May 02, 2023
While delivering Honda’s annual business briefing last week, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe made a few interesting comments regarding Chinese competitors, according to Automotive News. He said Honda executives had an unpleasant surprise at the Shanghai auto show, where local brands flooded the exhibition hall with advanced EVs of all kinds. In Shanghai, the Japanese automaker […]
April 28, 2023
BMW Group’s investment arm BMW i Ventures announced an investment in Cyclic Materials, a Canadian company focused on recycling rare earth elements (REE). Regarding e-mobility, Cyclic Materials already cooperates with Polestar to recover magnets for electric motors. The $27 million Series A funding was led by BMW i Ventures (BiV) and Energy Impact Partners (EIP). […]
April 28, 2023
American number one car manufacturer General Motors has announced plans to stop production of the Chevrolet Bolt electric model at the end of this year, CEO Mary Barra told investors. So far, the Chevy Bolt EV and its larger offshoot Bolt EUV accounted for most of the company’s EV sales. Initially, the Bolt had been […]
April 27, 2023
Car manufacturing group Stellantis, representing 14 different brands with several North American brands among them, wants to reduce costs and finance the energy transition. On Wednesday, it indicated that it would propose a plan for voluntary redundancy in its US and Canadian branches. Renowned cost-cutter Carlos Tavares has struck again. The Stellantis CEO wants to […]
April 27, 2023
On Wednesday, the Dutch government unveiled a €28 billion climate plan to reduce CO2 emissions by 55% (or even 60%) by 2030. The plan includes 120 different proposals. For example, in the car sector, new EVs will lose part of their subsidies; second-hand EVs, on the contrary, will get €600 million in subsidies, while €90 […]
April 26, 2023
As of Saturday, 1 July 2023, new tariffs for the kilometer charge will apply in Flanders, Brussels, and Wallonia. In Flanders and Brussels, this is an index adjustment. The tariffs for the kilometer charge were indexed in Wallonia on 1 January, and Sofico (Société wallonne de financement complémentaire des infrastructures) will implement a tariff adjustment […]
April 26, 2023
Skoda Auto is further stepping up the pace of its electric mobility campaign and transformation. Launching four all-new e-vehicles and two updated Enyaq iV family models, the Czech carmaker plans to expand its BEV range to six models by 2026. Skoda Auto will have invested a total of 5,6 billion euros in e-mobility by 2027. […]
April 26, 2023
German premium car manufacturer BMW will produce a second electric model at its German factory in Regensburg this year. The fully electric iX2 will follow the iX1 that has been coming off the lines in Regensburg since autumn 2022. Meanwhile, BMW is doing the final testing of its new 5 Series in the South of […]
April 25, 2023
Last Friday, Toyota Motor Corporation’s CEO Koji Sato gave a stark assessment of the Japanese automaker’s work ahead in China, saying it must do more and move faster as its competition in the world’s biggest auto market surges. Toyota showed two new EV concept cars for the Chinese market at the motor show in Shanghai. […]
April 25, 2023
In Berlin, Seat’s sporty daughter Cupra has unveiled the Tavascan, its first all-electric SUV coupe, and its second BEV model. Based on the Volkswagen Group MEB platform, the Cupra Tavascan will launch in 2024 and will be available with either 210 or 250 kW, the latter being the highest power yet for the platform. Two […]
April 24, 2023
The Renault Group is steadily recovering. For Q1 of 2023, turnover has risen by 30% to € 11,5 billion. The loss due to the withdrawal from Russia is not integrated into the figures, but Renault stays optimistic for the future. By the end of the year, it wants to go IPO with its electric division […]
April 24, 2023
According to an agency report, the Japanese carmaker Nissan is pushing ahead with its growth plans in software and electric vehicles more independently of Alliance partner Renault. Somewhat strange when you know that the two companies recently agreed on retightening the links in a restructured Alliance. At the beginning of this year, the manufacturer Alliance […]
April 19, 2023
