October 19, 2026
The Genk-based logistics group H.Essers is further expanding its electric fleet with 20 new e-trucks. This brings H.Essers’ electric truck fleet to 31. Yet its 31 battery-electric trucks still account for just 2.3% of its 1,358-vehicle fleet. The company is also expanding charging infrastructure and energy supply across several sites. The logistics service provider aims to […]
October 19, 2026
American Time Magazine has included the bicycle airbag from Turnhout-based company Aerobag on its list of the best inventions of 2026. The system protects cyclists in a fall by inflating an airbag around the neck and upper body in just 100 milliseconds. The Aerobag has been in development for six years. The system is integrated into […]
October 16, 2026
As days grow shorter and winter approaches, the regional public service Brussels Mobility urges drivers to make children and young people more visible on the road. Starting October 15, the organization will launch several awareness-raising campaigns. For several years, Brussels Mobility has observed that accidents involving pedestrians during the evening rush hour (between 5 p.m. […]
October 16, 2026
With Europe facing a shortage of more than half a million truck drivers, five transport companies in Belgium’s Limburg province are offering young people a free route into the profession. The initiative reflects a growing European effort to remove costly entry barriers as the industry struggles to replace retiring drivers. But attracting a new generation […]
October 14, 2026
The world is installing renewable energy at record speed, but its electricity networks and storage capacity are struggling to keep up. In its new World Energy Transitions Outlook 2026, published on 13 October, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) explains that renewable electricity is expanding faster than the infrastructure and energy systems needed to use […]
October 13, 2026
More than eight in ten Dutch respondents support keeping the Benelux toll-free, according to a new survey by Dutch motoring organization ANWB. With Flanders preparing to introduce a digital road vignette in May 2027, 34% say they would look for alternative routes, while 22% expect to visit Belgium by car less often. Yet the Netherlands […]
October 12, 2026
Tens of thousands of people returned to the streets of Brussels on Sunday in one of Belgium’s largest climate demonstrations since the historic school strikes of 2019. Police counted 45,000 participants, while organizers estimated 60,000, roughly twice last year’s turnout. Yet the renewed mobilization comes as climate ambitions increasingly compete with economic pressures, wars, and […]
October 08, 2026
Despite the growing popularity of electric cars, greenhouse gas emissions in Flanders have stopped falling for the third consecutive year. The uncomfortable finding comes just days before thousands of climate protesters are expected to return to the streets of Brussels on Sunday, October 11th, demanding stronger action against global warming. According to the Flemish Energy […]
October 07, 2026
Belgium wants to introduce Swedish-style ‘alcohol gates’ at public locations as part of a broader crackdown on drink-driving. The system, already used in Sweden, requires drivers to pass a breath test before a barrier opens, preventing those over the limit from entering the public road network. The federal government plans to test the technology at […]
October 07, 2026
Registrations of new speed pedelecs during the summer months were, on average, just under 20% higher than last year. As a result, the total figure for the first nine months – 12,293 units – is a remarkable 13.4% higher than in 2025, and 14% higher than in 2024. “If this rapid growth continues over the […]
October 06, 2026
Geopolitical uncertainty, high interest rates, and equally high gasoline prices are making consumers hesitate when buying a car. Private customers, in particular, are looking for good deals more than ever; they gather thorough information and want maximum certainty. Yet they keep buying cars, mostly used ones, including electric vehicles. Private individuals consistently focus on a car’s […]
October 05, 2026
The European climate agency Copernicus concludes that last summer was the hottest Western European summer on record. The average temperature was 21.7 degrees, 2.5 degrees warmer than the 1991-2020 summer average, according to the latest Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) European Summer Review 2026, published on 2 October. Copernicus highlights the far-reaching consequences of these climate […]
October 02, 2026
The city of Ghent wants to help 11,000 families with a social mobility budget. From 1 May 2027, they can get financial support for car sharing, bike sharing, purchasing or renting a bicycle, bicycle repairs, cycling lessons, and collective transport to work. The city is allocating 4.46 million euros for this purpose. Mobility Alderman Joris Vandenbroucke […]
October 01, 2026
Mobility infrastructure is largely escaping the axe in the Flemish government’s biggest savings operation yet. While Flanders must find nearly €2 billion in savings next year and more than €3 billion by 2029, roads, waterways, and other major public works remain relatively protected compared with many other policy areas. Of the total effort, €1.2 billion […]
September 14, 2026
