May 21, 2024
Stellantis’ premium subsidiary, DS Automobiles, is considering launching a radically designed electric sedan with unique styling and excellent aerodynamics. As part of its efforts to further distance itself from and position itself above Citroën, DS is looking to launch a radical new electric sedan later this decade. Featuring retro styling inspired by the legendary Citroën […]
May 21, 2024
According to insider information, VW and Renault have abandoned their talks about a possible cooperation for small electric cars. Around a month ago, there were already indications that the negotiations to jointly develop EVs at target prices of less than 20,000 euros were stagnating. Rumors persisted for months that the Franco-German cooperation on small cars […]
May 21, 2024
The small but sporty EV off-roader designed by Ian Callum, the Callum Skye, is now ready to order. The Callum Skye is the first EV from Ian Callum, the iconic British car designer’s own design and engineering firm after he left Jaguar, where he was heading design for decades. The car will be revealed at […]
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
ABB E-Mobility has presented its new A400 HPC charging station. According to ABB, it is characterised by particularly high reliability and user-friendliness. It offers two connections with 200 kW continuous charging power each or up to 400 kW for a single vehicle. The new product is an alternative to ABB’s HPC charging stations from the […]
May 16, 2024
Horse, Renault’s department for the further development of internal combustion engines, will sell 2.0-liter turbodiesel engines to Habas, one of Turkey’s largest companies, for use in light-commercial vehicles. The company has signed its first major contract with an outside company with an agreement to provide turbodiesel engines to the Turkish conglomerate Habas. The Renault turbodiesel engine […]
May 16, 2024
Parking service provider Parkopedia has expanded its partnership with BMW Group to provide EV drivers with additional EV Point of Interest data, enabling them to make more informed decisions about when and where to charge their vehicles. The new partnership is designed to provide EV drivers with photos and ratings for charging locations alongside Parkopedia-provided […]
May 15, 2024
Renault is adjusting its strategy toward autonomous vehicles. Regarding individual vehicles, Renault Group concentrates on the L2 or L2+ level for the moment. However, when it comes to public transportation, Renault Group sees the relevance of offering real autonomous vehicles. CTO Gilles Le Borgne said Renault Group would not aim for so-called SAE Level 3 […]
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
According to a new analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E), onshoring the EV supply chain to Europe would cut the emissions of producing a battery by 37% compared to a China-controlled supply chain. This carbon saving rises to over 60% when renewable electricity is used. “Producing Europe’s demand for battery cells and components locally would […]
May 14, 2024
Mercedes-Benz is apparently putting the brakes on investment with a change of course. According to a media report, it is no longer developing its electric platform ‘MB.EA-Large’. From 2028, the Stuttgarters actually wanted to electrify the new generation of their largest saloons and SUVs based on this architecture. The German newspaper Handelsblatt cites four insiders […]
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 13, 2024
With Lancia’s comeback in the Benelux, Stellantis is introducing three premium brands. The new fully electric version (a mild hybrid follows later) can be ordered now in Belgium for € 34,500. According to Milosz Tomanek, the Vice President of premium brands at Stellantis Belux and the MD of Lancia, Lancia is the epitome of Italian […]
May 10, 2024
Bentley’s future drivetrain will be an all-new, performance-focused V8 hybrid powertrain named ‘Ultra Performance Hybrid’, replacing its iconic W12 engine. A pure electric Bentley seems not yet in sight. In a press release, the ultra-luxury brand and VW Group daughter promises “producing the highest power output ever offered in a Bentley; the new powertrain will […]
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
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
Volvo Cars reported global sales of 65,838 cars, up 27% compared to the same period last year. The sales increase was primarily driven by a strong performance in Europe as well as the company’s fully electric small SUV, the EX30. The company’s electrified models, with a fully electric or plug-in hybrid powertrain, grew 53% compared […]
May 06, 2024
BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosí is gearing up for production of the ‘Neue Klasse’. Construction of a local high-voltage battery assembly has now begun, along with expansion projects for the body shop, assembly, and logistics areas. A total of €800 million will be invested in expanding the Mexican production site. The ‘Neue Klasse’ will […]
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
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 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
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
Japanese independent car manufacturer Mazda has shown its second full-electric vehicle, the EZ-6, at the motor show in Beijing. It was developed with partner Changan and is only intended for the Chinese market. The same goes for Toyota. The world’s number one car manufacturer presented two new BEV models for the Chinese market at Auto […]
April 25, 2024
BMW presents a slightly revised version of the 4 Series Gran Coupé and its electric sister, the i4, at Auto China in Beijing. The i4 not only has fresh design accents but also an additional drive variant. The new drive system is the i4 xDrive40. Until now, the i4 has only been available as an […]
April 25, 2024
The motor show in Beijing starts today, but Volkswagen already set the tone for the trade fair yesterday at its Group Media Night. What VW CEO Oliver Blume and his board members presented on stage was akin to a declaration of war. In China, the largest global market for cars, it is not only the […]
