April 19, 2023
According to the newly published figures of the European car manufacturers association ACEA, the EU car market recorded a significant 28,8% increase in passenger car registrations in March, surpassing more than a million units (1 087 939). All the bloc’s most significant markets saw double-digit growth last month, with Spain (+66,1%) and Italy (+40,7%) in […]
April 19, 2023
Volkswagen will invest around one billion euros to establish a new R&D center for fully connected electric cars in Hefei, China, named ‘100%TechCo’. The Group announced the project at the Shanghai Auto Show on Tuesday and set ambitious targets for the unit charged with accelerating innovation locally. The project is to combine vehicle and component […]
April 18, 2023
The West-Flemish steel wire specialist Bekaert is to make additional investments in Belgium in the manufacture of and research into electrolysis materials to produce hydrogen. Bekeart is doing this by setting up a new plant in Wetteren, East Flanders. With the new plant, Bekaert will double its annual production capacity of porous transport layers or […]
April 18, 2023
French carmaker Renault is reviewing its pricing policies for electric cars worldwide to ensure it stays competitive after a wave of price cuts by U.S. rival Tesla, a top executive said on Monday, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, Renault presents a face-lift of its (ICE) best-seller, the Clio. After slashing prices several times in the United […]
April 18, 2023
Porsche has heavily revised its flagship SUV Cayenne to extend its lifespan beyond 2026 when its electric counterpart is set to be released. The facelift model gets a slightly modified look, more powerful engines, more tech on board, and a bigger battery for the E-Hybrid version, allowing for a much more usable EV range. Although […]
April 18, 2023
It was already known that the Belgian railroad company NMBS/SNCB will add up to 2 000 additional trains per week in the 2023-2026 transport plan and that there will also be late trains on Friday and Saturday evenings. However, NMBS/SNCB is developing a concrete update for the Brussels Region. For example, 26 stations in Brussels […]
April 18, 2023
Clinging onto its dynamic reputation, BMW has unveiled its fastest zero-emission car of the range. Out of a completely overhauled dual-motor powertrain, the model is called i7 M70 xDrive. This topliner can hit 100 km/hour from a standstill in 3,7 seconds with launch control, propelled by a combined output of 660 hp. The i7 lifts […]
April 18, 2023
Polestar has thrown the rear window, well, out of the window on its latest addition to the range. Though the number in its nametag suggests otherwise, the cross-over coupé 4 slots exactly between the sedan 2 and the larger SUV 3. The new model was unveiled at the press day of Auto Shanghai. Swedish-Chinese EV […]
April 18, 2023
Opulence with an environmental conscience in the automotive world is now possible thanks to the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV. It’s not only Maybach’s first electric model, but it also features some sustainable innovations for interior materials. The luxury car segment has never been healthier, which means Mercedes-Maybach can afford to expand its model range a bit […]
April 18, 2023
As promised, the Volkswagen brand officially showed its new ID flagship on the 17th of April. The almost five-meter-long ID.7 saloon has a new drive system and battery size and is trimmed for range and comfort to convince earlier European Passat clientele to change to electric drive. In addition, the promised 700 km range of […]
April 17, 2023
The Dutch subsidiary of automotive supplier International Automotive Components (IAC) is the first victim of BMW withdrawing production of the MINI at VDL Nedcar in Born. According to Dutch media, the factory will close in February 2024, with 100 people losing their jobs. IAC Group, with headquarters in Luxembourg, is a global supplier of innovative […]
April 17, 2023
Germany and the Netherlands are starting a cooperation on battery development for the European industry, by collaboration between two of their development nerve centers. The Dutch TNO Holst Center and the German Zentrum für Sonnenenergie un Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW) will join forces to remedy some of the pain points of the lithium-ion battery. TNO and ZSW […]
April 17, 2023
Last year, more than 4 700 serious or fatal accidents ended with a hit-and-run. A record number in ten years. According to the Belgian traffic safety institute Vias, most victims were cyclists (21%) and pedestrians ‘14%). Fortunately, the vast majority of perpetrators were identified. Vias pleads to step up the fight against drunk driving and […]
April 17, 2023
After more than ten years, Lancia has come out with a newly-designed car. The Pu+Ra HPE is not meant for production, but it shows the way for the next decade as Lancia embarks on its renaissance in the electric era. And it’s very much a designer’s car, with countless new materials, classic inspirations, and a […]
April 17, 2023
The reconstruction of the Schuman roundabout, located in the heart of Brussels’ European district, should begin by the end of this summer. To that end, a new public inquiry has been launched, and a new permit has also been requested, considering objections made earlier. However, according to Brussels Mobility, this new public inquiry is no […]
