September 04, 2025
Just ahead of the IAA, VW unveiled its new naming strategy for electric cars. As expected, it will drop the combination of the ID. prefix and a number, as VW intends to return to the names of its “established bestsellers.” The first model to follow this approach will be the production version of the ID.2all […]
September 03, 2025
Several car manufacturers have abandoned the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles as a means of powering cars. Still, there are perseverers and, like Hyundai and Toyota, BMW is one of them. The last two are, in fact, seriously collaborating on the subject. BMW Group Plant Steyr is getting ready for series production of fuel cell systems. […]
September 03, 2025
Weak demand and dwindling profits are reshaping Mercedes’ electric plans. According to the British website Autocar, this will lead to the discontinuation of the EQE sedan and its sibling, the EQE SUV, in 2026—a remarkable decision, as these models were only released in 2022. Instead of the planned facelift, they could be facing the axe. […]
September 03, 2025
Toyota announced on Wednesday that the first battery electric vehicle (BEV) to be built in Europe will come from the Czech Republic. It pumps an additional €680 million into its Kolin facility to expand it for BEV production. Currently, this plant builds the Aygo X and Yaris Hybrid. The carmaker previously indicated plans to launch nine […]
September 03, 2025
Mobility federation Traxio has a new chief executive officer. Emily Coenegrachts will report to the board and the strategic committee. Coenegracht has expertise from very different sectors in the industry and has been working, among others, for BPost, VIAS, and Keolis. She will start officially in her new position on the 15th of September. Traxio […]
September 02, 2025
Smart will return to its roots with a new two-seat city car that revives the spirit of the Fortwo, the diminutive model that defined the brand for more than two decades. The company, now a 50/50 joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely, confirmed that the electric-only Smart #2 will debut in late 2026 as the […]
September 02, 2025
According to data from the federal public service Mobility and Transport and those of the sector federation Febiac, 26,120 new cars were registered in August in Belgium and Luxembourg, representing a 10.9% decrease from the same month last year. Looking at the first eight months of 2025, 292,349 new cars were registered, representing a 10% […]
September 01, 2025
With the handover of a 3 Series plug-in hybrid model from the Munich plant to a customer, BMW has sold its three millionth vehicle with an electrified drive. This milestone for the company was achieved through a significant increase in sales of fully electric models and plug-in hybrid models in the first half of 2025. “With […]
September 01, 2025
BYD, the world’s biggest maker of electric vehicles, is selling record numbers of cars but has reported its first fall in profits in more than two years. The toll of a fierce price war in China’s car industry turns BYD’s strategy into a balancing act. The Shenzhen-based carmaker sold almost 2.2 million vehicles in the […]
September 01, 2025
It’s here and it looks good, especially in bright yellow: the newest version of Volkswagen’s bestseller, the T-Roc. It is significantly larger, which translates into more rear-seat space and larger boot space, as well as premium tech from its larger siblings, such as the Tiguan, but still not electric. However, this might be the last […]
August 29, 2025
Mazda has once again turned to unconventional thinking in its pursuit of cleaner combustion. The Japanese automaker, which builds on a solid reputation of daring powertrain experiments, has filed a patent for a six-stroke internal combustion engine that doesn’t emit any local CO2. So no, it is not running on e-fuels. Ready for something completely […]
August 29, 2025
According to a German media report, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume has decided to step down to focus on his role as head of the entire Volkswagen Group. The search for a successor is ongoing, with both internal and external candidates under consideration. The German business newspaper Wirtschaftswoche (WiWo) was the first to report on the […]
August 28, 2025
Volvo Cars’ new XC70 plug-in hybrid SUV will not be limited to China after all. The automaker has confirmed that the long-range model, originally unveiled with a focus on the Chinese market, will also be offered in Europe, expanding its role within the brand’s global electrification strategy. The XC70 revives one of the most familiar […]
August 28, 2025
Suzuki Motor Corporation has begun shipping its first battery-electric vehicle, the eVitara, worldwide. The company hosted a dispatch ceremony at its Gujarat facility in India, where the compact SUV is produced. The event drew high-level participation, underscoring the importance of the launch for both Suzuki and India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister […]
August 27, 2025
In a letter addressed to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, European automotive manufacturers (ACEA) and suppliers (CLEPA) outlined their expectations for the upcoming Strategic Dialogue on the future of the European automotive industry, scheduled for 12 September. The associations ask for a new ‘transformation plan’ to save the European automotive […]
August 27, 2025
