June 06, 2024
Between 2015 and 2022, the number of reported bicycle thefts in the Brussels Region increased by more than 70%. This is according to a study by safe.brussels, the security management organization for the capital region. The rapidly increasing use of bicycles in the capital and region is undoubtedly making bicycles hip to thieves. 5,000 theft […]
June 06, 2024
Volvo will launch the world’s first electric vehicle (EV) battery passport with its new EX90 electric SUV, which has finally gone into production. The move aims to provide customers with detailed information about the battery’s composition, material origins, carbon footprint, and usage. Despite many brands diluting their commitment to a deadline for an all-electric portfolio, Volvo’s […]
June 06, 2024
Stijn Blanckaert (50) is the new Managing Director of the Belgian Federation of Vehicle Rental Companies, Renta. Its predecessor, Frank Van Gool, recently announced that he would be the new CEO of Febiac, so his place was vacant at Renta. Renta President Johan Portier hasn’t waited too long to assign its successor: “We are very […]
June 05, 2024
The target of 5% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030 is extremely ambitious, according to IATA, the International Airline Association. Nevertheless, IATA remains committed to its target of net zero emissions by 2050, although its chairman, Willie Walsh, clearly states that it “is not going to promise to achieve something that does not seem possible […]
June 05, 2024
The current Belgian road code, which is some half a century old, will be modernized from 1 September 2026. This news was already known, but with the king signing the text yesterday, the new traffic rules are now officially in place. The new modern code gives everyone a fairer place on public roads – read: […]
June 04, 2024
Following the decision to withdraw production of the Q8 e-tron from Europe and relocate it to Mexico, the search is ongoing for alternatives for the Audi plant in Brussels. This could be a new high-luxury SUV EV, the assembly of batteries and other electric parts, or both. As the German publication Handelsblatt writes, citing negotiating […]
June 04, 2024
According to the data of the sector federation, Febiac, the car registrations in Belgium and Luxembourg decreased by 5.9% compared to May 2023. According to Febiac, the regression is due to the company car market because many contracts were anticipated in 2023 for fiscal reasons. The market for individual buyers is increasing. For the first […]
June 03, 2024
Although many European manufacturers warn of Chinese competition and think they’re getting indirect subsidies, obstructing a level playing field, they also seem interested in partnerships with ‘the enemy’. Take Renault, for example: It will be running its ICE business (called Horse) with Geely, and now it’s partnering with another Chinese company to create the new […]
May 31, 2024
At the demand of Flemish Mobility Minister Lydia Peeters, the Flemish government has consented to a five-year pilot project allowing approved repairers to proceed to certain car re-inspections. The project aims to reduce the waiting lines and times at the official inspection centers. After evaluation, another 5 years can be added. The Minister expects that […]
May 31, 2024
According to news agency Reuters, China is set to invest more than 6 billion yuan (765 million euros) in a government-led project to develop solid-state batteries (SSB). The state funding will be attributed to six companies supporting their work on next-generation battery technology and securing the nation’s lead on the global EV playing field. Belgian […]
May 30, 2024
Rail freight company Lineas is getting a new 46 million euro bailout. It is striking that the regional governments in Flanders and Wallonia are now also going to help save the company, reports the business newspaper De Tijd. Earlier, the federal government supported Lineas financially twice. The company, the largest private rail freight operator in […]
May 30, 2024
Febiac, the federation for the Automobile and Two-wheeler sector in the Belux, has announced that the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) will again take place next year. The show will not occur in January, as usual, but from Friday 14 till Sunday 23 February. After a year of absence, the board of Febiac, regrouping most automakers […]
May 30, 2024
At the Terhills tourist site in Dilsen-Stokkem and Maasmechelen in Limburg, five instead of two self-driving shuttles will now drive around to take tourists and guests there to the various hotspots. It is the first and, so far, only fully autonomous transport system in Europe, i.e., without a safety steward on board. The shuttles can […]
May 29, 2024
High-speed train operator Eurostar has concentrated the management of its entire network and incident handling in one place: Brussels. The new operations center, which operates 24 hours a day, employs some 100 people managing around 100 trains and 50,000 passengers a day. Previously, there were two operational centers: one in Brussels for the former Thalys […]
May 29, 2024
The German automaker Volkswagen is putting the rumours to rest and has officially announced the arrival of an entry-level electric car to compete with the Dacia Spring and the Citroën ë-C3. The successor to – remember? -the e-Up will arrive in 2027 and will be dubbed ID.1. In recent weeks, it became apparent that the […]