Shared e-scooters and ride-hailing may seem to compete for the same urban journeys, but five years of Belgian Bolt data suggest that many customers increasingly use both. In August 2026, 44% of active Belgian users of Bolt’s shared e-scooters and e-bikes also booked a car through the platform during the same month. That was 5.8 […]
September 10, 2026
The days when an end-of-life car disappeared into a scrapyard are increasingly numbered. Belgian vehicle recycling already recovers 98% of a scrapped car’s weight, but the next challenge is more ambitious: keeping complete parts in use rather than reducing everything to raw materials. West-Flemish dismantler Autohandel Didier, founded in 1993 by Didier Vanwijnsberghe, illustrates how […]
September 09, 2026
The Norwegian fertilizer giant Yara inaugurated Europe’s largest CO2 capture plant on Monday in Sluiskil (the Netherlands), near the Belgian border. The aim is to capture up to 800,000 tons of CO2 from its ammonia production every year, or about 0.5 percent of the Netherlands’ total annual emissions, and store it permanently. The plant completes […]
September 08, 2026
Anyone logging into the Belgian platform Just-on-web from Monday onward to pay a speeding fine will receive testimonials from mothers of children killed in accidents, alongside the federal speeding violation notices. In addition, the federal letters on speeding violations include cards with personal messages from witnesses. That is the core of a new road safety […]
September 04, 2026
According to the federal police, the latest Bob campaign conducted in Belgium during the summer has once again presented encouraging results, with ‘only’ 1.36% of drivers testing positive for alcohol. When the first campaign was launched in 1995 – 31 years ago – that figure was still 6.4%. The message is certainly getting through, then […]
September 03, 2026
The federal energy regulator CREG, the Commission for Electricity and Gas Regulation, warns that the numerous projects planned by high-voltage grid operator Elia over the coming years will lead to high electricity rates for households and businesses. The plans include, among other things, the energy island, new high-voltage lines such as Ventilus and Boucle du […]
September 03, 2026
America’s Robot.com is proud to present R-dog, the new delivery robot with a friendly face and WALL-E-like eyes, a red cap, and an approachable design. It can wiggle its furry tail and then ‘poop’ your package onto your porch. The R-dog has four articulated legs with wheels at the ends, so it can roll efficiently […]
September 02, 2026
Belgian employees spend more than one hour a day traveling to and from work, making Belgium once again Europe’s commuting champion. But the explanation is not simply that Belgians live farther from their jobs. In fact, Dutch employees often cover even greater distances. Belgium’s problem is that those kilometers take unusually long to cover. According […]
August 28, 2026
A recent study by the Belgian road safety institute Vias shows that electric vehicles are more frequently involved in accidents with vulnerable road users. They are involved in 42% of injury-causing accidents involving electric cars, compared with 27% for all car types. Vias analyzed whether the lower noise levels of electric and hybrid vehicles could affect the […]
August 27, 2026
In 2024, 13,581 traffic casualties in Belgium were hospitalized following a traffic accident. Of these casualties, 3,232 people suffered serious injuries. That is 7% fewer than in 2023, and 17% fewer than in 2016, while total hospitalizations fell by 17%. The figures come from a new report published by Vias, the Belgian road safety institute. The […]
August 26, 2026
Although large employers will be required to offer a mobility budget starting in 2027, Belgian companies do not expect a mass switch. The mobility budget may well be presented as an alternative to the company car, but employers do not believe that employees will adopt it en masse. According to a study by SD Worx among […]
August 26, 2026
Flanders wants to create 500 to 800 additional truck parking spaces along its motorways over the next ten years. But that ambition falls well short of what its own research says is needed: at least 1,800 extra spaces within five to ten years. The expansion is part of the new Strategic Network Plan for Service […]
August 25, 2026
On August 22, seawater temperature (between 60 degrees south and 60 degrees north latitude) reached its highest level ever – 21.10°C, the highest sea surface temperature ever measured. The European Earth observation service Copernicus announced this in a press release on Monday. The new figures even break the previous record of 21.09°C set in March 2024. […]
August 24, 2026
Scientists at Leiden University have found evidence that plants grow faster due to increased CO2. The flip side is that they become higher in calories but less nutritious. The nutritional value of virtually all crops has declined – plants contain less protein, iron, and other nutrients. The Leiden study pooled thousands of observations across dozens of crops […]
August 24, 2026
The city of Genk (Belgium) will be among the first to establish an energy community in which residents, associations, and companies can buy and sell locally generated renewable electricity. Genk calls the initiative “a Belgian first for a public authority,” but municipalities including Ganshoren and Ixelles have already launched similar initiatives. For the Genk project, the […]
August 20, 2026
Air quality in London has improved significantly since the expansion of the Ultra-Low-Emission Zone – an area within the city where polluting vehicles must pay a fee to enter. The ULEZ was first established under current London Mayor Sadiq Khan in 2019, was expanded in 2021 and 2023, and now covers all of Greater London, […]
