Group marks a decisive moment for the future of long-haul transport. Presented alongside plans by Toyota Motor Corporation to join Daimler Truck and Volvo as equal shareholders in their fuel-cell joint venture Cellcentric, the move highlights a growing industrial push to bring hydrogen into […]

From test to traffic: Colruyt’s driverless deliveries go live in Leuven

April 01, 2026

On Tuesday, Colruyt’s online grocery service Collect&Go launched an innovative home delivery service in Leuven using an unmanned electric vehicle. The project began as a pilot earlier.  The launch is part of the broader development of sustainable and efficient urban logistics. The vehicle is – for the time being – remotely controlled and monitored via […]

From Inchcape to Beherman: Roosen takes wheel at Benelux importer

April 01, 2026

Beherman Motors has appointed Michael Roosen as its new Chief Executive Officer, bringing in a seasoned automotive executive who is making the move from Inchcape Belux, where he was CEO from 2019  to 2024. Roosen is to lead the Benelux importer and distributor into its next growth phase. No coincidence, just as the company expands […]

Massimo Fumarola is the new VP Strategy & Product Performance at Alpine

April 01, 2026

Alpine announces today the appointment of Massimo Fumarola as Vice President Strategy & Product Performance, effective on 1st April 2026. He will join the Alpine Management Committee and report directly to Philippe Krief, the brand’s Chief Executive Officer. Sovany Ang, who previously held this position, is taking on other responsibilities within Renault Group. 30 years […]

Skoda Peaq spotted: flagship 7-seat EV steps into the spotlight

March 31, 2026

The Skoda Peaq is coming mid-2026 as not only the largest electric model in the range, but the largest Skoda full stop. It promises more than 600 kilometers of range, seats up to 7 people, and should also be the most comfortable Skoda yet. In preparation for its full unveiling, the Czech brand has snapped […]

Belgium to mandate helmets for e-scooters over 20 km/h

March 31, 2026

Minister of Mobility Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) wants to introduce a mandatory helmet law for users of e-scooters exceeding 20 kilometers per hour and has drafted a royal decree to that end. His goal is clear: to save lives. Emergency doctors have long been advocating for a helmet mandate, and now politicians are following suit. The rule […]

A full charge in nine minutes? BYD Song Ultra storms the market

March 31, 2026

BYD is fighting a downward trend in its home market. And the best remedy to counter such a dip is a fresh product. Enter the Song Ultra EV, a car that aims to set a benchmark for what a mid-size electric SUV can deliver for the money. Buyers didn’t fail to notice. The Ultra is […]

Geely puts Volvo in charge to fix Lynk & Co’s troubled European execution

March 31, 2026

Volvo Cars will take responsibility for the commercial and brand operations of its sister-brand Lynk & Co in Europe, marking a decisive step in Geely Holding Group’s accelerating strategy to integrate its brands and scale more efficiently on the continent. The move, announced on March 30, gives Volvo Cars control over Lynk & Co’s European […]

Flemish Mobility Minister pushes through with car inspection reforms

March 30, 2026

Despite criticism from all sides, Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (N-VA) is pushing through her plans to reorganize the car inspection. The Minister wants to change and simplify the system because, in her eyes, it’s ‘gold-plated’ and asks too much of the common Flemish car owner. The most important changes are the abolition of […]

Less trucks, more boats: Brussels maps ‘greener’ construction future

March 30, 2026

The Port of Brussels is launching an interactive map to facilitate the transport of construction materials via waterways. The tool is primarily aimed at large shipments exceeding 1,000 tons. The interactive map mainly targets companies active in the construction sector, logistics, and large urban construction sites that wish to reduce their carbon footprint, as the […]

Skoda Elroq and Enyaq 2026 get frunk, V2L, LFP and more

March 30, 2026

Skoda has updated its popular electric SUVs, Elroq and Enyaq, for the 2026 model year. Both models get practical improvements, like a frunk and bidirectional charging, as well as a completely revamped infotainment system. The updated Elroq and Enyaq will launch in mid-2026. The Skoda Enyaq was one of the most popular electric SUVs in […]

Pieter De Crem new chairman of high-voltage group Elia

March 30, 2026

Pieter De Crem (CD&V) was appointed chairman of high-voltage group Elia in February. This is stated in the company’s annual report. He succeeds Geert Versnick, who passed away last November.  De Crem has been a member of the board of directors of the high-voltage group since 2021. He has also been appointed chairman of Elia […]

