March 17, 2023
The French oil and gas concern TotalEnergies sells all its gas stations in Germany and the Netherlands – almost 1 600 – to Alimentation Couche-Tard, the Canadian multinational operator of convenience stores, offering a wide variety of products for people on the go. In Belgium and Luxembourg, TotalEnergies is the market leader with 619 gas […]
March 17, 2023
In its Antwerp hub, DHL Belgium took delivery of its first batch of electric vans. It’s the first step in the company’s goal to deploy an entire zero-emission fleet by 2030. The choice for the Ford e-Transit is no coincidence. DHL was a partner during the product development phase. The hundred zero-emission e-Transit models won’t […]
March 17, 2023
At Audi AG’s annual media conference, CEO Markus Duesmann and CFO Jürgen Rittersberger addressed the key financials for the 2022 fiscal year and focused on strategic decision-making, holistic sustainability, and the upcoming model initiative. Markus Duesmann: “Even here in Germany, we are feeling the impact of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine quite directly […]
March 16, 2023
BMW plans at least six model launches within 24 months for the ‘New Class’ electric cars from 2025 onward. To this end, additional plants are to be converted for the production of these electric cars. More concrete information on the platform and the first models will be available in September. Electric cars based on the […]
March 16, 2023
Tesla has implemented the first batch of V4 Superchargers in Harderwijk, the Netherlands, which offers improved compatibility with a wider range of vehicles thanks to a longer charging cable and the ability to offer up to 1 000 V and a theoretical 615 kW of electricity. Tesla has been gradually improving their Supercharger fast-charging stations, […]
March 16, 2023
Volkswagen has just presented the ID.2all concept. The long-expected low-cost ID.2 also previews VW’s new design language. The series ID.2. scheduled for 2025 will be “as spacious as a Golf, as inexpensive as a Polo”. The target price lies below €25 000. At the same time, VW announces it will further accelerate its electrification strategy. […]
March 15, 2023
Dutch fast-charger company Fastned announced it has won a tender for building two large fast-charging plazas with 12 chargers each along the E17 highway in Gentbrugge (Belgium). As a first, Fastned will be able to equip the EV-charging-only resting area with coffee and sandwich shops, restrooms, and a child playground. The E17 is a crucial […]
March 15, 2023
In the next five years, two-thirds of VW Group’s investments will be turned to electric and connected cars. The Group foresees €122 billion in investments in electrification, 68% of its total investment portfolio of €180 billion. The latter is also heightened by 13% compared to earlier multi-annual plans of the Group. At the same time, […]
March 14, 2023
Vilvoorde Viaduct is to undergo a major renovation that will take some eight years to carry out. Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters (Open VLD) has announced this. The viaduct, one of the busiest traffic points in Western Europe with an average of about 150 000 vehicles passing over it every day, […]
March 14, 2023
Porsche’s performance grew by 13% last year. As the sports carmaker managed revenue of 37,6 billion euros, it saw figures rising to a record high thanks to increasing demand and a growing interest for more exclusive personalized models. As a result, profit came in at 6.,8 billion euros. Porsche sold 309 884 units last year. […]
March 14, 2023
After Poland and Italy, a third EU member state, Germany, rejected the EU’s Parliament’s decision to ban ICE cars by 2035. Inside the German government, there is a serious disagreement between the liberal FDP party and the Green party, both members of the government coalition. The German Digital and Transport Minister Volker Wissing has blocked […]
March 13, 2023
The Belgian federal authorities will only buy or lease electric service vehicles from July 2024. The Council of Ministers has approved a plan by Minister of Civil Service Petra De Sutter (Groen) to this effect. One consequence of the measure is that by 2030 most service vehicles within the federal government will drive sustainably. The […]
March 13, 2023
Mercedes plans the rollout of its own high-speed charging network. Called HiPower, North American customers will be served first with 20 fast charging plazas, but other major markets, like Europe and China, will follow. The first charging plazas in Europe will be built in Germany and France starting in Q4 of this year, the boss […]
March 10, 2023
A new study by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung, IFEU), commissioned by Transport & Environment (T&E) reveals that the European Union wastes millions of hectares of fertile cropland for the production of biofuels. Crops for biofuels consumed in Europe require 9,6 Mha of land – an area larger […]
March 10, 2023
The energy-intensive process of producing green hydrogen (made from renewable electricity) is one obstacle hampering fuel cell vehicles’ development. But according to the German newspaper Der Spiegel, scientists are collaborating to exploit white hydrogen. Under this label, the energy carrier is sourced from underneath the earth’s crust. Naturally occurring hydrogen can be found in the […]
March 10, 2023