April 17, 2023
HiPhi, the young Chinese brand of the Human Horizons Group, is one step closer to launching in European markets. Its first model, the SUV called X, already for a while on sale in its homeland, completed TÜV SÜD testing in Germany successfully. The futuristic-looking Z sedan-GT and a compact SUV, called Y, just announced as […]
April 17, 2023
The Luvly brand is near to producing its microcar O, which can ship as a flatpack and puts a strong accent on safety. With a length of 2,7 meters and a weight of five times less than a regular battery-powered car, the Luvly O joins the growing ‘cuddly’ category of tiny cars like the Citroën […]
April 17, 2023
Ahead of the official premiere, more photos and the first technical data of the new Mini Cooper have appeared on the internet. This model is being produced in cooperation with the Chinese company Great Wall and will be available in EV and ICE versions. The pictures show a blue Mini with a white painted roof, […]
April 14, 2023
Saturday, April 15th, will be a historical day for Germany. After more than sixty years, the nuclear era will come to an end. Precisely at midnight, the last three nuclear reactors in the country will shut down. Isar 2 in Bavaria, Emsland in Lower Saxony, and Neckarwestheim 2 in Baden-Württembergare are the last three reactors […]
April 14, 2023
Images and preliminary info of MG’s all-electric roadster have been released before its official debut at the Chinese motor show Auto Shanghai later this month. The body type of a roadster is historically rooted in the back-then British brand, but this new version is in every sense a modern take on that old formula. Instead […]
April 14, 2023
Japanese carmaker Toyota takes a further step in its global multi-tech strategy for decarbonizing conventional drivelines. With oil giant Exxon Mobile, it has partnered to test so-called low-carbon fuels in some ICE models. According to the official statement, the potential is to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint by 75%. Even though Toyota is gradually adopting […]
April 14, 2023
Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB is renovating toilets in 14 major train stations “according to a new total concept”. NMBS/SNCB will collaborate with specialized Dutch company 2theloo for this purpose. The existing toilets in the 14 stations will be gradually rebuilt over the coming months, with partial or complete renovations. With the new uniform concept, there […]
April 14, 2023
Group Renault has made a deal with battery manufacturer Verkor from Grenoble to buy the bulk – the equivalent of 12 GWh of a total capacity of 16 GWh – of its Dunkirk gigafactory’s production from 2025. That will allow Renault to equip between 130 000 and 200 000 electric vehicles annually. Renault Group is […]
April 13, 2023
On Wednesday, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new tailpipe emission limits that could require as much as 67% of all new vehicles sold in the US by 2023 to be fully electric. “A very ambitious proposal,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan called it. The proposed limits are considered the country’s most aggressive climate regulations, […]
April 13, 2023
Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB is behind schedule for the electrification of its bus fleet. So reports the newspaper La Capital. However, that time is short may be clear because, in 2025, a series of buses of MIVB/STIB will no longer meet the standards of the low-emission zone (LEZ). Delays in construction or transformation of […]
April 13, 2023
A lot of Belgians still have cold feet when it comes to switching to an electric car, especially in the case of private cars. One in three is plainly negative toward EVs, and only one in four is willing to consider buying one in the next five years. Moreover, higher purchase prices and soaring energy […]
April 13, 2023
Ford is investing heavily in its Oakville, Ontario assembly plant to transform it into an EV production hub, including a battery pack assembly factory. The Canadian plant, which currently produces the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus, will become an important keystone in EV production for North America. The investment of 1,8 billion Canadian dollars (ca. […]
April 13, 2023
Amsterdam should become a full-fledged European hub for train travel across Europe by 2025. So says the top woman of the Eurostar Group, Gwendoline Cazenave, in an interview with the Dutch news agency ANP. An additional Eurostar train and a redevelopment of Amsterdam Central Station should contribute. Currently, four trains depart daily from Amsterdam for […]
April 13, 2023
On Wednesday, we announced that at least one out of ten sales in Q1 for the BMW Group was electric. Competitor Mercedes-Benz now announced that it scored almost at the same level for its fully electric car sales in the first quarter of 2023. Sales of battery-electric passenger cars almost doubled to 51 600 units […]
April 13, 2023
Volkswagen has unveiled a new generation of drive units for its Modular Electric Building platform (MEB). The rear-axle drive APP550 comprises a newly developed power unit that is supposed to offer more power and improved efficiency simultaneously. We already talked recently about the APP550: this drive unit has been manufactured by VW Group Components in […]