Passenger flights resume at Liège Airport

March 30, 2026

Starting in October, AirBaltic will operate passenger flights to the Canary Islands from Liège Airport. The regional airport had not had any passenger flights since the beginning of this year, following TUI fly’s departure. The flights are scheduled through the end of March 2027 and are now available for booking. Twice weekly The Latvian airline […]

Still no LEZ fines in Brussels: what drivers need to know from April 1

March 30, 2026

It appears that, as of April 1, you are still safe for the time being from the automatic €350 fine for drivers entering the Brussels Low-Emission Zone (LEZ) in a Euro 5 diesel or Euro 2 gasoline vehicle. Even though your vehicle is officially banned, no fines will be issued for the vehicles in question […]

Beherman named FUSO importer in Netherlands, completing Benelux push

March 30, 2026

The Belgian family-owned Beherman Group is entering a new phase in its long history, with its subsidiary Beherman Motors appointed as the official importer of Mitsubishi FUSO Truck and Bus Corporation vehicles in the Netherlands, expanding its territory to the entire Benelux. By taking over this role from Daimler Truck, the group not only grows […]

White gold rush? Belgium joins hunt for hidden hydrogen bonanza

March 30, 2026

Last week, we reported that a gigantic white hydrogen bubble had been found, presumably extending across the subsurface beneath France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium. There would be an estimated 34 million tons of soil, equivalent to 14 years of Belgium’s electricity consumption. Natural hydrogen fields are rare but highly useful to the industry. Scientists suspect […]

World’s largest electric carmaker BYD posts first profit drop in four years 

March 30, 2026

BYD, the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer, reported a 19% decline in net profit for 2025. It’s the company’s first such drop in four years. The results reveal the growing cost of competing in China’s saturated EV market. BYD is hastily looking beyond its home borders to counter the downward trend. The numbers in brief […]

Dutch motorcycle tax fraud grows as imports rise, Belgium in focus

March 30, 2026

The Dutch motorcycle market is facing a growing fraud issue involving the country’s purchase tax system, with industry organisations warning that millions of euros in revenue may be lost each year through manipulation of import values. According to RAI Vereniging, large-scale fraud is taking place in the import of second-hand motorcycles, a problem first highlighted […]

Geely integrates European engineering centers

March 30, 2026

The Chinese car manufacturer Geely is restructuring its European development activities by consolidating operations in Sweden and Germany under the new Geely Technology Europe unit. The move is intended to strengthen the region’s role within the group’s global development network. The move comes at the same time as the arrival of Geely-branded cars in Europe. […]

BMW wants your old car back and turns it into its next one

March 27, 2026

The BMW Group is taking a decisive next step in its industrial transformation by announcing a new “Competence Centre Circularity” at its Wackersdorf site in Germany. The company plans to invest a mid-three-digit million euro amount in the project, which is scheduled to be fully operational by around 2029. Once completed, the facility will significantly […]

Cupra updates Tavascan with a more accessible base version

March 27, 2026

Cupra has quietly updated the Tavascan and added a new entry-level battery variant. A much larger instrument cluster and a revised steering wheel also join the facelift, but the sleek coupe-SUV silhouette remains firmly intact. The Tavascan serves as Cupra’s flagship model, but it has been struggling to find inroads at customers’ driveways. With a […]

Ford’s new Transit City uses a chapter from China’s playbook

March 27, 2026

With the Transit City, Ford Pro has chosen a strategy as surprising as it is logical: an electric van that draws its cost structure from a Chinese joint venture and its credibility from decades of Transit heritage. In a segment that is slowly but irreversibly going electric, Ford is betting on a combination no pure […]

Lose an hour, risk a crash: why summer time change can be dangerous

March 27, 2026

This weekend, on the night between Saturday and Sunday, we’ll switch from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time. At 2:00 a.m., the clock will be set forward one hour, making it 3:00 a.m., which means we’ll get one hour less sleep. But drivers, take note: That single stolen hour of sleep can also have a […]

VW ID.Polo’s real face revealed in online leak (update)

March 27, 2026

Weeks before the official launch, pictures have leaked on the internet of the new ID.Polo, Volkswagen’s highly anticipated €25,000 EV model. Even the more powerful GTI was unveiled at what appeared to be an internal presentation in Wolfsburg. The interior and the back of the car remain undisclosed. The pictures reveal what the camouflaged versions […]

Europ Assistance barometer: EV skepticism or confusion?