Although nowhere to find in the official PR communication, some tech tidbits are leaking from BMW via British car magazine Autocar about a beefed-up MINI Cooper Electric, due in 2024. The MINI hatch, rebaptized Cooper, will get bigger batteries than the current 32.6 kWh to stretch the range beyond the somewhat limited 234 km (WLTP) […]
March 10, 2023
The European Commission decided on Thursday that individual member states are temporarily allowed to support local industries developing green technologies. The move answers protectionist measures in the United States and China. Among other carmakers, the Volkswagen Group awaited this approval to decide on its battery plant in Poland. As Europe fears that its multinationals will […]
March 10, 2023
The BMW Group met its forecasted financial targets for 2022 and delivered a solid operating performance in a difficult business environment. The premium manufacturer significantly increased Group EBT (€ 23,5 billion/ +46,4%) and net profit (€ 18,6 billion/ +49,1%) from the previous year, despite a decrease in sales (-4,8%). This positive development can be attributed […]
March 09, 2023
A survey from RTL/N-TV is throwing more oil on the fire in Germany, as the country is currently obstructing the final vote on the de facto ban for combustion engines as of 2035. With only 14% in favor, national enthusiasm for the European deal is low. The probe unveiled that 68% of the German population […]
March 07, 2023
More than two-thirds (68%) of lithium-ion battery production planned for Europe is at risk of being delayed, scaled down, or canceled, a new analysis of Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. Tesla in Berlin, Northvolt in northern Germany, and Italvolt near Turin are among the projects that stand to lose the greatest volumes of their slated […]
March 07, 2023
On Monday, Hyundai Motor Company held a digital world premiere to unveil the all-new Kona, an upscaled multiplayer in the B-SUV segment, led by an all-electric variant (EV) that offers advanced safety and convenience features and class-leading range, according to the manufacturer. Potential customers can choose from EV (standard or long range), hybrid, internal combustion […]
March 07, 2023
According to a survey of IFO, the German car industry fears a slowing domestic demand. The body, questioning both suppliers and manufacturers, says that these dimmed expectations are attributed to a cautious attitude from car buyers. In its monthly indicator, the Leibniz Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung (IFO) registers a changing business situation for the German automotive […]
March 07, 2023
The Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, and E-Transit all enjoy high customer demand in the US. That’s why manufacturer Ford is now stepping on the… stream pedal to boost production of its electric (and in some cases non-electric) models. Ford will also offer its Mustang Mach-E electric model in Europe with LFP battery cells before the […]
March 06, 2023
Audi has released some preliminary findings of its MaterialLoop project. In the end, this must lead to a closing material cycle used in its production lines. From the pilot, the German luxury brand has learned it can use steel coils to make inner door parts for its A4 model. As European companies are gearing up […]
March 06, 2023
Fisker has announced its 2022 fiscal year results, reflecting on a productive year and offering a taste of what’s to come with additional images and info about the upcoming Pear, a sub-$30 000 electric crossover. Meanwhile, prospective Ocean customers can now configure their car, pricing included. Fisker closed its fiscal year 2022 with a lower-than-anticipated […]
March 06, 2023
Volkswagen has now officially unveiled the revised ID.3, in which the quality of the interior, in particular, is to be significantly improved. The powertrains remain unchanged (for the time being). Already in December, VW changed the configurator of its compact electric car and added a note that the delivery deadline had already been extended into […]
March 03, 2023
During a round table, BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse told car magazine Motor.at and others about his view on hydrogen and the plans to ban ICE cars in the EU by 2035. In his view, “hydrogen-fueled cars don’t stand a chance against BEVs except for customers who do not have access to charging infrastructure or […]
March 02, 2023
Like January, February was the best second month of the year for the last three years in Belgium and Luxembourg. 39 883 cars were registered, 23,9% more than last year. Growth was registered in the company car market (+30,8%) and in the individual buyers market (+13,5%). For the first two months of the year, the […]
March 02, 2023
The ten biggest leasing companies in Europe, managing today a fleet of 12 million vehicles, are ‘overcharging’ electric cars systematically on average by 57% or €233 per month, and €8 370 over 36 months, compared to a similar vehicle on gasoline. They claim lower resale values based on uncertainty on battery degradation, among others. Still, […]
March 01, 2023
Car sharing has been on the rise in Belgium for a while, but new figures indicate a real boom. In 2022, for instance, the number of active car-sharing users in Belgium rose by 40% to 121 394, a record number. So reports non-profit organization Autodelen.net in its latest report. More than half of car-sharers are […]
