July 30, 2024
Europe’s biggest carmaker, Volkswagen, is investing one billion dollars in American electric van and pickup specialist Rivian and promising another $4 billion in the coming years. The German Federal Cartel Office has also given the deal the green light. For loss-making Rivian, losing up to $39,000 per car it produced, it’s a lifeline. For VW, […]
July 29, 2024
In the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, Mercedes-Benz Group sold 496,700 vehicles, 3.7% less than in the same period last year. The company blames decreased demand for electric vehicles and reduced sales in China for this decrease. Mercedes’s revenue decreased from €38.24 billion to €36.74 billion (-3.9%) in the same period. Earnings before Interest and […]
July 29, 2024
German automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG will cut 11 to 14,000 jobs from its current domestic workforce of 54,000 by 2028 “to respond to the changes in the mobility sector, particularly in electromobility.” That will be “difficult but necessary,” ZF CEO Holger Klein said in a statement last week. In the future, its German locations […]
July 26, 2024
As ACEA President Luca de Meo emitted the thought a few days ago, banning ICE cars as of 2035, a requirement imposed by the EU, is getting complicated. Now he says there has been a ‘misunderstanding’ and that he stays “hyper-confident that electric drive will be the dominant technology in Europe and is the best […]
July 25, 2024
Farizon, Geely’s commercial vehicle brand, has unveiled its ‘Black Tortoise Battery’. It’s a battery pack specially designed for light commercial vehicles, with a low pack height and, more importantly, a long-lasting service life of ten years, or the equivalent of 800,000 km. This new battery pack will be introduced to Farizon’s V7E and V6E models, […]
July 25, 2024
Ford’s energy transition has been challenging. Until now, America’s number two carmaker has lost money. Nevertheless, CEO Jim Farley says it will adapt its strategy and not change its vision on EVs. In Q2 2024, Ford lost $1.14 billion on its electric activities, which were compensated by good sales of all kinds of ICE vehicles […]
July 25, 2024
The average car on the Belgian market is getting longer, wider, and heavier, reducing available space on roads and in cities. This trend has been going on for some time now. In 2023, the Belgian automobile fleet represented about 6 million vehicles, occupying a space corresponding to 9,787 football fields. Ten years ago, it would […]
July 25, 2024
The latest edition of Ayvens’ Mobility Guide 2024 provides a comprehensive country-by-country analysis of EV readiness and electrification pace. Belgium (4) and Luxembourg (5) are joining the top five countries despite a general negative feeling among mostly private buyers. Norway remains number one, with the Netherlands and Finland following close by. The annual guide draws […]
July 25, 2024
Renault Group and the government of Slovenia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to produce the next all-electric Twingo in the automaker’s factory in Novo Mesto starting in 2026. Renault CEO Luca de Meo has said the new Twingo is expected to sell for less than €20,000. It will replace the current model, which […]
July 24, 2024
From now on, season ticket holders of the Flemish public transport company De Lijn can register their boarding or transfer digitally. This means that bus or streetcar passengers who have registered their ride or transfer in advance on busy lines no longer have to queue to scan their MOBIB card with the driver. User surveys […]
July 24, 2024
German carmaker Volkswagen and Chinese partner Xpeng are broadening their collaboration on an electric vehicle platform for China. Their development will be used on specific Chinese market cars as well as models based on VW’s MEB platform. In April, both partners announced that Xpeng’s in-house developed E/E Architecture (integrated software and hardware) would be integrated […]
July 24, 2024
In the first half of the year (H1), the market for new cars in Belgium and Luxembourg shrank by 0.4%, with 263,408 registered new cars compared to 264,475 in 2023. 24.5% of them, or 64,429 units, were BEVs. While EVs are losing momentum in the EU, primarily due to the German market’s aversion to battery […]
July 22, 2024
The European Union and Serbia have signed an agreement to cooperate on lithium extraction and the production of batteries for electric cars. On Friday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic signed a partnership agreement with the EU to supply strategic raw materials. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was also present. Serbia wants to allow carmakers Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and […]
