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 […]
March 23, 2026
The numbers tell a story that would have seemed impossible a decade ago. In 2025, for the first time on record, the value of cars and auto parts shipped from China into the European Union exceeded what the EU exported to China in return. For the global automotive industry, this represents a symbolic and economic […]
March 23, 2026
Chinese EV giant BYD will officially introduce its premium brand Denza to Europe on April 8 in Paris, using the unveiling of the Z9 GT as both a product launch and a strategic statement. While the Paris event marks the formal European debut, markets such as Belgium are expected to follow only later as part […]
March 20, 2026
The new Dutch international train company, GoVolta, has started operating direct daytime trains from Amsterdam to Berlin and Hamburg. The trains run three times a week. A return ticket from Amsterdam to Berlin costs an average of €30, and the journey is made using 13 trains from the Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB, which are around […]
March 20, 2026
BYD unveiled the Atto 3 Evo earlier this year, framing the car as more than a facelift, positioning it as a serious contender in Europe’s increasingly crowded €40,000 EV segment. As we noted at the time, the ‘Evo’ badge signalled more than an ‘evolution’, a deeper technical reset rather than a cosmetic refresh. Now, after […]
March 20, 2026
That the new BMW i3 is replacing the ‘old’ i4 comes as no surprise. Shortly after the design premiere of the electric 3 Series BMW, reports are emerging of the i4’s impending end of production; only the exact timing remains unclear. Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce is stepping back from its plan to go all-electric by 2030, as […]
March 19, 2026
For BMW, the electric era comes down to one brutal question: can it prove to the world that an EV can still feel like a BMW and that “Freude am Fahren” is not dead? To make that point, BMW went straight to its core: reinventing the 3 Series, the car that defines everything the brand […]
March 19, 2026
A lot of (mostly premium) car manufacturers did a little sidestep and already have their own bike or a small portfolio of pedal-driven two-wheelers. But when Bugatti launches one, it has to be a little special. Hence, Factor One. Bugatti has partnered with Factor Bikes, a high-performance bicycle manufacturer and engineering-first brand, “in a groundbreaking […]
March 18, 2026
At a time when the electric car market is straining under unmet promises, Kia is pushing the price boundary with the EV2. At €26,690 for the base version, it is not the cheapest EV on the market, but for an electric SUV, it’s priced lower than expected. Ordinary households can afford this, at least if […]
March 18, 2026
DS Automobiles has unveiled the second generation of its SUV 7, now called N°7. It takes after the N°8 unveiled last year, both in terms of styling and technology. But unlike its coupé-like sibling, the DS N°7 retains the option of an electric or hybrid drivetrain. For the first time in the brand’s history, DS […]
March 18, 2026
Audi has officially confirmed the A2 e-tron. The fully electric successor to the cult model is set for its world premiere in fall 2026. The announcement was made at the brand’s Annual Media Conference in Ingolstadt. A second surprise was that Audi reported a 10% profit rise, bucking the broader industry trend of heavy losses. […]
March 18, 2026
Volkswagen has announced an entry price of around €28,000 for the ID. Cross, which will launch in the European market starting in autumn 2026. Unlike the ID. Polo, however, it will initially not be available with the most powerful ‘GTI’ performance level. After journalists were allowed to test-drive camouflaged prototypes of the ID. Polo during […]
March 17, 2026
Volvo is discontinuing the EX30 electric subcompact SUV in the United States after the 2026 model year. The smallest Volvo only arrived two years ago, giving it a remarkably short commercial life in the American market. The models destined for the US were currently built at the Ghent plant. “We will stop building the US […]
March 13, 2026
The Belgian cycling market is gaining speed again. According to new figures from sector federation Traxio Velo, 578,737 bicycles were sold in Belgium in 2025, an increase of 7.1% compared with the year before. With almost 580,000 bikes sold last year, the Belgian bicycle market now represents an industry worth roughly €1.2 to €1.5 billion […]
March 13, 2026
Air quality in Brussels has not improved between 2023 and 2025. This is evident from measurements taken by the BRAL urban movement, with support from Brussels Environment, as part of the ExpAIR campaign. What’s more, annual nitrogen dioxide concentrations even rose slightly at the 24 measuring stations. According to BRAL’s ExpAIR report, this result is partly […]
March 13, 2026
Volkswagen is releasing significant facelifts for its existing MEB models. Now, the Wolfsburg-based automaker is also bringing the successor of the ID.3, its first ID. model, out of the shadows, though only slightly. It will have its world premiere in mid-April under the new name, ID.3 Neo, and with new features. The company remains tight-lipped […]
March 12, 2026