February 28, 2023
US researchers have developed a lithium-air battery with a solid electrolyte, of which the energy density could be increased fourfold compared to today’s lithium-ion batteries. The team said it achieved 1 000 charge and discharge cycles in test cells. Researchers drive the project at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and the US Department of […]
February 28, 2023
Stellantis, the parent company of 14 automotive brands with Peugeot, Citroën, DS Automobiles, Opel -Vauxhall, Chrysler, Jeep, and Fiat as its most prominent names, wants to cut 2 000 jobs in Italy this year, some 4,3% of total Italian workforce of 47 000. The reorganization is linked to the transition to electric car production. It […]
February 28, 2023
Nissan is accelerating its electrification strategy again. The Japanese automaker will launch 27 new electrified models by fiscal 2030, including 19 purely electric ones. That is four more pure electric vehicles than announced with the last strategic plan in November 2021. Nissan’s electrification mix worldwide is expected to increase to more than 55% by 2030, […]
February 28, 2023
There will be no new VW plant in Europe in the foreseeable future. VW CFO Arno Antlitz confirmed in an internal interview that the Trinity production version would be built in Wolfsburg. In the US, however, VW will build a new factory for its new EV brand Scout. The carmaker had considered a new factory […]
February 27, 2023
In March 2022, several demo cars of the BMW iX5 Hydrogen were traveling around Europe to gather merely political support. In the next phase of its road map for the iX5 Hydrogen, BMW now presented the prototype to the press and fleet customers, who could test and refill the car in the region of Antwerp. […]
February 27, 2023
BMW plans to build a large assembly plant for high-voltage batteries in Bavaria. The carmaker confirmed the plan but has not yet signed all the contracts. If all goes as planned, they can start building in 2024. An exact location for it has now finally been found. “All Bavarian plants, i.e., Munich, Regensburg, and Dingolfing, […]
February 24, 2023
Vincent Cobée, the current CEO of the Citroën brand, part of the Stellantis Group, will be replaced by Thierry Koskas as of March 1st. Cobée, recently cited in our articles, “has decided to pursue personal projects outside the company”, as it always sounds in official press releases. “In the light of the growing challenges related […]
February 24, 2023
The Netherlands remains the country with the highest share of EV-charging infrastructure, with 111 821 chargers or 23,3% of the total number in the EU on its territory. Germany comes in second, with 87 674 public chargers, 18,3% of the total. Together they stand for 41,6% of the EU’s total charging infrastructure today, scattered over […]
February 23, 2023
For the second year in a row, Stellantis has registered a record benefit. The net profit for 2022 reached € 16,8 billion, 26% more than last year. The operating margin reached 13% of turnover in 2022, a figure almost as high as noticeable money-makers under the car manufacturers in 2022, like Mercedes-Benz and Tesla. In […]
February 23, 2023
Since its first fully electric trucks hit the road in 2019, Volvo Trucks has sold more than 4 300 electric trucks worldwide in 38 countries. It claims to be the European market leader in 2022, with a 32% share in the heavy electric truck market and an even greater share in the Americas (US and […]
February 22, 2023
The BMW Group intends to source aluminum with significantly reduced CO2 emissions from Rio Tinto’s hydro-powered operations in Canada starting in 2024. It has signed a memorandum of understanding to this effect. Aluminum accounts for a quarter of the CO2 emissions in the supply chain of a medium-sized electrified car, and a manufacturer like BMW […]
February 22, 2023
According to the figures of the European Car Manufacturers Association ACEA, in January, the European Union passenger car market grew by 11,3% to 760 041 units, starting the new year on a positive note. However, one must consider that this was mainly due to an unusually modest comparison base in 2022 when the lowest January […]
February 21, 2023
Introducing a smart kilometer charge in the Brussels Region does not yet seem imminent for tomorrow. Because the PS continues to obstruct, and political discussions are going on, next to questions about technical operability. On the other hand, it’s getting clear the smart road pricing system on which €33,8 million already spent, will not be […]
February 21, 2023
Ford is adding cheaper, more sustainable, and more durable LFP batteries to its EV line-up, starting with the Mustang Mach-E this year and expanding to the F-150 Lightning in 2024. The Blue Oval is also building a $3,5 billion LFP battery factory in Michigan by 2026 to reduce its dependence on external suppliers. Lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, […]
February 21, 2023
Dutch solar carmaker Lightyear, declared bankrupt by the court in January, has managed to find eight more millions with mostly private investors, a group of 225 people around Amsterdam entrepreneur Arnoud Aalbersberg. This might enable the company to reboot if an agreement can be found with the curators to focus on the Lightyear 2 family […]