April 25, 2024
The first images of Range Rover’s fully electric SUV have been revealed, showing a modern take on the iconic SUV. Range Rover’s first electric SUV is being tested ahead of its upcoming debut. Can Range Rover’s new EV compete with competitors like Porsche and other luxury automakers? Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) continues to see strong […]
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
The German premium car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has revealed its electric version of the iconic G Class off-roader at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in China. It won’t be called the EQG but rather ominous the G580 with EQ technology. The all-new electric G-Class remains true to the model’s character, retaining its angular silhouette, including all […]
April 23, 2024
The Smart Concept #5 is the brand’s most spacious and versatile vehicle to date. It will be presented to the public on 25 April at the opening of the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in China. The presentation of the series production model of the third vehicle in the smart product portfolio is planned for the […]
April 23, 2024
Luxembourg has completed its fourth tender call for charging infrastructure and has assigned funding to support the construction of 434 new charging points. Following the fourth call for projects to support companies investing in charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, the Luxembourg government has selected 34 projects to install 434 new charging points. The companies will […]
April 23, 2024
Chinese car manufacturer Chery wants to build cars in Spain, specifically in the former Nissan plant in Barcelona. It will be Chery’s first production facility in Europe. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez sees the partnership between Chery and Ebro-EV Motors as a ‘symbol for the reindustrialization’ of Catalonia and Spain as a whole. This brings […]
April 22, 2024
Of the 5,500 workers at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant (Tennessee, U.S.), 73% voted yes to being represented by the United Auto Workers Union (UAW). This is the first time a foreign car manufacturer in the U.S. has a union-represented workforce and also the first time in the South of the States. It’s a double victory for […]
April 22, 2024
BMW invests 200 million euros in its component plant in Landshut, Germany, and expands production capacity there. Specifically, the central housing for the electric drive unit of the Neue Klasse will be produced there. BMW will build a new production facility to house component production for the Neue Klasse. It will have three levels and […]
April 19, 2024
Renault enhances its distribution network with a new concept point-of-sale format called ‘rnlt©’, a name that reflects this new type of distribution: modern, compact, and condensed. These new stores will provide visitors with a comprehensive experience of the Renault brand and its products. Immersive experience in a compact universe As a showcase for the brand, […]
April 19, 2024
Yesterday, Mazda launched its CX-80 in Europe. This seven-seater is the second of two new models for Europe from the company’s Large Product group, after the CX-60. It is the most spacious car in Mazda’s European portfolio and will be the company’s new flagship on the old continent. “In this latest evolution of Mazda’s unique […]
April 18, 2024
Citroën unveils the first images of the all-new C3 Aircross, which shares the same design identity as the C3 hatchback and ambitions to shake up the market with a very competitive pricing positioning. Both models are based on the same Smart Car platform, allowing powertrain flexibility and cost efficiency, Citroën claims. The new C3 Aircross […]
April 18, 2024
According to data from the European Manufacturers Association (ACEA), the European Union car market experienced its first decline of the year, registering a 5.2% decrease to 1 million units. Apparently, the timing of the Easter holidays negatively impacted last month’s sales across most EU markets, including the four largest: Germany (-6.2%), Spain (-4.7%), Italy (-3.7%), […]
April 18, 2024
78% of the Belgian users who drive a company car via the leasing company ALD Automotive/Leaseplan are convinced that the Chinese car manufacturers will have a growing share of the Belgian car market in the future. GfK surveyed 2,211 lease car users at the request of car leaser ALD Automotive/Leaseplan. The respondents were questioned about […]
April 17, 2024
The Swedish dealer holding Hedin, which has been active in Belux since 2018, will start to import the Chinese brand XPeng. The first units of the momentarily available P7 sedan and the large G9 SUV should be delivered before the end of summer. The prices in Belgium aren’t known yet, but normally, they will be […]
April 17, 2024
Chinese car brand Denza, a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz, recently revealed the first glimpse of a new model. The registration application in China has now provided unveiled images and initial information, such as the model’s name. It is mandatory to be included in the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) vehicle […]
April 16, 2024
Renault seems to be considering a purely electric edition of the Espace. The car would be an MPV again, like the original one, and it would also have a retro look like some of the manufacturer’s new EV products lately. Renault could offer a competitor to the VW ID.Buzz and others with an electric, seven-seater […]
April 16, 2024
Yin Tongyue, chairman of China’s Chery Auto, said the Wuhu-based car manufacturer is planning to sign a deal with a premium European brand through platform cooperation. “Two premium European brands want to use our platform, and a deal will be signed with one of them, which is a more premium brand than us,” Yin said. […]
April 16, 2024