China’s BYD has started exporting electric cars from its Thai factory to Europe. In anticipation of the start of its production site in Hungary, the Chinese EV maker uses this bypass to skip its 17.4% excess tariffs. As products imported from Thailand into the EU are exempt from import levies, the new route is expected […]
August 27, 2025
A first-of-its-kind cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study by the University of Michigan and Ford, spanning vehicle types, classes, regions, and usage patterns, shows once again that battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are always the greener choice when comparing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. No matter where you live in the US. Across regions and methods worldwide, recent […]
August 26, 2025
Mercedes-AMG has pushed the limits of zero-emission performance with its GT XX concept, the forerunner of the brand’s first purely electric sports car. The futuristic four-door saloon has effectively driven the circumference of the Earth, without ever leaving southern Italy. Over the course of just over a week, two prototypes of the GT XX circled […]
August 26, 2025
A new online survey by the market research access panel, PanelWizzard, with 1,010 drivers, shows that one in three Dutch people prefers driving a Chinese car over an American car like Tesla or Ford to date. “Chinese brands are on the rise in Europe. We see that in our showrooms as well, and to be […]
August 26, 2025
The EU and the US have signed a joint statement to retroactively reduce US tariffs on cars and car parts from 27.5% to 15%. The reductions were technically part of an agreement in July, but were never implemented. That will now change. After weeks of uncertainty following the political agreement between European Commission President Ursula […]
August 25, 2025
After a break of almost four years, there’s a successor for the Nissan Micra. The small car will only be launched on the market with an electric drive and is set to be the start of a major product offensive by the Japanese manufacturer in Europe. The starting price in Belgium will be €29,250. The […]
August 22, 2025
Chinese electric cars tend to be sold at half the price in their homeland than in Europe. If a company like China EV Marketplace announces it is launching a new door-to-door service for European customers, enabling them to purchase road-legal EVs directly from China, and handling most of the annoying stuff for you, is it […]
August 22, 2025
The Austrian motorcycle and sports car manufacturer KTM is in dire straits. It has to reorganize and sell its car division to Verlinvest, the investing firm of the well-known Belgian family De Mevius. KTM is known as a motorcycle manufacturer, but twenty years ago, it launched the X-Bow, a barchetta-style open sports car designed to […]
August 22, 2025
Porsche reportedly plans to shut down its battery unit, Cellforce, nearly. According to a media report from the German magazine Der Spiegel, all that will remain at the Cellforce site in Kirchentellinsfurt, Swabia, is “at best a small unit for research and development.” Porsche itself has declined to comment. Meanwhile, the sports car manufacturer seems […]
August 21, 2025
Volkswagen is facing a class-action lawsuit in the United States over one of its most derided designs: steering wheels fitted with capacitive touch buttons. Two American customers claim the controls are beyond irritating. They are straightforwardly dangerous. The lawsuit accuses Volkswagen of knowingly selling cars with controls so sensitive that drivers could activate crucial functions […]
August 21, 2025
South Korean carmaker Kia has started production of its EV4 full-electric hatchback at its Žilina plant in Slovakia. It’s the first Kia electric vehicle to be manufactured in Europe, although the factory itself opened in 2004, in a land that has rapidly become a ‘magnet’ for car factories. And there are good reasons why. Designed […]
August 21, 2025
This summer, Belgium has 100,000 public charging points in the country, possibly providing energy for over 380,000 fully electric cars and 270,000 PHEVs driving on Belgian roads. This puts Belgium in third place across Europe when looking at the availability of charging points per inhabitant. Belgium now has 7.6 charging points per 1,000 inhabitants; only […]
August 20, 2025
The Antwerp-based maritime group CMB.TECH is acquiring Golden Ocean, the Norwegian dry bulk shipping company. The acquisition, not a traditional cash acquisition but a merger through a share exchange, was approved yesterday by Golden Ocean’s shareholders during an extraordinary general meeting in Hamilton, Bermuda’s capital. The merger will make CMB.TECH one of the largest listed […]
August 19, 2025
Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L, its stretched six-seat variant of its best-selling crossover. The model is built exclusively for the Chinese market, where the carmaker works hard to reinvigorate demand. Chinese customers like being driven while sitting on the rear bench, and Tesla now wants to serve them that treat without too […]
August 19, 2025
Leapmotor, a once-overlooked Chinese electric vehicle start-up part-owned by Stellantis, has surged to the front of China’s fiercely competitive EV race. The carmaker posted record sales, its first-ever profit, while its expansion into Europe is growing at a rapid pace. What explains its success? The outlook is positive. The Hangzhou-based company delivered more than 221,000 […]
