Author: Tony Verhelle

SiliconAuto is the new joint venture of Stellantis and Foxconn

June 21, 2023

Car manufacturing group Stellantis, the world’s number four, and Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn have announced the formation of SiliconAuto, an equally owned joint venture for developing and selling advanced semiconductors, particularly for electric vehicles. Like Stellantis, SiliconAuto will be headquartered in the Netherlands and is expected to supply the automotive industry, including Stellantis and Foxconn, […]

Renault: big boss will lead Ampere himself

June 21, 2023

Renault has unveiled the senior management team for its EV and software subsidiary Ampere. Luca de Meo, currently CEO of the Renault Group, will personally take charge of the new management team, and two managers will join him to handle day-to-day operations. Josep Maria Recasens and Vincent Piquet will be appointed Chief Operating Officer and […]

Porsche to become full battery producer and supplier

June 20, 2023

Porsche looks likely to produce high-performance battery cells on a much larger scale than previously planned. The German carmaker will no longer do so with its partner Customcells but on its own. The Cellforce Group, the battery joint venture between Porsche and Customcells, is said to have been completely overtaken by Porsche in May. 20 […]

An all-electric Dacia Sandero by 2028?

June 20, 2023

Dacia allegedly wants to offer the next generation of its most popular small car as an electric model from 2027 or 2028. It could even become a BEV-only model, some British media report. The new-generation Sandero is expected to be based on the CMF-BEV platform, which will also be used by the full-electric Renault 5, […]

Citroën to offer a sub-€25.000 full electric ë-C3 in early 2024 (Update)

June 20, 2023

Citroën will be the first to launch a small, affordable EV costing less than €25 000. The ë-C3 will be available in Spring 2024, earlier than already announced competitors like the VW ID.2 and the Renault 5 Electric. The affordability of an EV in the lower segments is a big concern for car manufacturers. Until […]

Nissan’s number two leaves the company

June 19, 2023

Indian-born Ashwani Gupta, Nissan’s COO, will leave the company by the end of this month. In a short press release, Gupta is mentioned as one of the fathers of Nissan’s recent resurgence but also that he leaves “to pursue other challenges or opportunities”. Ashwani Gupta (52) arrived in the highest ranks of the Nissan management […]

Renault’s new flagship is the hybrid Rafale

June 19, 2023

After reorganizing its C-segment cars with Mégane Electric, Arkana, and Austral, Renault now takes on the D-segment. It just launched the new Espace, and it is now followed by an ultimate flagship, the Rafale. When they hear the name Rafale, some will think of the French jetfighter with the same name, but Rafale is also […]

Solvay to use salt caverns for energy storage

June 15, 2023

The Belgian chemical company Solvay will use its salt caverns in Germany to store energy. In the caverns, compressed air or hydrogen will be stored to be used later again as an energy provider. Solvay has signed an Option Agreement to provide four salt caverns to the Irish company Corre Energy, which will develop a […]

Rolls-Royce CEO: ‘hydrogen is a possibility’

June 15, 2023

Rolls-Royce is considering using hydrogen fuel cell technology over conventional batteries for its future electric cars once this technology is mature enough to be commercialized at scale for the high standards Rolls-Royce is claiming. The new Rolls-Royce Spectre made its European debut at the Concours d’Elegance event at Villa d’Este (Como Lake, Italy) last week. […]

H1st vision, the first concept car by Software République

June 14, 2023

Created only two years ago, Software République is staging the world premiere of a collaborative concept at the Viva Technology 2023 exhibition. H1st vision ( for ‘Human First vision’) incorporates functional and innovative technologies that illustrate its human-centered visions of future mobility. Software République is an open innovation ecosystem created by six large companies (Atos, […]

Will there be another ‘car show’ in Brussels in 2024?