July 22, 2024
What Apple failed to accomplish is building its own electric car, Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi excels in doing so by building the world’s fastest four-door car ever, the SU7 Ultra. Imagine going from 0 to 200 km/h in 5.96 seconds. This is a Porsche Taycan-sized ultra-version of the SU7 that is on sale in China […]
July 22, 2024
Almost two weeks ago, the management of the Audi Brussels plant called for an extraordinary works council and announced ‘the restructuring intention’ for the plant. The current production of the Q8 e-tron will be stopped before the end of 2026, and almost half of the workforce (1,410) will already lose their jobs this year, probably […]
July 22, 2024
Smart isn’t abandoning its city car roots. After concentrating on larger electric SUVs with the recent #1, #3, and #5, the Chinese-German company is considering a successor for the ForTwo and maybe even the roadster. In an interview, Smart Europe CEO says the brand is “working on it.” That being said, Smart isn’t willing to […]
July 22, 2024
Chinese media report that Lynk & Co’s fully electric Z20 crossover is being road-tested without camouflage in China before it arrives in Europe in late 2024. It shares the same SEA2 platform as the Zeekr X, the Volvo EX30, and Smart #1 & 3, but with larger overhangs that would be somewhat longer than the […]
July 19, 2024
Serbia wants to allow carmakers Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and Stellantis to buy lithium from the large lithium mine in the west of the country that mining group Rio Tinto is building there. Barely a week after a Serbian court decision allowed the resumption of the controversial lithium mining project, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told the German […]
July 19, 2024
Volvo Cars has partnered with Hubject, a specialist in OEM and charging point interoperability, to enable Plug&Charge compatibility in its fully electric vehicles. The EX90 SUV will become the first Volvo to feature Plug&Charge, with other electric models to follow. Plug&Charge is the official standard that allows electric vehicles to recharge at a charging point […]
July 18, 2024
After thoroughly testing a stint on the test rig in the lab, BMW’s Startup Garage is now switching to the next step to build in DeepDrive’s revolutionary in-wheel dual motor in different BMW models for road testing. According to BMW, DeepDrive’s innovative concept more or less melds two electric motors into a single unit, creating […]
July 17, 2024
Two sources with knowledge of the matter said the European Commission has signaled to Volkswagen and BMW that it may consider lowering tariffs on their imports of China-made EVs. The sources said the Commission is willing to classify the two automakers as so-called cooperating companies, making them eligible for a 20.8 % additional tariff on […]
July 16, 2024
Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicles (PBV) are coming closer to fruition. From next year, the Korean manufacturer will launch its mid-size electric PV5 van on the European market, which targets a range of around 400 km and which will be available in both passenger and cargo versions. Eventually, a full range of 5 PBVs will be […]
July 16, 2024
A new joint study by Fraunhofer ISI and Amazon provides critical insights into the optimal number and location of public fast-charging stations required to enable the widespread electrification of long-haul trucking in Europe. The study suggests that just 1,000 charging stations equipped with Megawatt Charging System (MCS) outlets could enable about 91% of expected long-haul […]
July 16, 2024
Volkswagen subsidiary PowerCo wants to industrialize solid-state batteries and use the technology of US specialist QuantumScape. The companies have agreed to “industrialize QuantumScape’s next-generation solid-state lithium-metal battery technology.” The VW battery subsidiary and QuantumScape know each other well. They have had a joint venture since mid-2018, which will now be replaced by the new agreement. […]
July 15, 2024
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has decided to remove five’ zero-profit’ Jaguars from its lineup this year. The F-Pace SUV will be the only Jaguar to remain in production from the brand’s current lineup as the brand transitions to luxury EVs. CEO Adrian Mardell told investors that JLR will boost its margin after cutting five models […]
July 15, 2024
The launch of VW’s electric Golf successor, the ID. Golf will be postponed by 15 months to 2029. Large parts of the SSP vehicle architecture will be rolled out later than planned. According to the German publication Manager Magazin, this applies, in particular, to VW’s vehicle models and Audi in some cases. Therefore, the volume […]