August 19, 2025
A new P3 analysis published this week finds today’s EVs need ~95,000 km to ~120,000 km on the average EU grid to offset their higher production footprint. Innovations in battery manufacturing, renewable energy, and recycling could cut the break-even distance to ~50,000 km or even below 30,000 km with 100% renewable charging. Compared to other […]
August 18, 2025
Geely Group’s Livan Automotive has pulled the covers off its latest entry in China’s booming micro-EV segment. It bears a name that is all too familiar to the Belgian public: the Livan Smurf, named after the beloved comic characters from Peyo, is a compact, four-seat hatchback priced to compete directly with bestsellers like the Wuling […]
August 14, 2025
Polestar has etched its name into the record books, with a standard version of the 3 covering 935.44 kilometers on a single charge, claiming the Guinness World Record for the longest distance driven by an electric SUV without recharging. Sedans like the Lucid Air or the Mercedes EQS covered even more distance in the past. […]
August 14, 2025
A new study by the German Insurance Association (GDV) challenges some entrenched, widely shared preconceptions about electric cars (EVs) being more accident-prone than cars with a classic combustion engine (ICE). They are equal in accident frequency and damage, GDV says. And the gap in actual repair costs after an accident is currently shrinking, averaging now […]
August 13, 2025
Daimler Truck, Volvo Group, Paccar, and Traton have sued California over its obligation to follow the state’s emissions rules, joining US President Trump in the war against EV mandates. The truck manufacturers want to follow the less stringent federal regulations and disregard the state-level emissions rules that have been in place for decades. In June, […]
August 13, 2025
The world’s largest battery maker, CATL, has launched CTP-battery repairs in China through its Ning Service independent aftermarket brand, costing only a fraction – typically 10 to 20% – of a complete battery pack replacement. Affordable battery repair can be a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) game-changer for electric cars, reducing depreciation, preventing catastrophic repair […]
August 13, 2025
According to Arval Mobility Observatory, three smaller BEVs lead the list of most ordered company cars at leasing and mobility solutions company Arval. Although the BMW iX1 remained the number one in the second half of 2024, it has now been overtaken by the Kia EV3 and the Skoda Enyaq. “We knew these smaller BEVs […]
August 12, 2025
The head of German carmaker Mercedes-Benz has highlighted the challenges facing the company in an interview with the German business newspaper Handelsblatt. CEO Ola Källenius, also the current President of ACEA, warns of a European car market collapse if the ban on ICE vehicles in 2035 is implemented. Källenius proposes to drop an actual date […]
August 12, 2025
After 28 years, the curtain is coming down in the Netherlands on one of the world’s most iconic hybrids: the Toyota Prius. From September, the model will be removed from the line-up. Outside the Netherlands, the Prius will remain in production and on sale. The decision draws particular attention as the current generation of the […]
August 12, 2025
At Ford, they’re talking about a new ‘Model T moment’. That’s how important they estimate the venue of the ‘Universal EV Platform’ linked with a new production system that reduces weight, parts, and cost. The American car manufacturer is preparing to launch a family of affordable electric vehicles based on this new Ford Universal EV […]
August 11, 2025
BYD’s luxury performance brand Yangwang is preparing to unleash one of the most powerful electric cars ever built. New regulatory filings in China reveal a Track Edition of its U9 supercar boasting more than 3,000 hp. Lotus Evija and Rimac Nevera: beware! China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) regularly discloses models ahead of […]
August 11, 2025
Tesla will be a no-show at next month’s IAA Mobility trade fair in Munich, a striking absence from one of Europe’s most high-profile automotive events. The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), which organizes the biennial show, confirmed the U.S. electric vehicle maker’s decision but did not explain. Tesla hasn’t commented officially yet on […]
August 11, 2025
The Chinese technology group and recent electric car manufacturer Xiaomi has hired Kai Langer, former head of design at BMW i. Kai Langer worked for BMW for over 20 years and joined Xiaomi on August 1st. Langer will remain based in Munich, where Xiaomi operates a research and development center. Langer’s exact role at Xiaomi […]
August 08, 2025
Lyten, a US-based battery start-up backed by Stellantis, has agreed to acquire the remaining assets of the collapsed Swedish battery maker Northvolt. The company stated that it aims to continue the plans already in place by previous management. The buy-in restores Europe’s faltering ambitions of building a homegrown battery industry, although under American wings. The […]
August 04, 2025
Mitsubishi Motors is resuming sales of new cars in Belgium through its Dutch subsidiary, starting in Q4 2025 after four years of inactivity in Europe. The latest offensive will begin with the world premiere in Brussels on September 17 of the fully electric Eclipse Cross, alongside a new Grandis SUV in Mild and Full Hybrid […]
