August 08, 2024
Sales of electrified cars have passed a new milestone in China. The share of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles outperformed conventional combustion-engine-only cars last month. These represented 50.8% of all passenger car sales. The historic shift underscores China’s status as the world’s largest car market, where the number of electrified vehicles keeps increasing rapidly. According […]
August 07, 2024
German consulting firm P3 has published a whitepaper comparing the total cost of ownership (TCO) of battery-electric trucks to traditional diesel trucks in regional and long-haul transport scenarios. In conclusion, electric trucks are already cheaper to run in both scenarios, but with a few asterisks. P3 used an “industry average” in their calculations for the […]
August 07, 2024
Italian luxury electric brand Aehra has revealed the final names chosen for its first two models. The electric SUV will be called Impeto, while the electric saloon will be known as Estasi. Both share a platform with three electric motors, 805 hp, a 120-kWh battery, and more than 800 km range. Aehra also announced that […]
August 07, 2024
Engineers from the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston have found a method for creating pure hydrogen at sea that might become an interesting new path for greening the shipping industry. The technique uses recycled aluminum from soda cans, seawater, and… caffeine. The engineers estimate that just 1 gram of aluminum would generate […]
August 06, 2024
According to CNEVPost, the German premium car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has been given the go-ahead to test Level 4 (L4) autonomous vehicles in Beijing, following approval for L3 testing in the Chinese capital city late last year. To our knowledge Mercedes is one of the few manufacturers to have obtained the permission to use Level 3 […]
August 06, 2024
Samsung is upping the stakes in the race to commercialize solid-state batteries. At the SNE Battery Day 2024 event in Seoul, South Korea, the tech company announced that its pilot production line is now fully operational, with plans to transform into mass production by 2027. Early customers have already returned feedback on their solid-state oxide […]
August 06, 2024
According to a media report, a mid-size SUV will follow shortly after the new CLA four-door Mercedes, which is set to launch soon. This X174 model (internal codename) should be on the market at the end of 2025 and is labeled as ‘a Tesla Model Y fighter’. The news comes from Automotive News, which cites […]
August 05, 2024
Several media outlets speculate about a possible Chinese takeover of the Audi factory in Forest (southwestern part of Brussels). The factory’s future as an Audi outlet looks dark, and Chinese companies looking for a solution to the import tariff war started by the EU could bring a solution. Currently, the Brussels factory is idle because […]
August 02, 2024
TotalEnergies will install up to 2,000 new charging stations on the streets of all 19 Brussels municipalities before the end of June 2025. The French multinational energy and petroleum company announced this in a press release. The news comes as quite a surprise because in recent weeks there has been a lot of fuss about […]
August 02, 2024
The difficult car market leaves deep traces in the supplier sector, with a large failure round plaguing the companies involved. Big names like seat maker Recaro and wheel forger BBS filed for bankruptcy this week, while French supplier Valeo and German counterpart ZF are facing heavy restructuring strategies. Bracing for the new automotive era comes […]
August 01, 2024
Last week, the Stellantis Group published its results for the first half of 2024, and they weren’t good. The net benefit for H1, € 5.6 billion, decreased by 48% compared to the record-breaking performance last year. Meanwhile, the manufacturer is confronted with delivery problems for its new, long-awaited enlargement of its electric portfolio. Turnover for […]
August 01, 2024
Audi has unveiled its electric business saloon and station wagon, the A6 Sportback e-tron and A6 Avant e-tron. Both models are directly inspired by their concept versions from a few years ago, while the technical side is similar to the Q6 e-tron SUV launched earlier this year. And thanks to a very slippery design, the […]
August 01, 2024
In the second quarter of 2024, BMW Group saw its earnings drop a bit due to a weak Chinese market and the investment costs for the ‘Neue Klasse’. On the other hand, the Munich-based carmaker was successful in selling more EVs. BMW is not the only one struggling with a demand slowdown in China. The […]
July 31, 2024
Chinese carmakers registered a record share of 11% of the EU’s plus UK’s electric car market in June, as they rushed to import as many EVs as possible before July 5th, the date the European Commission fixed for preliminary import taxes on Chinese cars. The figures come from market analysis by the German automotive data […]
July 30, 2024
Until now, China’s biggest EV car manufacturer, BYD, was best known for its low-cost electric cars. That hasn’t stopped the Chinese EV maker from taking on new market segments. Its latest: luxury electric supercars. BYD’s first electric supercar, the Yangwang U9, has entered production ahead of deliveries later this summer. Yangwang Yangwang was launched in […]
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 […]