May 28, 2024
In the annual charging test from P3, the Lotus Emeya set a new benchmark, charging 458 kilometers in only 20 minutes. This is the highest ever recorded, highlighting Chinese advancements in charging technology and crowning the Lotus the long-distance champion. Previous winners in the test were the Mercedes EQS, Kia EV6, and Lucid Air. Every […]
May 28, 2024
The Brussels city council wants the Brussels Region to take measures against noise from amplified engines and exhaust pipes in the capital’s streets. To this end, the city council approved a resolution by Councilor Mathias Vanden Borre (N-VA) on the issue. According to the World Health Organization, noise is the second biggest environmental cause of […]
May 27, 2024
Last Friday, the board of manufacturer and importer federation Febiac appointed Frank Van Gool as its new CEO, replacing Andreas Cremer on the 1st of July. Frank Van Gool (52) is well-known in the Belgian automotive business. Since 2013, he has been the managing director of Renta, the Belgian Federation of Vehicle Rental Companies, and […]
May 24, 2024
By the end of next year, EV drivers will be able to access 130 (ultra) fast-charging points on Flemish motorways. Actually, there are already 95 of them available. “With this, the Flemish government will meet its target of installing every 25 km charging infrastructure along or close to motorways by the end of 2025,” says […]
May 23, 2024
The Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB will start operating the new tram line 10 from Churchill to the Military Hospital on 23 September. The new line should mainly increase the accessibility of Neder-Over-Heembeek, a borough of the city of Brussels. Residents of that borough currently must do a lot to get to the center of […]
May 23, 2024
Volvo Trucks wants to give combustion engines another chance at existence beyond the next decade by introducing hydrogen combustion-powered trucks. The first road tests with this technology will begin in 2026, and commercialization is planned by the decade’s end. Hydrogen combustion is considered a carbon-neutral way to keep combustion engines alive without the massive costs […]
May 23, 2024
Electra, one of Europe’s experts in fast-charging stations, announces a collaboration with the Colmar Group, a renowned restaurant chain, to enhance the electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Belgium and France. By the end of 2025, all six Belgian sites under the Colmar Restaurant brand will feature fast-charging stations managed by Electra. This collaboration aims to […]
May 23, 2024
Since the Flemish Traffic Center started measuring in 2011, April was the second heaviest month for congestion. The record for the heaviest congestion month ever remains June 2019 for now. Moreover, traffic jams in February, March, and April – with 167 km of traffic jams per working day that month – were never as heavy […]
May 22, 2024
Engineers at ArcelorMittal have launched a pilot plant in Ghent to capture CO2. The plant in Ghent is the first of its kind in the European steel industry. It is an important step toward greening the polluting steel industry. For all that, the Flemish government is raising support for the steel company from 350 to […]
May 22, 2024
According to the figures of the European Car Manufacturers Association (ACEA), the European Union car market grew by 13.7% in April 2024. New registrations totaled 913,995 units, driven by strong increases across all major markets: Spain (+23.1%), Germany (+19.8%), France (+10.9%), and Italy (+7.7%). This growth can be partly explained by the two extra sales […]
May 21, 2024
The consortium between Ostend-based wind energy producer Elicio and renewable energy developer and solutions provider BayWa r.e. has won a tender to build the world’s first commercial floating wind farm off the coast of France. Elicio won the tender process, initiated in 2021 for an offshore floating wind project with a capacity between 230 and […]
May 17, 2024
Carlos Tavares, the big boss of car giant Stellantis, with a total of 14 French, Italian, and American car brands under his wings, is crushing opposed to Joe Biden’s move to increase import taxes for Chinese cars in the US with 100% and the EU’s plans to do something similar. “When you put a bubble […]
May 16, 2024
As the US government has now opted to quadruple trade tariffs on electric vehicles from China, Europe is also considering a (much more modest) increase. However, whether any of the trade war’s efforts will benefit customers remains to be seen. Apparently, the European Union will impose punitive tariffs on electric cars made in China before […]
May 16, 2024
On Wednesday, Chinese premium carmaker NIO officially showed the world its first model of a completely new ‘affordable’ line, the Onvo L60. It is directly targeted to compete in China with Toyota’s RAV4 and the Tesla Model Y for 219,900 yuan (€27,890), which is 30,000 yuan (€3,820) cheaper than the latter. According to NIO founder […]
May 15, 2024
“We will never let China control the market for this type of vehicle.” With those words, the President of the US, Joe Biden, announced that he would raise current import rates for Chinese EVs from 25% to 100%. Fearing an engulfment of cheaper Chinese electric cars, this doubles their retail price. Citing the impossibility of […]
May 15, 2024