June 14, 2023

402 Automotive, a Dutch organizer of car shows and events, seems to want to fill the gap the cancellation of the Brussels Motor Show 2024 organized by sector federation Febiac has left. The Dutch event specialist wants to replace the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) with an ‘innovative car show’ with a lot of attention to […]

Renault introduces V2G on new electric R5

June 14, 2023

The all-electric Renault 5 will be the first Renault vehicle equipped with a bidirectional charger. The associated V2G service will be available from the launch of the Renault 5 in France and Germany in 2024 and in the UK in 2025. Renault is coordinating the introduction of bidirectional charging through its mobility brand Mobilize. In […]

Bolt to offer an additional 400 shared bikes in Ghent

June 13, 2023

Bolt will be the third company to offer bike-sharing in Ghent. Four years ago, Donkey Republic started in the Artevelde City and has 500 city bikes on offer. Last year, Dott proposed 600 electric bikes and 45 cargo bikes. Bolt is joining the club, starting with another 400 electric bikes. The Bolt bikes will be […]

Volkswagen CEO brooding on a reorganization plan

June 13, 2023

According to sources talking to the specialized German newspaper Handelsblatt, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume is preparing the biggest reorganization in the group’s history. A severe cost-cutting exercise is needed to remain competitive with the new Chinese players in the market and Tesla, for example. Lately, Volkswagen has been surpassed by BYD as the most […]

GM and Ford to use Tesla charging standard NACS

June 12, 2023

From 2025, General Motors will rely on Tesla’s charging port in the USA and Canada – exclusively. GM wants to provide adapters so that all cars equipped with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) can also charge at CCS stations. This makes GM the second major US carmaker to commit to Tesla’s charging standard: Ford […]

Toyota to install new battery lab in the US

June 12, 2023

The world’s number one car manufacturer, Toyota, is investing almost $50 million in a new battery laboratory in the US. This will be built at the research and development headquarters in York Township and will go into operation in 2025. The investment illustrates Toyota’s “change of direction toward electrification”, says Shinichi Yasui, Vice President at […]

Porsche presents Mission X, its new electric ‘hypercar’ project

June 09, 2023

The German sports car manufacturer Porsche has always worked on innovative concept cars. The brand continues this tradition with its latest concept study, Mission X. Mission X is a reinterpretation of a hypercar, with Le Mans-style doors that open upwards to the front and a high-performance, efficient electric powertrain. It is a dramatic-looking two-seater that […]

Febiac’s new chairman is Freddy De Mulder

June 09, 2023

The Belgian Federation of Automotive Manufacturers and Importers Febiac has a new president. Freddy De Mulder (67), after a long career in the automotive business, takes over from Philippe Dehennin as of 21 June. After a Ph.D. in Economy, Freddy De Mulder began his career at Ford, but very soon, he switched to General Motors/Opel, […]

New EX30 is Volvo’s entry-level EV

June 08, 2023

Volvo just launched its first entry-level electric car, and the Swedish (but now Chinese-owned) car maker surprises with a price setting a benchmark for customers and competitors. In Belgium, prices for this fully electric EV start from € 38 990. In other markets, the starting price can be as low as € 36 590. In […]

SAS opens bookings for first electric flights in 2028

June 06, 2023

Last Friday, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) began accepting seat reservations for its groundbreaking commercial electric flights in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark… in 2028. After that, there are no seats available anymore. “This extraordinary event presents an opportunity for travelers to become part of aviation history. Each of the three inaugural flights, scheduled to take place in […]

Eurostar Amsterdam-London in danger

June 06, 2023

Last Friday, Dutch state secretary Heynen (Ministry of Infrastructure & Waterstate) decided that the Eurostar train between Amsterdam and London will not be proposed for eleven months, starting June 2024. The reason? Amsterdam Central Station has to be overhauled, and apparently, there’s no room during the works period to house the Dutch Marechaussee (police force), […]

Stellantis starts joint venture for recycling vehicles

June 06, 2023

On Monday, the car manufacturing group Stellantis and metals recycler Galloo announced they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for negotiations to form a joint venture focused on End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) recycling. The Stellantis-Galloo joint venture will work with selected Authorized Treatment Facilities to collect ELVs from the last owner, enabling the recovery of […]

Bosch builds S3 fuel cell stack for PowerCell

June 05, 2023

Automotive supplier Bosch is taking over the production of the S3 fuel cell stack for the Swedish fuel cell specialist PowerCell. Under the new agreement, Bosch will integrate the S3 into its own production facilities in Germany and deliver finished 100 kW stacks to PowerCell’s plant in Gothenburg. According to PowerCell, the outsourcing of production […]

High congestion rate is back in Flanders

June 05, 2023

While there still was 4% less traffic on Flemish highways in 2022 compared to the pre-pandemic era, the congestion rate is back at the former level. However, the congestion’s exact time and place play a more significant role than before. According to the yearly report for 2022 of the Flemish Traffic Center (Vlaams Verkeerscentrum), traffic […]