Canadian company Magna will manufacture an electric SUV for Ineos Automotive. Production will kick off in Graz, Austria, in 2026. In addition to building it, Magna will also be responsible for developing the complete vehicle. Magna says Ineos Automotive is a new customer in engineering and complete vehicle manufacturing. The two companies already cooperated on […]
April 19, 2023
Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark will deliver the first all-electric Bentley to its new owner in three years. By 2030, he wants every single of the company’s five production models (one more than at present) to be battery-powered. In an interview with the English car magazine Autocar Hallmark said: “Our surveys tell us that around 70% […]
April 19, 2023
According to the newly published figures of the European car manufacturers association ACEA, the EU car market recorded a significant 28,8% increase in passenger car registrations in March, surpassing more than a million units (1 087 939). All the bloc’s most significant markets saw double-digit growth last month, with Spain (+66,1%) and Italy (+40,7%) in […]
April 19, 2023
Volkswagen will invest around one billion euros to establish a new R&D center for fully connected electric cars in Hefei, China, named ‘100%TechCo’. The Group announced the project at the Shanghai Auto Show on Tuesday and set ambitious targets for the unit charged with accelerating innovation locally. The project is to combine vehicle and component […]
April 18, 2023
French carmaker Renault is reviewing its pricing policies for electric cars worldwide to ensure it stays competitive after a wave of price cuts by U.S. rival Tesla, a top executive said on Monday, according to Reuters. Meanwhile, Renault presents a face-lift of its (ICE) best-seller, the Clio. After slashing prices several times in the United […]
April 18, 2023
As promised, the Volkswagen brand officially showed its new ID flagship on the 17th of April. The almost five-meter-long ID.7 saloon has a new drive system and battery size and is trimmed for range and comfort to convince earlier European Passat clientele to change to electric drive. In addition, the promised 700 km range of […]
April 17, 2023
Ahead of the official premiere, more photos and the first technical data of the new Mini Cooper have appeared on the internet. This model is being produced in cooperation with the Chinese company Great Wall and will be available in EV and ICE versions. The pictures show a blue Mini with a white painted roof, […]
April 13, 2023
On Wednesday, we announced that at least one out of ten sales in Q1 for the BMW Group was electric. Competitor Mercedes-Benz now announced that it scored almost at the same level for its fully electric car sales in the first quarter of 2023. Sales of battery-electric passenger cars almost doubled to 51 600 units […]
April 13, 2023
Volkswagen has unveiled a new generation of drive units for its Modular Electric Building platform (MEB). The rear-axle drive APP550 comprises a newly developed power unit that is supposed to offer more power and improved efficiency simultaneously. We already talked recently about the APP550: this drive unit has been manufactured by VW Group Components in […]
April 12, 2023
While total sales for Q1 of 2023 were slightly lower at 588 138 units (-1,5%), there was (again) a significant growth of BEV sales. BMW Group delivered 64 647 fully electric BMW and Mini vehicles, an 83,2% increase compared to Q1 of 2022. This means 11% of the Group’s sales are fully electric. If plug-in […]
April 11, 2023
The gap between suppliers and car manufacturers in Germany grew last year. “While car manufacturers are currently earning splendidly despite the crisis, many suppliers have their backs to the wall,” said Constantin Gall, head of the mobility division for Western Europe at Ernst & Young (EY). Last year, the German automotive industry boosted sales by […]
April 11, 2023
In his first speech as the new Toyota CEO, Koji Sato said on Friday that Toyota Motor Corporation would expand its electric vehicle line-up with ten new models and sharply increase its EV sales to 1,5 million units annually by 2026 and 3,5 million in 2030. The company sold 24 000 EVs out of 10,48 […]
April 07, 2023
The all-new, all-electric 2025 Ram 1500 REV – the first battery-electric light-duty pickup truck from Ram Truck – made its world debut at the New York International Auto Show. With an optional 229 kWh battery pack, the pickup truck has a targeted range of 805 km. “The all-electric Ram 1500 REV is a monumental milestone […]