South Korean carmaker Kia has decided to spruce up its EV6 fully electric cross-over three years after its introduction. That car got the ‘Car of the Year 2022’ title, beating the Renault Mégane E-Tech and its sister brand Hyundai Ioniq 5. New ‘eyes’, a quieter and smoother ride, 19 km more range, and faster charging […]
May 15, 2024
The Stellantis Group and Chinese electric car manufacturer Leapmotor have finalized the establishment of their joint venture and announced that Leapmotor International would commence operations in Europe in September 2024. The market launch in Europe will initially start in France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Greece, and Romania. Both sides have announced that […]
May 14, 2024
By 2030, trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles in Europe must reduce their CO2 emissions by 45% from 2019 levels. That threshold will then be raised to 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040 – the average lifespan of a truck is 18 years, that’s why. The European Parliament had previously approved these new emission standards, […]
May 14, 2024
Avatr, the joint venture between the Chinese state-owned manufacturer Changan and CATL, with Huawei as a major supplier, has unveiled its third model: the 07, a mid-size extended-range electric SUV. It follows the larger Avatr 11 SUV and Avatr 12 sedan and should rival the Tesla Model Y with a low price tag. With a […]
May 14, 2024
China’s biggest EV maker, BYD, has launched the Sea Lion 07, the first of a new Ocean-array SUV model product line. It is built on an upgraded e-Platform EVO 3.0, offering a ‘higher level of integration, stronger powertrain, and charging performance’. In China, the Sea Lion will cost 189,800 yuan (€24,220) and is targeted—once again—against […]
May 13, 2024
The VW ID.1 could arrive as the final VW e-up! successor later this decade. Volkswagen has begun initial planning but faces challenges in bringing the new electric city car to the market. The slowdown in EV sales is not one of them. Meanwhile, after confirming the launch of an all-new Golf EV, Volkswagen has started […]
May 10, 2024
Sticking to its deadline of an all-electric line-up by 2030, Volvo plans to overhaul its production process. Its platform for next-generation EVs, spearheaded by the EX60, will be constructed by Gigapresses, which are more efficient and environmentally friendly. But there’s a drawback. In November last year, the news agency Reuters reported that three car manufacturers […]
May 10, 2024
Ford Europe is reportedly flirting with the idea of adjusting its electrification strategy in the region as BEV sales have been slow to take off. Originally, the European arm of Ford Motor Company said it would only sell battery-electric models by 2030, but that commitment could soon change. Ford Europe has followed the lead of […]
May 08, 2024
Recent research highlights a troubling issue in modern vehicles: the presence of flame retardants, added to meet safety standards, may be jeopardizing the health of drivers and passengers. The warmer the interior gets, the more toxic air we breathe in while driving. Flame retardants, commonly used in various commercial products, are intended to slow fire […]
May 08, 2024
The Flemish region is the only one in Belgium to grant a premium of up to 5,000 euros for private persons purchasing a new electric vehicle with a list price under €40,000. Second-hand EVs are awarded a premium of up to €3,000. But five months after installation, the €20 million of Flanders’ nest egg for […]
May 08, 2024
Robots for welding and assembling have been a familiar sight for decades in car manufacturing plants. However, humanoid robots on two legs or doggy-likes on four legs wandering around the aisles of the BMW factories of Spartanburg (US) or Group Plant Hams Hall (UK) to ensure production processes run smoothly are relatively new. The latest […]
May 08, 2024
Dark clouds seem to be accumulating above Fisker’s future. Magna, the company contracted to build the Fisker Ocean in Austria, says in its Q1 2024 financial report that it assumes no more will be built. Fisker has been looking for opportunities to save itself for a while already. Now, the company hired to build its […]
May 07, 2024
The German sports car manufacturer has recently adopted six Scania electric box trucks to transport production materials around its Zuffenhausen, Weissach, and Leipzich plants. In contrast, an electric heavy truck from Designwerk delivers vehicles to Switzerland. HVO100 synthetic diesel is also being trialed to lower the CO2 emissions of existing diesel trucks. In addition to […]
May 07, 2024
Spanish manufacturer Irizar E-mobility has won the Flemish public transport company De Lijn’s tender for a framework agreement for up to 100 electric buses for ‘high-quality public transport’ (HOV). Modern articulated buses bet on passenger comfort and are intended for longer-distance journeys. A possible investment of 117 million euros would be involved. According to De […]
May 06, 2024
Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng is now accepting orders for its third model in Europe. The electric SUV G6 is initially available in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden, and it is cheaper than a Tesla Model Y. In Belgium, the Xpeng starts at €42,990 (190 kW, RWD, 435 km WLTP range), the same […]
May 03, 2024