August 01, 2025
Anyone who wants to hand in a license plate in Belgium can do so by depositing it – free of charge – with the Vehicle Registration Service (Dienst voor Inschrijving van Voertuigen, DIV) in Brussels. You can also send it – wrapped – via bpost, the Belgian postal service, and this will cost you 5.15 […]
August 01, 2025
BMW reported a sharp drop in first-half profits on Thursday, weighed down by US tariffs, currency headwinds from the dollar, and challenging business conditions in China. The Munich-based automaker reported a post-tax profit of €4 billion, down 29% from the same period last year, marking the third consecutive decline in the first half for the […]
July 31, 2025
The Leapmotor B10 is a compact C-segment electric SUV designed for global markets. Still, especially with the European market in mind, it is intended to offer a blend of performance, technology, and affordability. On Wednesday, ordering opened in most European countries where the Chinese brand is imported by Stellantis, at a starting price of just […]
July 31, 2025
New Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa promised “tough decisions” to turn around the money-losing automaker, a raft of new and returning models, and a fresh executive team eager to “roll up our sleeves” and build on encouraging signs in the first half of 2025. But he and CFO Doug Ostermann, speaking to analysts on July 29 from Stellantis […]
July 30, 2025
Our assumptions earlier today that François Provost would be nominated as the new CEO of the Renault Group have been confirmed. The official announcement came late in the afternoon. “The Renault Group Board of Directors, meeting today (Wednesday, July 30) under the chairmanship of Jean-Dominique Senard, decided, following recommendation from the Governance and Remuneration Committee, […]
July 30, 2025
Mercedes is gearing up for the launch of its next generation of electric vehicles. The all-new electric GLC will make its world debut at the IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, alongside the prototype of the VLE minivan. And by next year, at least three other models should follow. Mercedes has given a sneak preview of […]
July 30, 2025
An analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) of CO2 fleet emissions for new cars in H1 of 2025 shows that the car industry currently exceeds the EU limit by nine percent. This breach should actually trigger fines payable to the European Union. Due to the recent flexibilisation, that will not happen. The […]
July 30, 2025
Every category of commercial vehicles has faced negative results in the first half of 2025 in Europe. Vans and trucks suffered the most, but buses have remained relatively stable, thanks to their large share of electrification. However, the sector warns that the conditions are still not suitable for the mass adoption of electrified heavy commercial […]
July 29, 2025
The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) has extended its partnership with the all-electric racing series Formula E by ten years. Formula E will thus remain the exclusive, fully electric, single-seater category with FIA World Championship status, at least until 2048. While manufacturers and fans are mainly looking ahead to the next season starting in December […]
July 28, 2025
In the second quarter of 2025, Volkswagen Group recorded a profit of €2.3 billion, a 36.3% drop compared to April-June 2024. It has obliged the group to revise its forecasts, and Europe’s number one cr manufacturer now foresees a profit margin between 4 and 5% instead of the 5.5-6.5% margin previewed earlier. Turnover for 2025 […]
July 25, 2025
According to Chinese media, battery maker Svolt Energy has started the first trial production of semi-solid-state batteries that will supply BMW Mini’s next-generation models. These are expected to be delivered ‘en masse’ to begin around 2027. BMW added Svolt in mid‑2023, as its third major Chinese battery supplier, alongside CATL and Eve Energy. These newly […]
July 25, 2025
SAIC Motor, the parent company of the MG brand, has officially posted the first pictures of the all-new MG4’s interior on Weibo, China’s microblogging platform, often described as a combined alternative to Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. Gone are most physical buttons below the screen for key controls from the outgoing generation, with just five core […]
July 25, 2025
BMW has announced a new update for the My BMW App and MINI App, introducing a feature that allows drivers to view their carbon footprint. It’s designed for use with traditional ICE vehicles as well as BEVs and plug-in hybrids. “Our usage research shows: The information in My Trips is one of the most popular […]
July 25, 2025
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized plans, according to the German newspaper Bild, that the European Union is working on prohibiting car-rental firms and large corporations from buying non-electric vehicles for their fleets starting in 2030. The European plan is still a proposal and draws inspiration from Belgian regulations that stipulate that by 2026, all new […]
July 24, 2025
An increasing number of people are experiencing motion sickness in electric cars, but why is this happening? Scientists are trying to find an acceptable explanation as to why people feel more motion sick riding in an EV than in a traditional petrol or diesel car. For your information, in 2024, 22% of new car sales […]