Ford Europe has now provided more details about the improved version of its electric SUV model, the Explorer, announced in January. At the same time, order books are opening, and the new (Standard Range) variant with LFP battery is available, at least in Germany, from a list price of €39,990. Meanwhile, three established Belgian Ford […]
March 12, 2026
A new analysis from environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) suggests the European electric vehicle market may be approaching an affordability turning point, as prices show early signs of easing after several years of increases. According to the group’s latest EV progress report, the average list price of battery electric cars in Europe fell by […]
March 11, 2026
With the VLE, Mercedes-Benz Vans is launching the successor to the V-Class and EQV while simultaneously debuting its new electric van platform, VAN.EA. Already in the summer of last year, Mercedes-Benz was preparing the launch with press coverage of a prototype road trip from Stuttgart to Rome to prove its capability for long-term journeys. The […]
March 11, 2026
On Tuesday, Renault Group CEO François Provost presented the new plan for the future, ‘FutuReady’, the successor to Renaulution, the brainchild of its flamboyant predecessor, Luca de Meo. As the new CEO put it, the new plan is characterized by pragmatic optimism. In these hard times for the automotive industry, Renault wants to grow to […]
March 11, 2026
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has joined the International Automotive Task Force (IATF), one of the automotive industry’s most influential but little-known global institutions, so far dominated by Western and Japanese carmakers. The move gives the fast-growing EV maker a seat at the table where manufacturing standards governing the global automotive supply chain are defined, […]
March 09, 2026
According to a new study by Grant Foster and Stefan Rahmstorf from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, the Earth is warming faster than ever before. The study also showed that the rate of warming in the last decade was higher than in any previous decade since the beginning of instrumental records in 1880. The paper was published […]
March 09, 2026
Against the backdrop of “intensifying global competition, fragile supply chains, and rising protectionism”, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) Light-Duty Vehicle Board met last Thursday to assess the conditions required for Europe to maintain its global automotive leadership. “Europe risks losing its edge, both as an attractive place to invest and as an industrial location, […]
March 09, 2026
BMW has completed the final winter testing phase for the upcoming i3 ahead of its design premiere on 18 March. Prototypes of the second model in the Neue Klasse are currently undergoing extensive validation at BMW’s winter testing center in Arjeplog, Sweden. The latest tests no longer focus on functional checks or thermal management, which […]
March 06, 2026
China’s EV giant BYD used its Technology Day on March 5 in Shenzhen to unveil a new generation of battery and charging technology while presenting several new models across its expanding brand portfolio. The headline debut was the Seal 08, a new flagship sedan for the BYD brand that illustrates the company’s push toward 1,000-kilometer […]
March 05, 2026
California-based startup Aptera Motors has completed the first vehicle built on its validation assembly line in Carlsbad. This brings the solar electric vehicle maker closer to right-sized production to meet its long-awaited first customer deliveries. Aptera now builds its vehicles in the way real car manufacturers do. Previously, every unit coming out of the Carlsbad […]
March 05, 2026
EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné has unveiled the long-awaited ‘Industrial Accelerator Act’. With this industrial strategy, the EU Commission aims to boost domestic production, create jobs, and reduce the EU’s dependence on the USA and China. This will impact numerous sectors, including the automotive industry. Officially, the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) is presented as a […]
March 05, 2026
Volvo has placed big bets on the EX60 before anyone has even driven one kilometer with it. The all-electric successor to the XC60 (its best-selling model ever) was always going to face intense scrutiny if buyers stayed away. Early evidence suggests the opposite is happening. During its first weeks on the market, the EX60 punched […]
March 04, 2026
Stellantis has confirmed that electric vehicles from Chinese automaker Leapmotor will be produced at its Figueruelas plant near Zaragoza from the second half of 2026, marking a major step in the group’s strategy to strengthen its position in the global EV market. The announcement turns the Spanish plant into the first major Leapmotor production hub […]
March 04, 2026
The 2027 iX4 is set to join BMW’s electric vehicle lineup soon, bringing a new coupe SUV-like style to the family. Ahead of its debut, the 2027 BMW iX4 was spotted testing, giving us a first look at what to expect. BMW is overhauling its lineup with several new additions this year. After some of […]
March 04, 2026
Until now, the European CO₂ pool centered on Tesla has been a major conglomerate of automakers, including Ford, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, and Stellantis. However, for 2026, two major manufacturers, Toyota and Stellantis, may withdraw from this pool, two of Tesla’s largest financial contributors to this scheme. At the EU level, manufacturers can join so-called CO₂ […]