April 12, 2023
In Germany, Freudenberg e-Power Systems and the MEYER WERFT shipyard are working to equip a new 728-passenger cruise ship with a huge fuel cell and battery system that will support all the hotel functions of the ship, promising zero emissions. A world first, sponsored with €15,6 million by the German government. Now under construction in […]
April 12, 2023
Last year, wind and solar energy generated 12% of electricity worldwide – a new record. Still, the share of renewables remains smaller than that of coal. That is the conclusion of the global energy think tank Ember. The organization recently published its fourth ‘Global Electricity Review’ based on the open data of the electricity sector […]
April 12, 2023
Still under camouflage, Smart has unveiled the first pictures of the #3 on Sina Weibo, the Chinese microblog site. This model shares most of its technical components with the #1, but should be regarded as the bigger brother. We know ‘big’ remains a strange word to us in the Smart context, as the recently launched […]
April 12, 2023
More than 1,6 million passengers in March traveled through Brussels Airport, an increase of 42% compared to March 2022. Furthermore, the share of departing transfer passengers was over 17%, an increase of 84% compared to 2022. Brussels Airport reported this. The increase is partly due to the (extended) semester break in French-speaking schools and the […]
April 12, 2023
While total sales for Q1 of 2023 were slightly lower at 588 138 units (-1,5%), there was (again) a significant growth of BEV sales. BMW Group delivered 64 647 fully electric BMW and Mini vehicles, an 83,2% increase compared to Q1 of 2022. This means 11% of the Group’s sales are fully electric. If plug-in […]
April 12, 2023
By the decade’s end, the Hyundai Group wants to be one of the top three global EV makers. So the Korean carmaker is piling up sales from its three house brands (Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis) to bolster that ambition. It targets an annual production of 3,64 million all-electric cars spread over 31 models. The road […]
April 12, 2023
The waterbus between Brussels and Vilvoorde carried 45 535 passengers in 2022. This reports the operator Rivertours, which has been offering waterbus trips since 2013. The figures are more than a five-fold increase compared to the launch year. Because the boats’ capacity was limited during the corona years of 2020 and 2021, comparison with those […]
April 12, 2023
Nine years after the closure of the Ford automobile factory, vehicles are being assembled again in Genk (Limburg). In November, Rhenus Automotive will start assembling John Deere agricultural vehicles: tractors, riding mowers, and off-road vehicles. In the coming months, several million will be invested in infrastructure and assembly lines. Precise figures are not mentioned yet, […]
April 11, 2023
To see it actually appear on European roads, we’ll have to wait until summer, but a limited number of international journalists got the opportunity to test some pre-production models of the new Chinese Aiways U6 on Portuguese roads. Newmobility.news took the challenge, and the U6 didn’t disappoint. Again, the Chinese prove they can give a […]
April 11, 2023
Like Toyota, Kia has unveiled its electrification strategy for the near future with an updated version of its ‘Plan S’. That includes a growth strategy with a goal of 4,3 million vehicles sold yearly by 2030, with an EV market share of around 40%. In addition, the Korean manufacturer wants to make niche ‘Purpose-Built Vehicles’ […]
April 11, 2023
The gap between suppliers and car manufacturers in Germany grew last year. “While car manufacturers are currently earning splendidly despite the crisis, many suppliers have their backs to the wall,” said Constantin Gall, head of the mobility division for Western Europe at Ernst & Young (EY). Last year, the German automotive industry boosted sales by […]
April 11, 2023
In its home market, Tesla has once again lowered retail prices for the third time this year. The company wants to expand its output aggressively and tries to keep demand rising as competition is building up. The Model S and X each drop by 5 000 dollars, the Model 3 by 1 000 dollars, and […]
April 11, 2023
Man’s best friend is getting a promotion to a digital assistant. Mini debuts the English Bulldog Spike in its Concept Aceman for the Auto Shanghai show, starting next week on April 18th. It’s still a design concept for now, but Spike will make its way into Mini’s digital ecosystem in the future. Spike has been […]
April 11, 2023
Airbus Helicopters, the helicopter manufacturing division of the European aircraft giant Airbus, has signed a contract to supply 50 H160 helicopters to GDAT, one of China’s largest helicopter leasing and operating companies. The order is estimated to be worth between 750 million and 1 billion dollars. It is the most significant H160 order in the […]
April 11, 2023
Ralf Herbrich is a German computer scientist at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam just outside Berlin. He previously investigated the role of artificial intelligence in the daily operations of big companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, and Zalando. Herbrich now wants to use his experience to increase battery pack life in electric cars – and […]