Belux car market sees further growth

June 02, 2023

In May, 41 358 new cars were registered in Belgium and Luxemburg, a serious increase of 42,5% compared to the same month last year. Most of these registrations have been done by companies and independents, representing already two-thirds of the total Belux market last month. Looking at the first five months of the year, 212 […]

VDL Nedcar announces massive job cuts

June 02, 2023

As of the 1st of November, 1 800 jobs will disappear at the Dutch car manufacturing plant Nedcar in Born. One of the two work shifts will completely disappear, almost halving the number of employees. Mother company VDL sent the message to the works council on Thursday, discussing “an unavoidable dismantling of fellow workers”. VDL […]

Tesla and BYD lead ICCT’s e-mobility transition ranking

June 01, 2023

A new report by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) assesses how effectively the world’s 20 largest automakers are transitioning to electric vehicles. At the top of the ranking is Tesla, followed by Chinese manufacturer BYD, which is catching up fast. The manufacturer assessment on the electric drive system turnaround is the first of […]

ACC battery factory opened in France, Stellantis also looks at U.S.

June 01, 2023

Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a joint venture by Stellantis, Total, and Mercedes-Benz, inaugurated its first factory in France. However, the “Grand Opening” is not synonymous with commissioning, which will occur later this year. ACC says the facility in Billy-Berclau/Douvrin in the Hauts-de-France region has a production area of more than 60 000 square meters. The […]

New Topolino is Fiat’s quadricycle proposal for urban mobility

May 31, 2023

The Italian car manufacturer Fiat, part of the Stellantis Group, has unveiled the name and first image of its new ‘sustainable urban mobility solution’: the quadricycle is called Topolino. “The all-electric Fiat Topolino quadricycle is ready to contribute to expanding urban electric mobility and bring all the optimism of its namesake to an accessible, all-electric […]

Coldplay world tour thrives on BMW i3 batteries

May 31, 2023

More than 40 recycled BMW i3 batteries with a combined capacity of 1 680 kWh are currently powering the world tour of the British rock band Coldplay. Replacing diesel generators, the batteries provide power for sound and video systems, lighting, and special effects during concerts. Last week, four corresponding concerts already took place in Barcelona. […]

BMW Group Belux donates another 20 cars to technical schools

May 30, 2023

Last Friday, BMW Group Belux donated another 20 brand new BMW and Mini cars to several technical schools throughout Belgium and Luxembourg. The vehicles represent €1,3 million in net worth and are destined to train candidate technicians with the latest car technology. It’s not the first time BMW Group Belux is acting as such. In […]

No Brussels Motor Show in 2024

May 30, 2023

In a short press release, Febiac, the car and two-wheeler importers federation for Belgium and Luxembourg, and the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) organizer, states that its board has decided to cancel the January 2024 edition of the show. “The aim of Febiac is always to deliver a qualitative and representative experience to visitors,” says the […]

Sporty bikes are gaining ground again

May 25, 2023

According to sector federation Traxio, 198 095 sporty bikes were delivered in 2022, 28,5% of the total bikes delivered for 2022. That’s a rise of 23 623 units compared to 2021. There was also a sharp rise in electric bikes in some subsegments of these sporty bikes, while the so-called ‘last-mile’ segments are also growing […]

E-bike manufacturer Cowboy goes also offline

May 23, 2023

Cowboy, the Belgian manufacturer of city e-bikes, drops its online-only strategy. By the end of the year, the company wants a retail network of at least 300 independent bike shops in 60 Belgian and foreign cities. In Belgium, contracts will be closed with “some ten retail partners”. Names will follow later when their personnel has […]

ALD Automotive completes LeasePlan acquisition

May 23, 2023

Vehicle lease company ALD Automotive announced that it has successfully acquired 100% of LeasePlan, one of the world’s leading fleet management and mobility companies, from a consortium led by TDR Capital. This transformative acquisition represents a step-change that positions the combined group as the leading global sustainable mobility player with a total fleet of 3,3 […]

VW on saving course to secure future investments

May 23, 2023

The Volkswagen Group is planning a billion-euro savings program for its core brand VW to bolster profitability and generate money for investments in the energy transition. The group will present its overhaul plans to investors at a conference on 21 June. According to the German newspaper Handelsblatt, the program could increase annual results by at […]