March 03, 2026
It’s a delicate industrial balancing act. While car groups like Stellantis are reversing on their battery efforts, Volkswagen is simultaneously pouring capital into scaling up today’s lithium-ion battery assembly lines at Škoda, while pushing for solid-state. Despite the current headwinds, battery technology is still forging ahead. Years of clinical promise in the solid-state field seem […]
March 03, 2026
According to data from the sector federation, Febiac, and the federal public service Mobility and Transport, 37,075 new cars were registered in February 2026, 7.7% fewer than in February 2025. For the first two months of 2026, the market shrinks by 13.2%. Once again, it’s the professional market that is entirely responsible for the regression. […]
March 03, 2026
According to a new study by Transport & Environment (T&E), EV battery cells produced in the EU currently cost about $41-$43 per kilowatt-hour more than those made in China. For a typical 60 kWh family EV, that implies a gross cell cost disadvantage of roughly €2,000-€2,500 per vehicle. Yet the same T&E report delivers a […]
February 27, 2026
Bike sharing is becoming increasingly popular in Belgium, but the number of shared cars on offer is declining. This is according to figures collected by Way To Go, a network organization that promotes shared mobility. Nevertheless, car sharing in Flanders grew by 22% in terms of user numbers. And while Brussels is the e-scooter capital, […]
February 27, 2026
Among the 700-plus Porsche Clubs worldwide, not a single one was dedicated to battery-electric models. Until now. A group of Italian Taycan and Macan owners decided to change that. The Registro Italiano E-motion is now officially the first Porsche Club on the planet to welcome only drivers of fully electric sports cars. The club grew […]
February 27, 2026
At Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, Kawasaki Heavy Industries first rolled out a life-size robotic horse, a hydrogen-powered mechanical stallion with four articulated legs, a saddle, stirrups, and a head-up display. At that time, most observers filed it somewhere between anime fantasy and corporate fever dream. But it’s actually becoming a reality: Kawasaki is going to build […]
February 26, 2026
According to Deloitte’s latest Global Automotive Consumer Study, just 12 percent of Belgian consumers say a battery electric vehicle (BEV) would be their next car, up only marginally from 11 percent a year earlier. Behind that modest figure lies a stark income divide. Among households earning less than €27,000 per year, 59 percent prefer a […]
February 26, 2026
Volvo announced a new entry-level variant of its smallest EV, the EX30. It is expected to start in the low 30,000 euro range in select European markets, well below the current Belgian starting price of 38,990 euros for the 200 kW Single Motor variant. It will be positioned as the cheapest Volvo in the lineup, […]
February 26, 2026
Franco-Italian-American carmaker Stellantis Group has delivered one of the most dramatic earnings collapses in modern European automotive history. It reported a net loss of €22.3 billion for 2025 on revenues of €153.5 billion, confirming analyst expectations and placing the group among the largest annual loss-makers ever associated with a French corporate champion. The scale of […]
February 25, 2026
Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (N-VA) wants to reorganize and simplify the mandatory car inspection in the region. She wants it to be more consumer-friendly and offer higher-quality service. According to the Minister, the current organisational model of the vehicle inspection system in Flanders no longer meets contemporary citizens’ expectations regarding public authorities and […]
February 25, 2026
China’s Leapmotor has revealed the first official interior images of its new compact electric SUV, the A10, offering a clearer picture of the model that will spearhead the brand’s push into Europe’s affordable EV segment. The A10, to be marketed in Europe as the B03X in the second half of 2026, is positioned as a […]
February 24, 2026
According to the German leading car magazine, Automobilwoche, BMW is abandoning its Level-3 automated-driving ambitions for the 7 Series. The headline sounded like a retreat. In reality, it may be a recalibration and a revealing one. BMW will discontinue its ‘Personal Pilot L3’ system in the 7 Series as part of the upcoming model update […]
February 24, 2026
From July 1, CO2 emissions from vehicles will be taken into account when calculating the kilometer charge for trucks in Flanders. The more environmentally friendly the truck, the lower the rate. This has been announced by Viapass, the body that coordinates the kilometer charge in Belgium. This rate change aligns with European requirements and aims […]
February 24, 2026
According to data from the European Car Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), new EU car registrations fell by 3.9% year on year in January, marking a second consecutive challenging start to the year for the market. “The battery-electric car market share reached 19.3%, highlighting the continued potential for further growth,” states ACEA’s press release. “Hybrid-electric vehicles lead […]
February 24, 2026
On the 1st of March, Emmanuel Al Nawakil starts as the new CEO of Renault Belgium and Luxembourg. He will succeed Martin Domise, who becomes Vice President, Renault Sales & Operations Europe-Maghreb. Emmanuel Al Nawakil was born in 1979 and studied at the E.M. Lyon Business School to become master of Science in Management. He […]