July 12, 2024
It looks like an iconic Mercedes 300SL Gullwing from the fifties. Still, under its neath fiber coachwork, it’s a fully electric, genuine Tesla Model 3, including a touchscreen and Tesla’s Autopilot cameras and sensors for semi-autonomous driving. And there will be no second one anybody else can buy; it is a one-off. It’s the latest […]
July 12, 2024
Wallonia plans to introduce a freeway vignette to finance infrastructure in Wallonia. This is according to the new coalition agreement proposed yesterday by the political parties MR and Les Engagés. Usually, the additional tax would apply only to foreigners. However, a cooperation agreement must first be reached with Flanders and the Brussels Capital Region so […]
July 12, 2024
The new MG Cyber GTS charged up the show at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday. MG unveiled its new two-door electric sports car, a hardtop variant of its Cyberster EV. In China, the new EV is already being compared to Porsche’s iconic 911. After the Goodwood Festival of Speed officially kicked off […]
July 12, 2024
The US Department of Energy announced $1.7 billion in grant awards today to help automakers keep eleven troubled manufacturing plants open and start building EVs there. The 11 selected plants are located in eight different states and have been designated as “shuttered or at-risk” facilities. These plants were either recently shut down by car manufacturers […]
July 11, 2024
Chinese car manufacturing group Geely’s Polestar daughter will again be very present at the coming Goodwood Festival of Speed. It’s not only showing its expanded model line-up with the new Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 joining the Polestar 2. The star of the show is the Polestar 6 Concept BST, making its global debut at […]
July 11, 2024
With 179,557 fully electric vehicles delivered, the BMW brand achieved a +34.1% increase in BEV sales in the first half of 2024 compared to the previous year. Overall, the BMW brand grew by +2.3% compared to the previous year’s period, with 1,096,486 units sold in the year’s first half. The brand thereby gained market share […]
July 11, 2024
Ford has revived the Capri name for a sportier coupé-style version of its new Explorer full-electric SUV based on the Volkswagen-sourced MEB platform. The new Capri, unveiled on July 10th, will be built in Ford’s factory in Cologne, Germany. Prices in Belgium start at €47,750 for the basic 125 kW RWD version with a 52 […]
July 11, 2024
Brussels municipalities want to introduce a uniform tax of 125 euros per plug for public electric charging stations by early 2025, writes the business newspaper De Tijd. The news is confirmed by Vincent De Wolf (MR), president of the Conference of Mayors of the Brussels Region and mayor of Etterbeek. The proposal, already debated in […]
July 10, 2024
The municipality of Flobecq, in the province of Hainaut in Belgium, and the Materia Nova research center have started a pilot project on a farm in Flobecq. The project’s goal is to convert pig urine into hydrogen via electrocatalysis. The process has already been tested in the laboratory with synthetic urine and will now be […]
July 10, 2024
After signing up Fiat & Alfa Romeo dealer Pagnotta in Maasmechelen (Limburg), Chinese carmaker Chery Automotive gets a second foothold for its Omoda and Jaecoo brands in Liège with L’Universelle, a dealership for Hyundai, Mazda, Suzuki, and Chinese MG. L’Universelle also offers multi-brand second-hand cars. Chery Automotive was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in […]
July 10, 2024
“Lift-off,” reported the European Space Agency (ESA) on social networking site X, Tuesday at 9 pm Belgian time, from the European Space Base in Kourou, French Guiana. A second hurrah followed an hour and six minutes after the launch of the new Ariane 6 as the microsatellites it carried were also put into an orbit […]
July 09, 2024
Mercedes-Benz has opened the eCampus at its headquarters in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, Germany. The manufacturer will pool battery research to develop innovative high-performance cells and new manufacturing processes. By doing so, Mercedes wants to reduce battery costs by more than 30%. Ola Källenius, the Mercedes CEO himself, kicked things off at the opening of the eCampus, evoking […]
July 05, 2024
It is very annoying to find that your expensive e-bike has suddenly disappeared. Therefore, a good bike lock that is difficult to break open is essential to protect your bike from theft. Austrian chain manufacturer Pewag is now competing with market leaders like Abus and Kryptonite, launching Serea, a pioneering battery-free smart lock with intelligent […]