Fisker not averse to collaboration with others

May 22, 2023

Last week, Fisker Inc. CEO Henrik Fisker declared he is exploring collaboration with other companies to scale up market share faster, speaking at the Reuters Automotive Conference in Munich. During interviews at the conference, senior executives of other EV makers, Polestar and Smart, said they are open to partnerships to address supply chain and technology […]

Stellantis threatens to leave UK and urges for more battery production sites

May 22, 2023

British car plants will close with the loss of thousands of jobs unless the Brexit deal is swiftly renegotiated, Stellantis warned. Ford also added its voice to the latest warning from the auto industry since Britain left the European Union. Stellantis told lawmakers that under the current deal, it would face increased tariffs when exporting […]

Subaru to sell 400 BEVs annually in 5 years

May 22, 2023

Subaru plans to sell 200 000 battery-electric cars per year by 2026 and to create production capacity for 400 000 BEVs annually by 2028. The increase in production is to be supported by an EV-only factory in the company’s home country. Atsushi Osaki, who will replace the current CEO Tomomi Nakamura at Subaru in June, […]

BMW to build ‘New Class’ in China and goes boating in Cannes

May 19, 2023

As already mentioned earlier, BMW will launch its dedicated electric ‘new class’ of cars in 2025, with initial production in Europe and also in the United States. Today, the Munich car manufacturer announced that the ‘Neue Klasse’ will also be built in China. Meanwhile, the Group showed off on another level in Cannes (where the […]

EU car registrations up again in April

May 19, 2023

In April 2023, the EU car market saw a significant increase in passenger car registrations, with 803 188 units sold, marking a 17,2% growth from the previous year. All the EU’s major markets grew solidly last month, with Italy (+29,2%) and France (+21,9%) leading the way. From January to April 2023, the EU car market […]

GM confirms return to Europe

May 17, 2023

The number one American car manufacturer General Motors is gearing up for its return to Europe with an EV line-up. The Cadillac Lyriq could be among the first to hit the road here, as the carmaker is preparing to kick off EV sales in Europe this autumn, but only in some countries. GM European President […]

Ford to introduce E-Tourneo Courier

May 17, 2023

A few weeks after the compact electric delivery van E-Transit Courier, Ford also presented its passenger car version, E-Tourneo Courier. The battery-electric five-seater with a length of just under 4,40 meters and an “SUV-inspired design” is intended to score with a generous amount of space for passengers and luggage. With an output of 100 kW, […]

Is Renault brooding on a €20 000 BEV?

May 16, 2023

French car manufacturer Renault is working on a €20 000 EV to make electric car ownership more mainstream and affordable in Europe. The carmaker is thus taking up the challenge with the Volkswagen Group (and probably a bunch of Chinese manufacturers to come) to serve the lowest segments of the car industry. The proposed EV, […]

Macron announces several battery projects in the north of France

May 15, 2023

French President Emmanuel Macron visited Dunkerque last week to illustrate his fight for re-industrializing the north of France. The Taiwanese group ProLogium just announced the northern French port as its choice to build a new battery factory. Total investment is estimated at €5,2 billion, of which between 1 and 1,5 billion would come in different […]

Northvolt Drei battery factory confirmed in northern Germany

May 15, 2023

“Northvolt has decided to proceed with the next steps concerning its expansion in Heide (northern Germany),” said CEO Peter Carlsson in a joint press release with the German government. Nevertheless, the Swedish battery manufacturer continues considering building an extra gigafactory in North America. In October last year, former Tesla manager Carlsson made all alarm bells […]

Silence opens first Urban Store in Belgium

May 12, 2023

Silence, a manufacturer of microcars and scooters, has opened its first ‘Urban Store’ in Belgium.  The exact location is ‘Gare Maritime’ in Brussels, one of the city’s increasingly popular and biggest shopping hubs. As a manufacturer of electric vehicles, Silence is a daughter of Acciona, worldwide active in offering regenerative solutions for a CO2-neutral economy. […]

Japanese car manufacturers fairly optimistic about year to come

May 12, 2023

The beginning of May is always an important moment for Japanese companies. Their fiscal year ends in March, so the results are publicized now. Yesterday, we already talked about number one Toyota’s performance; today, we look at some others, in casu Nissan, Honda, and Mazda. The mood tends to be rather optimistic, the Japanese putting […]