Belgian registrations showed a slight decline in April, but the trend is positive over the first four months. Taking inflation and a larger crisis for European automakers into account, the national market demonstrates resilience. And lest not forget: despite the absence of the Brussels Motor Show, not everyone is keeping up their heads. Last month, […]
May 03, 2024
Research center Imec and eXia, a spin-off of the VUB (University Brussels), have developed the ‘Active Side Guard Blind Spot Sensor’, a revolutionary warning system that should prevent blind spot accidents involving trucks. Last year, the number of fatal blind spot accidents increased by 10% to a record level of 136 casualties. For comparison, in […]
May 03, 2024
A Belgian judge’s decision in an appeal has officially secured Stellantis’ move to completely rake in the joint venture with Belgian Punch Powertrain in Sint Truiden. The French-Italo-American car giant takes complete control over the production and technology of crucial Dual Clutch Transmission (eDTC) components for its hybrid vehicles (mild hybrids and plug-in hybrids). For […]
May 03, 2024
One of the speakers at the Automotive eMotion Summit organized by sector federation Febiac a few months ago was Georges Massing, who is working for Mercedes-Benz on autonomous driving and the integration of this in the car. Massing is Vice-President MB.OS Autonomous Driving and E/E Integration. In his contribution, Massing put great emphasis on safety. […]
May 02, 2024
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has almost entirely fired the team – some 500 people – responsible for the Supercharger network, including Rebecca Tinucci, senior director of EV charging, who talked the whole car industry in America into adopting Tesla’s NACS standard. Musk earlier said that cutting 10% of the 140,000 jobs would be necessary to […]
May 01, 2024
BYD presented its new Ocean M electric car concept at the Beijing Motor Show. The production version of the hatchback will launch on the Chinese market in the third quarter of 2024 at a price between 150,000 and 200,000 yuan (some 19,300 to 25,800 euros). It is not yet known whether BYD will also bring […]
April 30, 2024
BMW will invest $2.8 billion in its plants in Shenyang, China, to prepare for the production of electric cars from its ‘Neue Klasse’ (New Class) model family. BMW and the province of Liaoning, where the BMW plants are located, have signed a letter of intent to this effect. More or less a year ago, BMW […]
April 29, 2024
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), the growth rate of charging point installations is not keeping pace with the expansion of EV sales. If not accelerated, the rollout of EV adoption will inevitably be hampered. However, a similar study by Transport & Environment is more optimistic about the progress. The report highlights an […]
April 29, 2024
Mobility Club Touring launched a new online car platform, Touring CarSelect, that focuses on qualitative second-hand cars or immediately available stock cars. To do so, it collaborates with financial and insurance partners BNP Paribas Fortis and AG, not coincidentally their new shareholders since last year, to offer a complete and interesting package. Important second-hand market […]
April 29, 2024
NIO and Lotus found each other at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition to sign a strategic charging and battery swap technology partnership. According to a statement by NIO, the ultimate goal is to build a standard battery system and jointly develop passenger vehicles with a unified battery-swapping and fast-charging operational and management system. Changan Automobile, […]
April 26, 2024
Automotive supplier Continental has agreed to a 100 million euro fine imposed by prosecutors for its involvement in the notorious dieselgate emissions scandal. The fine was due to a “negligent breach of supervisory duties”, meaning the company undertook too little to inspect responsibility and managers for the supply of engine control units and related software […]
April 26, 2024
CATL, the world’s biggest battery maker, has once again pushed back frontiers by presenting the newest generation of its Shenxing LFP battery. This battery offers EV ranges of more than 1,000 km and can charge 600 km in only ten minutes. The first generation launched last year provides a 700 km range and 400 km […]
April 25, 2024
At the Beijing Motor Show, Mini unveiled the Aceman, a compact crossover that skillfully bridges the gap between the smaller hatchback and the larger Countryman. Built in China exclusively as an electric model, the Aceman marks a pivot in Mini’s design ethos. With a starting price of 36,500 euros, it is eligible for the Flemish […]
April 24, 2024
Volvo Cars’ Ghent plant will temporarily lay off its workers for four days next week. The reason is not the lack of interest in electric cars but simply the need to adjust the production lines. The small electric SUV EX30 has to be slotted in. Meanwhile, the compact SUV has been awarded the Red Dot […]
April 24, 2024
Yesterday, the federal and regional mobility ministers in Belgium officially launched MyBike, the first free national bicycle register to help prevent bicycle theft. The draft law for this was already approved last year, but now, therefore, the registration of bicycles can officially start. Owners can store the details of their bicycles, file a report, and […]