March 27, 2026

A new Belgian snapshot from the Europ Assistance Mobility Barometer seems to confirm a familiar narrative: a majority of Belgians (62%) say they are not yet prepared to choose a fully electric car as their next vehicle. But beyond the headline figures, the survey reveals a more fundamental gap between perception and reality that continues […]

Looks like a Porsche, powered by Huawei: the Aistaland GT7

March 27, 2026

Aistaland is the latest joint venture from Chinese technology giant Huawei and an existing auto manufacturer, in this case, state-owned GAC. Its first model is the GT7, an electric shooting brake bearing a strong resemblance to the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo. It will launch in China in June 2026. Aistaland won’t be an easy name […]

Belgian and Norwegian royals mark naming of DEME’s Norse Wind

March 26, 2026

On March 25th, 2026, the Belgian-based dredging company DEME celebrated the naming of its next-generation wind turbine installation vessel ‘Norse Wind’. The celebration, which was held at the Port of Oslo, marks a significant addition to DEME’s offshore installation fleet. Prior to the naming ceremony, DEME was honored to welcome Their Majesties the King and the […]

Brussels Airport adds 8 new destinations and 5 new airlines

March 26, 2026

Travelers will be able to fly directly from Brussels Airport to 180 destinations this summer season, which starts on Sunday. Eight new destinations have been added compared to last summer.  For the first time, there are even more direct flights to China than to the US. Since last Tuesday, Air China, one of the world’s largest […]

ENGIE to roll out 835 public chargers across Brussels Region

March 26, 2026

Energy provider ENGIE Vianeo has been awarded a contract to install 835 charging stations for the Brussels-Capital Region. The charging stations must be installed within 2 years. The locations, spread across the Brussels-Capital Region, were determined in collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Brussels Environment. They are located based on “heat maps” that […]

Skoda to end sales in China in 2026

March 26, 2026

Czech carmaker Skoda, part of the Volkswagen Group, will officially exit China by mid-year, underscoring the challenges foreign brands face amid fierce competition in the world’s largest auto market. Struggling to keep pace with China’s rapid shift toward electric vehicles (EVs), Skoda will withdraw from the market by mid-2026, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing the company. Before […]

Germany bets with new plan on EVs to close climate gap

March 26, 2026

Germany’s Environment Minister Carsten Schneider has unveiled the Climate Protection Program 2026. The government’s joint plan sets out strategic decisions to achieve climate neutrality, including measures to expand electric mobility. Germany is legally committed to achieving greenhouse gas neutrality by 2045. Under the Federal Climate Protection Act, emissions must be cut by at least 65% […]

Geely lands core brand in Benelux to take on EU’s mass EV market

March 26, 2026

Chinese carmaker Geely Auto is bringing its core, mass-market brand to the Benelux, explicitly positioning it as the group’s volume player alongside its more upmarket sister brands. The launch, announced in Amsterdam, is not just about two new SUVs, but about how Geely intends to structure its presence in Europe: with Geely Auto targeting affordability […]

Sony-Honda Afeela scrapped: from CES showpiece to EV reality check

March 26, 2026

Just months after confidently outlining a 2026 market launch, Sony Honda Mobility has pulled the plug on the Afeela 1. What was supposed to be one of the most tech-forward electric sedans on the market has become the latest casualty of a rapidly changing EV landscape, one that is proving far less forgiving than expected. […]

3% drop in EU road fatalities, yet progress remains too slow

March 25, 2026

According to preliminary figures from the European Commission, 19,400 people lost their lives in traffic in the European Union in 2025. This represents a 3 percent decrease from 2024, resulting in 580 fewer fatalities. However, progress is “too slow” to meet the 2030 target. “Given the increase in the number of vehicles on EU roads and […]

From Limburg to Antwerp: regions unite against De Lijn cuts

March 25, 2026

Calm has by no means returned at the Flemish public transportation company De Lijn now that the Flemish government is planning cuts of 35,5 million euros. These cuts would lead to the elimination or shortening of several bus routes in the various provinces. Following an initial week of action in mid-March, the unions at De […]