February 20, 2026
MG Motor has delivered its one-millionth vehicle to a European customer, a symbolic milestone that underlines one of the most remarkable comeback stories in the continent’s recent automotive history. Fourteen years after returning to the UK market, the former British sports car brand — now owned by China’s SAIC Motor — has become the most […]
February 20, 2026
The share of employees who prefer the mobility budget over a company car continues to increase. According to HR service provider SD Worx, in the private sector, 7% of employees with a company car currently opt for the mobility budget. In Brussels, 16.2% (13.5% in 2024) of employees with a company car opt for a mobility budget; […]
February 20, 2026
There is a systemic gap at the core of Europe’s plug-in hybrid policy, and it has now been measured at scale. Using real-world fuel consumption data from approximately 980,000 plug-in hybrid passenger cars collected under the EU’s official on-board fuel consumption monitoring (OBFCM) system, the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (Fraunhofer ISI) has […]
February 19, 2026
Today, Renault has published its yearly results. As expected, there’s a big difference between the Group’s results with or without ‘other operating income and expenses’. The former resulted in a positive figure of €715 million; the latter in a deficit of €10,931 million (or -€40.0 per share). Renault had to recalculate its 35% stake in […]
February 18, 2026
Ford is working on its ‘Universal EV platform’ that will underpin the next generation of electric vehicles, starting with a $30,000 pick-up truck in 2027. Now, the Blue Oval has shared more details about the upcoming model, which could become the electric alternative to the popular Maverick. Ford wants to create a new ‘Model T […]
February 18, 2026
Although not as precarious as for other car manufacturers, 2025 has been a complicated year for Mercedes-Benz. The German premium car manufacturer has een its net benefit almost halve while turnover decreased by 9%. Meanwhile, battery issues affecting the EQA and EQB have prompted global recalls. Mercedes-Benz has already begun replacing battery packs in North […]
February 18, 2026
According to several internal sources, the German specialized magazine Manager Magazin concludes that the Volkswagen Group is working on a new cost-cutting program targeting additional savings of up to €60 billion. Of course, economies at such a scale would involve reducing the workforce beyond the already announced 35,000 and, eventually, closing additional plants, following the […]
February 16, 2026
High copper prices are giving copper thieves new ideas. For example, several charging cables at fast chargers in Limburg were cut last weekend, leaving them unusable. Similar damage cases were recorded in Houthalen-Helchteren, Heusden-Zolder, and Peer. The police and the public prosecutor’s office have started an investigation. Record price levels The copper price has risen sharply in […]
February 16, 2026
China’s car industry is facing a regulatory reset. After the fire-prone battery standards and the ban on retractable door handles, a new draft for safety rules published by the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) signals two remarkable backsteps: no more yoke-style steering wheels and no more screen-dominated dashboards. Could this ripple through […]
February 16, 2026
Stellantis has announced the return of diesel to several European compact cars, including the Peugeot 308, Opel Astra, and DS 4. The technology will also remain central to the group’s light commercial vehicle portfolio. The move is presented as a matter of market realism. After years of forceful electrification messaging, the signal is unmistakable: consumer […]
February 13, 2026
The climate is no longer the US government’s problem. On Thursday, the Trump administration rolled back the mechanism allowing the government to regulate planet-heating pollution. Trump says he believes climate change is a hoax, and has withdrawn the United States from global efforts to combat it. President Trump officially disavowed scientific research that labels CO2 […]
February 13, 2026
Fresh registration data from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI), the UK-based market intelligence firm tracking the global EV, battery, and critical minerals supply chains, show worldwide EV registrations (battery-electric and plug-in hybrid combined) fell 3% year-on-year in January to just under 1.2 million units. The decline was driven by a sharp reversal in China and a […]
February 13, 2026
The European Commission has exempted Volkswagen’s Cupra brand from additional tariffs on its China-built Tavascan. Cupra is the first automaker to secure approval under the EU’s price floor mechanism for Chinese-made battery electric vehicles. In detail, the decision removes a 20.7 percent anti-subsidy duty that had been applied on top of the bloc’s standard 10 […]
February 12, 2026
German premium car manufacturer BMW is recalling some 575,000 cars worldwide to replace the starter motor, which can fail to function or, in rare cases, overheat and catch fire. Models of concern are found throughout the BMW portfolio: the 2-Series coupe, 3-, 4-, and 5-Series, the 6-Series Gran Turismo and the 7-Series, the X4, X5, […]