August 19, 2026
A new phenomenon has emerged in the Netherlands: the skinnybike – the counterpart to the fatbike. Skinnybikes have tires that are up to six centimeters narrower than those of a fatbike. Like fatbikes, they are theoretically electric bikes with pedal assistance up to 25 kilometers per hour. You therefore have to keep pedaling to move […]
August 18, 2026
Belgium requires virtually every driver diagnosed with diabetes to obtain a medically restricted license, while neighboring countries increasingly focus only on those whose condition or treatment creates a real driving risk. Yet according to the Belgian road safety institute Vias, one in five people with diabetes is driving without the required adapted license. That discrepancy […]
August 17, 2026
Europe’s major oil companies have more than doubled their profits in the latest quarter of 2026, reigniting the debate over whether governments should tax part of those gains while simultaneously spending public money to shield motorists from high fuel prices. According to an analysis by the environmental lobby group Transport & Environment, eight major oil […]
August 14, 2026
The federal police are sounding the alarm about TripRank, an app that rewards street racing – the latest craze among street racers. The police are warning of life-threatening situations on the road. TripRank records speed, routes traveled, and driving behavior, among other things. The faster users drive on public roads, the more points they receive, and […]
August 13, 2026
The rapid growth of electric cars is often blamed for putting more pressure on electricity grids. But a new Dutch analysis suggests the biggest problem is not simply how many EVs are plugged in, but how many start charging at the same time. Mobility provider Shuttel analyzed almost two million charging sessions from around 25,000 […]
August 12, 2026
Tailgating is one of the biggest annoyances in traffic. It is a widespread European and international road-safety problem and not a Belgian or Dutch peculiarity. In the Netherlands, more than one in six motorists (16.2%) cite it as their primary source of irritation. Next come making non-hands-free calls while driving (15.8%) and failing to use […]
August 11, 2026
Paris has tightened safety measures for electric scooter users through traffic regulations, speed limits, and enforcement. Riders are now also required to wear helmets and high-visibility vests while riding their scooters on public roads. Without an approved helmet, they risk a 135-euro fine; not wearing a reflective jacket can result in a 35-euro penalty. The […]
August 10, 2026
In July 2026, prolonged hot and dry conditions in western Europe led to the spread and intensification of extreme wildfires. Western Europe experienced its hottest June-July period on record, and July saw the third and fourth heatwaves since May, marking an exceptional run of extreme heat this summer. Globally, the month was the joint second […]
August 10, 2026
Four German federal states are temporarily lifting the driving ban that has kept trucks off the highways on Sundays and public holidays since 1956. The measure came into effect this weekend and is intended to provide an alternative to waterborne transport, given the extremely low water levels of the Rhine. The states of Rhineland-Palatinate, North […]
August 06, 2026
An increasing number of Dutch people living in the border region with Belgium are filling up their tanks in Belgium, according to research by ABN AMRO. By now, approximately 15 percent of gasoline consumption in that region has shifted to Belgium. The Dutch are flocking to Belgium to fill up their tanks, now that the price […]
August 06, 2026
Starting this autumn, young drivers in France will no longer be allowed to drive powerful cars. France is banning young drivers from operating a vehicle “with engine power exceeding a specified threshold.” This ban applies to any car a novice driver operates, including borrowed or rented vehicles. The trigger is a series of serious accidents involving young […]
August 05, 2026
On Tuesday, August 4, the Brabo III high-voltage line in the Port of Antwerp was officially opened, with the Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) and Dutch Minister Rob Jetten in attendance. Elia and TenneT have inaugurated the Brabo project – an upgrade to the electricity interconnection between Belgium and the Netherlands – in […]
August 04, 2026
Anyone who thought we could turn back the climate clock and return to the old ‘normal’ is in for a disappointment. Even if we stop driving gasoline-fueled cars and having barbecues, no one alive today will ever experience that former normal again. The sobering message comes from Bart Strengers, a climate scientist at the Netherlands Environmental […]
August 04, 2026
According to research by the telecom regulator BIPT, Bpost is by far the most eco-friendly parcel delivery service in Belgium. BIPT was commissioned to map out the environmental footprint of parcel delivery in the country. According to the BIPT study, Bpost performs remarkably well compared to other parcel services. The reason? Bpost is investing heavily in […]
August 03, 2026
In one out of four traffic accidents in Belgium involving pedestrian injuries, the person responsible flees the scene. Cyclists also frequently fall victim to hit-and-run accidents. Although most perpetrators are caught, the phenomenon remains alarmingly widespread, the Vias Institute reported on Sunday. Belgium has the worst record among its neighboring countries for hit-and-run crashes involving pedestrians. In […]