For the first time in the Belux, more electrified vehicles (BEV, PHEV, and HEV) were registered in the first quarter of 2024 than cars with only a combustion engine (ICE). According to the data of the importers federation, Febiac, 135,140 cars were registered in Q1 2024, the best result since 2020. 52.8% of them were […]
April 15, 2024
Last Friday, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and other members of the federal and regional governments met with Audi’s top managers to try to save Audi Brussels. “The Factory of the Future” (award title in 2020) is fighting for its survival. Dark clouds are gathering on the horizon. A few months ago, Brussels was […]
April 12, 2024
Volvo Cars’ Taizhou manufacturing plant has switched to biogas, making it Volvo’s first plant in China to achieve climate-neutral status. The plant’s switch from natural gas will result in a reduction of more than 7,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. “Despite being a small share of our total Scope 1-3 emissions of 43 million tons, […]
April 12, 2024
Mercedes-Benz is recalling 341,000 of its cars worldwide because of a fire risk. GLE and GLS models built from 2017 to 2023 are concerned. Meanwhile, the Stuttgarters are upgrading their electric flagship EQS. The recall has been announced by the German transport authority Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA). The cause for the possible fire risk is a possibly […]
April 11, 2024
On Wednesday evening, two days after Van Hool had been declared bankrupt by the Court in Mechelen, the curators finally chose the initial bids of VDL (for the bus section) and Schmitz Cargobull (for the trailer section). The curators thoroughly investigated the bids of the Dutch VDL Group and the South African GRW company (a […]
April 10, 2024
American EV startup Canoo paid $1.7 million for CEO Tony Aquila’s private jet bills, twice its total revenue last year. According to its earnings report released this week, Canoo lost $302 million in 2023 and is urgently looking for new investors. Aquila, who is also the company’s chairman, owns about 14% of Canoo. In 2022, […]
April 10, 2024
Last month, the last units of the Smart ForTwo came off the line at the plant in Hambach, France. There are rumors that Smart is brooding on a successor but has difficulties finding partners to join forces for the project. Smart Europe CEO Dirk Adelmann recently announced that the company is developing a new platform […]
April 09, 2024
The BMW Group and Rimac Technology, headquartered near Zagreb, Croatia, officially announced a long-term partnership. The aim of the collaboration is to co-develop and co-produce innovative solutions in the field of high-voltage battery technology for battery-electric vehicles. The results will be used in the BMW Group’s future product range, more specifically, in model generations slated […]
April 09, 2024
The French provider of DC fast-charging infrastructure, Electra, is entering the Dutch market and will compete with Dutch charging network provider Fastned on its home turf. The plan is to install 100 fast-charging stations and 600 charging points for EVs before 2030. Electra is already present in France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, and […]
April 08, 2024
ALD Automotive/LeasePlan and Smart Europe GmbH have come to an agreement to offer the two recent Smart models, the #1 and the #3, to companies and individual buyers in a private or operational leasing formula. Both individual and professional clients are now able to lease the Smart #1 and its somewhat larger brother, the Smart […]
April 05, 2024
According to the specialized website H2mobile, the Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari seems interested in using a hybrid hydrogen-burning internal combustion engine (HICE) in its sports cars. Ferrari has apparently filed a patent to protect this idea. A number of manufacturers are still investigating the possibility of using hydrogen as a cleaner fuel for internal […]
April 05, 2024
Chinese electric car manufacturer Xpeng has announced the launch of its third model in Europe. The coupé-like electric SUV Xpeng G6, which has been available in China since last year, can be ordered in Europe from May and will hit the road in Q3/2024. In China, Xpeng launched the G6 last summer as a competitor […]
April 04, 2024
Today, Renault presented an update on its popular B-Segment SUV, the Renault Captur. Renault calls the category urban SUVs and points out that this is a market accounting for half of all sales in the B-segment, which itself makes up 30% of the total market. “Captur is the B-segment “voiture à vivre” (car for living). […]
April 04, 2024
On Wednesday, BMW Group started the building works for the new battery assembly plant in Straßkirchen, Germany. According to a German media report, the manufacturer submitted an application to the local district office for an early start of construction. It was approved last week. According to the Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), the first construction machinery has […]
April 03, 2024
The upcoming entry-level Mercedes-Benz EV was finally caught out in the wild. The electric Mercedes CLA was spotted testing near the Arctic Circle. The new EV is seen as Mercedes-Benz’s answer to the Tesla Model 3 and will be the most affordable EV from Stuttgart. The new CLA is also dubbed the ‘electric hypermiler’ or […]
April 03, 2024
According to the data provided by the federal government service Mobility & Transport and the car manufacturers federation Febiac, 44,751 cars were registered in March 2024, 13.5% less than in the same month last year. Febiac explains this regress by saying that March 2024 counted two working days less than March 2023, but that can’t […]
April 02, 2024
Windrose Tech, the Chinese manufacturer of EV trucks, is considering coming to Antwerp to install its European headquarters, an R&D center, and an assembly plant. That’s what founder Han Wen declared in an interview with the French newspaper Le Monde. Windrose’s full electric trucks are supposed to have a range of some 600 km and […]