Wallonia: new car taxation scheme finally approved

May 11, 2023

After a large consulting round, the Walloon government has approved an upgraded and comprehensively altered version of the Walloon car taxation scheme. The most important change is that the scheme only applies to the registration tax, not the yearly road tax. The new system will be introduced in July 2025. “This tax reform aims to […]

Fisker Ocean production targets lowered and off-road version coming

May 11, 2023

After handing over the first Fisker Ocean to a Danish customer and reserving the first German specimen for himself, CEO Henrik Fisker has adjusted its production forecasts for the year 2023 and announced a new off-road version of the electric SUV called Force E. Fisker corrected its production forecast for the Ocean when announcing its […]

Sweden and Florida go for electrified roads to charge EVs

May 10, 2023

Sweden is set to convert a motorway into a permanent electrified road, allowing electric cars and e-trucks to charge while driving. According to reports from Euronews, the Swedish transport authority Trafikverket has selected the E20 motorway to undergo the conversion. In the U.S. state of Florida, ENRX is working on a similar project. The Europan […]

LEVC launches new BEV platform

May 09, 2023

Geely’s subsidiary LEVC (London Electric Vehicle Company) has presented its modular electric platform SOA (Space Oriented Architecture), which was developed together with the parent company. With this, the manufacturer wants to become “a leading global provider of purely electric mobility solutions”. The first LEVC model based on the SOA will be “a completely new offering, […]

First Fisker Ocean delivered in Europe (update)

May 09, 2023

The first electric car from the American manufacturer Fisker Inc. is allowed to roll on the roads in Europe. The Fisker Ocean has received sales approval for the European market. The first Fisker Ocean One Launch Edition was handed over to its owner at the recently opened Fisker Center in Copenhagen on Friday. “I’m super […]

Volkswagen is trying to tie up loose ends with Bosch and Cariad (Update)

May 09, 2023

The Volkswagen Group and car supplier giant Bosch will not realize their planned joint venture to equip battery cell factories. Volkswagen and its battery subsidiary PowerCo are now pursuing the plan without Bosch as a partner, but Bosch will remain on board as a supplier. At the same time, CEO Oliver Blume is getting fed […]

ElringKlinger scores major contract to outfit BMW EVs

May 08, 2023

German automotive supplier ElringKlinger has scored a big contract with a term of several years with BMW. The company will supply cell contact systems to BMW Group series electric models in the new class (‘Neue Klasse’). The high-volume series production for Europe is scheduled to start in 2025, with the plant in Neuffen, Baden-Württemberg, taking […]

VW and Shell to install battery-boosted DC chargers

May 08, 2023

Volkswagen and Shell Germany have put the first battery-boosted charging station into operation at a Shell gas station in Göttingen, Germany. If the trial deployment is successful, further examples of Elli’s pole could be created at pit stops by Shell in Europe. The Flexpole charging columns from Volkswagen’s energy brand Elli deliver up to 150 […]

Three out of five Belgians drive their car less often

May 05, 2023

A survey of AG Insurance amongst 1 500 Belgians shows that the increasing cost of living and a growing environmental awareness influences the use of their car(s). 62% of them declare to have consciously driven less last year, and almost 40% have saved on expenses for her/his car. The latter can pose a problem when […]

Mercedes-Benz more careful on interim goals electrification

May 05, 2023

Mercedes-Benz has pushed back an interim goal on its way to becoming an electric car manufacturer. Specifically, it is about the target set almost two years ago that electric cars and plug-in hybrids should account for half of the sales in 2025. The manufacturer wants to continue to reach this interim goal by the middle […]

New electric Mini Cooper will have a range of up to 400 km

May 04, 2023

Following the unofficial leak of data and images a few weeks ago, Mini has announced the first official key data for the upcoming Cooper Electric. The fifth generation of the 3-door Mini will be available for purchase by the year’s end and will be produced in Leipzig from November. The fifth generation of the 3-door […]

Dieselgate: former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler also pleads guilty (Update)

May 04, 2023

After Wolfgang Hatz, a former top manager at VW Group car manufacturing daughters Audi and Porsche, changed his attitude in Court, former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler has finally given in, and now follows the same strategy, both pleading guilty to installing emissions-cheating software in cars to mislead official emission measurements (commonly known as ‘dieselgate‘). Until […]

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