April 11, 2023
The greening of the van fleet is progressing slowly. That is why Deputy Prime Minister Petra De Sutter (Groen) wants to make electric vans more tax-efficient. De Sutter pleads for a temporary increase of the tax deductibility from 8 to 40 percent. In other words, a self-employed person or SME buying an environmentally friendly van […]
April 11, 2023
In his first speech as the new Toyota CEO, Koji Sato said on Friday that Toyota Motor Corporation would expand its electric vehicle line-up with ten new models and sharply increase its EV sales to 1,5 million units annually by 2026 and 3,5 million in 2030. The company sold 24 000 EVs out of 10,48 […]
April 07, 2023
Of the planned 1 966 Hoppin Points in Flanders, barely 65 have been completed today, only three percent of the network, the newspaper Het Belang van Limburg writes. However, the new mobility hubs envisioned by the Flemish Minister for Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) are crucial in the Basic Accessibility plan. That plan designs a […]
April 07, 2023
American FreeWire Technologies is bringing its unique take on fast charging to Belgium and other European countries under its own name. Its chargers with integrated battery storage have the advantage that they can be rolled out quickly. Later this month, the company is opening its European Headquarters in Banbury, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. As installing high-speed […]
April 07, 2023
The all-new, all-electric 2025 Ram 1500 REV – the first battery-electric light-duty pickup truck from Ram Truck – made its world debut at the New York International Auto Show. With an optional 229 kWh battery pack, the pickup truck has a targeted range of 805 km. “The all-electric Ram 1500 REV is a monumental milestone […]
April 06, 2023
Just before the presentation of the new Ford E-Transit Courier, we got a chance to sit down with the CEO of Ford’s commercial vehicle operation Ted Cannis. He offered some insight on what’s next for Ford Pro, and how he would like to see some support from the Belgian government for electric commercial vehicles. “At […]
April 06, 2023
Bike 43, the Brussels-based company that makes long-tail bikes, will triple its production in its second year of operation. The aim is to produce 10 000 bikes over the next three years. To do so, it raised 1 million euros from investors. “The funds are exclusively dedicated to working capital for the stock of bicycle […]
April 06, 2023
Dredging and marine engineering companies DEME and Jan De Nul, and Aertssen Group in JV Terranova, specialized in infrastructure works, join forces with energy providers Luminus and Nippon Gases to build and exploit a production unit for green hydrogen in Zelzate. The companies have established a new partnership Terranova Hydrogen NV. The three companies will […]
April 06, 2023
Five years ago, with much ado, the so-called ‘beer train’ was launched, a train between the AB InBev brewery in Jupille, Liège, and the distribution center of the supermarket chain Delhaize in Ninove, East Flanders. That train was supposed to take 5 000 trucks a year off the road. Now it turns out that it […]
April 06, 2023
Ford has revealed a new generation of its most compact commercial vehicle, the Transit Courier. This new model improves its practicality with a larger cargo area and will also get an electric version. In contrast to its bigger brothers, Transit Connect and Transit Custom, this model was not built in collaboration with Volkswagen. The new […]
April 06, 2023
The Belgian safety institute VIAS has confirmed with an independent study what several others, among which some leading leasing and HR service companies, claimed for more than a year: the electric car is the cheapest option today and in the long term compared to vehicles with a combustion engine (ICE). Except for the smallest city […]
April 06, 2023
VW ID.7 testing is in its last weeks. Shortly before the world premiere of Volkswagen’s future ID. flagship on 17 April, VW provides pictures of the last test drives and delivers more details on the electric sedan’s drive, chassis, and comfort features. The VW ID.7 will have a new, specially developed electric drive when it […]
April 06, 2023
A year ago, we first mentioned the Taito, the first product of a young Ghent start-up. The three-wheeler e-scooter is now ready for sale and will cost €2 590, available through the Bike Republic sales network. That’s more than the initially suggested retail price of €1 750 back in 2022, but the company argues that […]
April 06, 2023
Rivian has published its official Q1 2023 production and delivery numbers, with 9 395 and 7 946 vehicles, respectively. That is slightly less still than the numbers achieved in Q4 2022, although the American EV start-up assures its customers and investors that Rivian is on track to produce 50 000 vehicles in 2023. Life is […]
April 06, 2023
After facing numerous delays and difficulty finding – and keeping – workers, Tesla’s Brandenburg Gigafactory near Berlin has finally ramped up to full speed with three shifts. And a fourth weekend shift could also be on the cards if the production rate keeps increasing, with a cheaper and more compact Tesla on the horizon. It’s […]