July 05, 2024
The EU Commission has imposed the announced special tariffs on imported electric vehicles from China, effective 5 July, but these are still provisional. Talks with the Chinese government are still ongoing. There have also been slight changes to the tariff rates for individual manufacturers. With the provisional special duties that have now been imposed, the […]
July 04, 2024
According to the environmental organization Transport & Environment (T&E), the number of dangerous Dodge Rams on European roads is “disturbingly high and continues to rise”. In 2023, about 5,000 new Dodge Rams were imported into Europe, up 20% from the previous year. There are now at least 20,000 Dodge Rams on European roads. The EU […]
July 04, 2024
The European Commission has ruled that the Lufthansa Group can enter the capital of its Italian sector partner, ITA Airways, the successor to Alitalia. However, to safeguard competition, the two companies must offer other airlines access to several routes. “Today we are concluding a historic, long-standing case,” the Italian Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti commented on […]
July 04, 2024
Ineos Automotive, part of the chemical industry giant Ineos Group, is delaying its Fusilier battery-electric SUV. It cites waning consumer demand for EVs and uncertainty around tariffs as the leading causes. Production of the Fusilier, a smaller vehicle than the Grenadier 4×4, which the company started selling last year, had been expected to begin in […]
July 04, 2024
Swedish battery maker Northvolt, one of Europe’s pioneers in that field, is forced to gear down in its ambitions to build several gigafactories in Europe and Canada. Founder and CEO Peter Carlsson told Swedish media, “We’ve been a little too aggressive in our expansion plans and need to reassess the next steps.” That includes postponing […]
July 03, 2024
The Belgian Innoptus Solar Team, related to Louvain University, has presented a new version of its Infinite solar race car, the most efficient one to date. With it, they want to participate in the most challenging Solar Challenge race ever in South Africa in September. In October 2023, the student team of KU Leuven University […]
July 03, 2024
European cities are still much better connected by air than by rail, according to research by Greenpeace. From Brussels, for example, 41 of the 44 cities studied can be reached by direct flight and only 11 by rail. Greenpeace analyzed 990 routes between 45 major European cities. Only 12% of those routes are served by […]
July 02, 2024
Ampere, Renault Group’s electric vehicle department, has secured the supply of lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries from LG Energy Solution and CATL. These cheaper batteries will be used from 2026 in a cell-to-pack configuration to lower the purchase price of the group’s electric models and sell sub-€20,000 EVs. Until now, Renault has only used nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries […]
June 28, 2024
As Polestar delivers its first three models to customers, it also introduces a more affordable version of its electric SUV. This new variant, the Long Range Single Motor, aims to intensify the model’s chances against the Tesla Model X or Porsche Macan EV. It’s been a long time coming, but Polestar has finally commenced deliveries […]
June 28, 2024
It’s official now: due to the 100% import taxes the Biden Administration imposes on EVs built in China, America will have to wait for the Volvo EX30 ‘made in Belgium’ to arrive. And that will be no sooner than 2025. People who had already paid a $500 deposit to make a reservation got a message […]
June 27, 2024
The Brussels Motor Show will return to its traditional location and date. Car enthusiasts will be welcome again in January 2025 at the Brussels Heysel, Motor Show organizer Febiac announced on Wednesday evening. In May this year, Febiac announced that – after a year of absence – the board had decided to reorganize a motor […]
June 27, 2024
As promised, Hyundai fully unwrapped its latest subcompact EV, the Inster, at the Busan International Mobility Show. It is the European version of what is called Casper Electric in Korea and should become the brand’s best budget-priced EV at around 20 to 25,000 euros. Hyundai promises “a segment-leading projected range of 355 km (WLTP) on […]
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 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 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
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 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
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
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. […]