August 03, 2026
After eight days of blood, sweat, and tears, the Innoptus Solar Team can finally claim victory. They are incredibly proud to have concluded their American adventure by achieving the goal they set out with a year ago: clinching the overall victory. “We knew that a great deal of work would have to be done on the […]
July 31, 2026
On Wednesday, the Belgian Innoptus Solar Team grabbed first place in the American Solar Challenge, and one day later, it maintained that position despite a significant change in weather conditions. On Thursday, the Belgian team finished 38 kilometers ahead of their Dutch rivals from Delft. Today, two days before the end of the American Solar Challenge, […]
July 31, 2026
The prolonged heat is leading to low water levels in rivers. This year has been marked not only by low water levels, but also by their remaining below the minimum navigable level for an extended period. This, in turn, is developing into a combined transport, industrial, agricultural, and water-management crisis. The immediate problem is that […]
July 30, 2026
On Wednesday, we reported that the Belgian Innoptus Solar Team grabbed first place on the fourth day of the American Solar Challenge. Today, the team announced that its position in the race remained unchanged, despite a significant change in weather conditions. Calculated risk The grey sky and thick fog – far from ideal for charging […]
July 30, 2026
Mobility federation TRAXIO, which also represents carwashes in Belgium, is calling for responsible water use and for cars to be washed in a ‘water-conscious’ manner. The federation advocates using a professional carwash instead of setting to work with a bucket and garden hose. “Professional car wash systems use up to 95% recycled water that is […]
July 29, 2026
On the fourth day of the American Solar Challenge, the Belgian Innoptus Solar Team took first place. What began as a major setback turned into a surprising turnaround. Once the team was on the road, it faced several challenges. The route was full of hills, which really put both the vehicle – Infinite Apollo – […]
July 29, 2026
Climate change has long since ceased to be an abstract threat, and yet politicians hardly ever mention it. More than thirty years after the first alarm bells were raised, the political establishment still shrugs off the extreme temperatures. “Two thousand people are dead, yet not even a minute of silence was observed,” said Jean-Pascal van Ypersele […]
July 27, 2026
Climate change is no longer an abstract threat but a harsh reality. Forest fires are raging so fiercely in Spain, France, and other European countries that some have declared a state of emergency. Meanwhile, roughly 300,000 to 360,000 people have been evacuated across France and Spain due to wildfires. In Belgium, the June 27 heatwave […]
July 24, 2026
Figures from the European statistical office Eurostat show that renewable energy accounted for more than a quarter (26.2%) of final energy consumption in the European Union in 2025. A year earlier, that figure was 25.2%, and the EU binding target for 2030 is 42.5%, with an ambition to reach 45%. Eurostat calculated that the EU share […]
July 23, 2026
Last week, the Flemish government reached an agreement on a new Air Policy Plan, intended to prepare Flanders for the stricter European air-quality standards that take effect in 2030. The new plan is an update of the text drafted by the previous Flemish government, and will be re-evaluated in 2027. The most important change is […]
July 23, 2026
More than half (51%) of Belgian SMEs are feeling the impact of rising energy and mobility costs and expect further increases. Companies in the secondary sector, construction, and logistics, in particular, are feeling the pressure mount. Yet, compensation for employees remains the exception rather than the rule. Research by HR service provider SD Worx shows that only […]
July 21, 2026
The share of electrical energy has remained stuck at 23 percent over the past ten years, and that needs to increase. The European Commission aims to double the share of electricity in energy consumption to 46 percent by 2040, thereby reducing the European Union’s dependence on gas and oil imports. “The current heatwaves in Europe […]
July 20, 2026
The European Commission wants to give heavy industry more time to curb CO2 emissions. This became apparent on Friday during the presentation of the long-awaited reform of the European Emissions Trading System (ETS1). Companies in the most energy-intensive sectors – chemicals, cement, steel, glass, etc. – have for years been required to pay for the CO2 […]
July 15, 2026
The German company Siemens Energy, which specializes in energy technology and has grown into one of the most valuable companies on the Frankfurt stock exchange, is changing its name. In the future, the current entities Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy will be united under a single name and brand umbrella: Omterra. The rebranding process […]
July 14, 2026
The market for new motorcycles grew by 13.2% in the first half of the year compared to the same period last year – with 16,368 new vehicles, this is the highest growth level in fifteen years. Thanks in part to the Brussels Motor Show, 2026 got off to a strong start. According to the mobility federation Traxio, increases […]