Renault appoints Thomas Marneffe as new Sales Director for Belux

March 25, 2026

Renault has appointed Thomas Marneffe as the new Sales Director for the Renault brand in Belgium and Luxembourg (Belux), effective April 2026. He succeeds Jan Schmook, a long-standing Renault executive who retires after a career spanning more than four decades within the group, closing a chapter marked by continuity and deep institutional knowledge. Marneffe, 42, […]

From Defender to departure: design chief Gerry McGovern exits JLR

March 25, 2026

Last year’s rumours have been officially confirmed. Longtime designer at Jaguar Land Rover, Gerry McGovern, is stepping down. One of the most powerful creative voices in the British car industry is heading out on his own, launching a design consultancy. JLR has confirmed that McGovern will formally leave the company at the end of March […]

French-Belgian border hides 34-million-ton white hydrogen treasure

March 25, 2026

In Pontpierre, near Metz, in northeastern France, hydrogen has been tapped in its natural form. Drilling to a depth of more than 3,600 meters has now confirmed the presence of a significant amount. The white hydrogen bubble was discovered three years ago, but has only now been tapped. The hydrogen bubble is said to extend into […]

VW Group plans recall of around 100,000 BEVs

March 25, 2026

The Volkswagen Group plans to recall several electric models based on the MEB platform. According to the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA or Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt), this affects 74,579 units globally of the ID. 3, ID. 4, ID. 5, and ID. Buzz, and ID. Buzz Cargo series, as well as 19,452 Cupra Born vehicles. The issue […]

The real driver of Europe’s EV shift: a €67 billion oil problem

March 25, 2026

The spike in interest in electric vehicles triggered by the Iran war and the resulting oil price surge is real. But treating it as just another short-lived ‘fuel panic effect’ risks missing the bigger shift underway. Europe spends around €67 billion a year importing oil just to keep its cars running. That structural dependency, rather […]

EU car registrations in February up 1.4%, BEV share 18.8% YTD

March 25, 2026

In January-February 2026, year-to-date (YTD), new EU car registrations fell by 1.2% compared to the same period last year, easing the challenging start to the year witnessed in January (-3.9%). In February alone, sales rose by 1.4%. The battery-electric car market share reached 18.8% YTD, highlighting the continued potential for further growth. These are data […]

Luxembourg’s R3 Robotics tackles EV recycling nobody has cracked yet

March 24, 2026

The electric vehicle recycling chain faces a problem that rarely makes headlines: safely breaking a complex, high-voltage electric drivetrain apart before any actual recycling can begin. Luxembourg-based start-up R3 Robotics, formerly known as Circu Li-ion, has just made that problem its entire identity. The company announced a formal rebranding alongside a €20 million fundraising. But […]

Most e-scooters sold in Belgium barely meet regulatory standards

March 24, 2026

As many as 35 of the 40 e-scooters inspected in Belgian stores and online shops do not comply with legal requirements. This is according to recent inspections by the Economic Inspectorate. Half of the e-scooters inspected were sold online; the other half were sold in physical stores. Only three of the scooters sold online complied […]

Antwerp galloping into the electric age without the horse

March 24, 2026

Thibault Danthine, the man behind the innovative electric carriages in Brussels, is now also launching sustainable, electric tourist carriage rides in Antwerp. According to the Gazet van Antwerpen, Danthine is starting with two carriages in Antwerp, and, as in the capital, they will be stationed on the Grand Place. For the welfare of the horses and […]

TotalEnergies takes Trump’s $1 billion bait to ditch wind for oil

March 24, 2026

The French energy company TotalEnergies is canceling two major offshore wind projects in the United States. In return, the company is receiving almost $1 billion from the US government, provided that the funds are reinvested in fossil fuel projects in the country. The world upside down? The Donald Trump administration and TotalEnergies announced the deal […]

China’s battery grip tightens: 70% of the global market and rising

March 24, 2026

The numbers are in, and they make for uncomfortable reading if you’re sitting in Seoul, Detroit, or Brussels. Last year, Chinese battery manufacturers controlled 70.4% of the global EV battery market, up 20% from the year before. Basically, all car-producing nations outside of China are losing the battle for battery independence. Gradually, the fears are […]

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