February 21, 2023
In an interview with the British car magazine Autocar, Dacia Vice-President for Sales, Marketing, and Operations Xavier Martinet says that a much greater emphasis needs to be put on weight efficiency when designing (EV) cars. “If we’re serious about collectively reducing emissions, then excessive weight should not be acceptable.” Martinet made his statement when he […]
February 20, 2023
French technical study bureau H2 Motronics has developed a fuel cell racing motorbike on hydrogen, which they claim is a world first. The H2K, short for ‘H2 Kompact’, was shown at the Hyvolution exhibit in Paris and is meant as a live demonstrator for the bureau’s technical and innovative project management skills rather than for […]
February 20, 2023
Mercedes-Benz sold some 2 million vehicles last year, a 5% increase compared to 2021. Turnover increased by 12% and reached € 150 billion, while the benefice was more than a third higher, landing at almost € 15 billion. For 2023, anticipations are a bit subdued, due to delivery shortages, higher costs and an unsure overall […]
February 17, 2023
A fifth less traffic in the Pentagon, more space for pedestrians, and a lot more people choosing to cycle. Those are the provisional results of six months of ‘Good Move’, the new circulation plan to reduce transit traffic in the Brussels city center. Bart Dhondt (Groen), the Brussels Alderman for Mobility, calls the results encouraging […]
February 17, 2023
Chinese electric carmaker NIO has opened its fourth battery swap station in the Netherlands, on the outskirts of Utrecht on the A2 highway to Amsterdam. Swapping a 75 or 100-kWh battery underneath the car is a seamless, fully automated process, as we could experience ourselves test-driving the ET7 sedan at the NIO Power Swap station […]
February 17, 2023
Yesterday, Renault published its financial results for last year. The French car manufacturer revived in 2022, compensating for serious sales regress and the costly Russian retreat with significant price hikes and a very profitable Dacia. The turnover of Renault Group has progressed by 11,4% to € 46,4 billion, and the operating margin has doubled to […]
February 16, 2023
The Netherlands’ only car plant with +4 000 employees, VDL Nedcar, announced it would build the modular electric XBUS and the Evetta microcar for German start-up ElectricBrands. Earlier negotiations with American Canoo and Rivian turned out to be a damp squib. VDL Nedcar, in Born, near the Belgian border, is a contract manufacturer for BMW […]
February 15, 2023
While the European Parliament finally ratified on Tuesday in Strasbourg the agreement with the 27 member states to ban all sales of new cars and vans with a combustion engine beyond 2035, heavy trucks and buses were targeted a few hours later by the Commission. They will have to reduce CO2 emissions by 90% in […]
February 15, 2023
It is now officially confirmed that Ford Motor Company is again planning to cut thousands of jobs. Some 3 800 across Europe before 2025, but the biggest part of it will be in Germany (2 300) and the UK (1 300). The proving grounds in Belgian Lommel also seem to be threatened. The American number […]
February 14, 2023
Belgian battery materials specialist Umicore announces it will start industrial production of cheaper manganese-rich HLM battery materials to be used in electric vehicles from 2026, next to its ‘premium’ NMC battery materials. It believes “HLM is gaining traction with car and battery cell manufacturers as a differentiating lower-cost, high energy-density, and sustainable battery technology”. Umicore […]
February 14, 2023
The future Toyota CEO (as of April 1st), Koji Sato, declared on Monday that he wanted to accelerate the group’s development of electrification. However, he also pointed out that the number one car manufacturer in the world had a “communication problem” over its electrification strategy until now. At the end of January, Toyota’s heir and […]
February 13, 2023
In 2022, car use in Belgium increased slightly again. The average passenger car covered 16 589 kilometers last year, or 8% more than in 2021. Nevertheless, this figure remains 7,5% lower than in pre-corona times. The differences are smaller for vans. Light commercial vehicles covered an average of 19 542 km last year, which hardly […]
February 13, 2023
Dutch Fastned has opened last week its 19th fast-charging station in Belgium, located just outside the Antwerp Metropole on the E19 toward Brussels, at the park & ride at Exit 7 in Kontich. The station features eight 300 kW chargers for charging up to 300 km range in fifteen minutes if circumstances are favorable. The […]
February 10, 2023
Due to the supply chain shortage and global economic constraints, Volvo sales dwindled by 12% last year. This hasn’t affected revenue, which grew by 17%. But profit fell back, while the operational margin stuck to 3,2%. “This is not where we want to be,” commented CFO of Volvo, John Ekdahl. In 2022, Volvo sold 615 […]
February 10, 2023
While the EU Commission is preparing a draft on future emission standards for heavy-duty trucks and buses (HDVs), the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has published in a white paper its findings comparing life assessment greenhouse gas emissions of diesel, gas, bio-fuel, battery-electric, and fuel cell heavy trucks. And the clear winner is… no […]