April 06, 2023
VW ID.7 testing is in its last weeks. Shortly before the world premiere of Volkswagen’s future ID. flagship on 17 April, VW provides pictures of the last test drives and delivers more details on the electric sedan’s drive, chassis, and comfort features. The VW ID.7 will have a new, specially developed electric drive when it […]
April 06, 2023
A year ago, we first mentioned the Taito, the first product of a young Ghent start-up. The three-wheeler e-scooter is now ready for sale and will cost €2 590, available through the Bike Republic sales network. That’s more than the initially suggested retail price of €1 750 back in 2022, but the company argues that […]
April 05, 2023
The new generation Mini Countryman, the largest Mini model, is in its final testing phase. The start of production at the BMW Group Plant Leipzig in November 2023 will be the first time a Mini is produced in Germany. With five doors and a variable-use interior, the largest model in the new Mini family of […]
April 04, 2023
The Korean car manufacturer SsangYong Motor Company was saved from bankruptcy last year (September) by the Korean chemical-to-steel group KG. So today, the name of the new automotive KG daughter has changed to KG Mobility. KG Mobility showcases three new concepts and the new Torres EVX at the Seoul Motor Show, now taking place in […]
April 04, 2023
The registrations of new cars in Belgium and Luxembourg increased for the eighth consecutive month. With 51 754 cars registered, it is an increase of 39,9% compared to 2022 and the best month of March since pre-corona 2019, when almost 55 000 cars got registered. The increase is noticeable in the professional (fleet) and individual […]
April 03, 2023
The German car manufacturer BMW Group is betting on efficient design and recycling to bring down battery costs and is steering clear of investing in mines, its finance chief said on Friday, according to Reuters press agency, setting it apart from some competitors digging deep into the supply chain. “We don’t think it is right […]
April 03, 2023
According to Volkswagen brand boss Thomas Schäfer, it is now clear that there will be no ninth generation of the current VW Golf, despite being still a best-seller. Schäfer uttered similar thoughts in the German newspaper Die Welt in August last year. Now he has reiterated them in an interview with the specialized magazine Automobilwoche. […]
March 27, 2023
The EU Commission and the German government have agreed on a compromise on how new cars with combustion engines can be registered after 2035 as long as they run on climate-neutral fuel. The original regulation on the phasing out of internal combustion engines is not to be touched again, and the exceptions will now be […]
March 24, 2023
The Dutch owner of a VW Golf TDI bought in 2010 has to be paid a compensation fee of €3 000 because his car contained fraudulent software. It’s the first judgment in court out of four cases introduced by the Stichting Volkswagen Group Diesel Efficiency (VGDES) and the consumer organization Consumentenbond. Meanwhile, European law has […]
March 24, 2023
Volkswagen plans to produce a total of three million fully electric small cars at its Spanish (Seat) plants in Martorell and Pamplona between 2025 and 2030. The total number can be even higher with the sub-20-000 euro entry-level model announced for 2027. But, probably, the latter won’t be built in Spain. This was announced by […]
March 23, 2023
The German support for e-fuels in new cars could leave the average German driver paying €210 to fill up their tank, a new analysis by NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in a stand-off with the EU over his insistence that cars powered by e-fuel can be sold after […]
March 23, 2023
The Opel Grandland, a compact SUV from Opel also available as PHEV, will be succeeded by a fully electric model next year. Parent company Stellantis is investing € 130 million in the German plant in Eisenach to prepare it for the production of the e-SUV based on the new STLA Medium EV platform of the […]
March 22, 2023
Are affordable electric cars finally making their way into the market? A few days ago, we reported the wish of VW CEO Thomas Schäfer to have a sub € 20 000 BEV, the ID.1. In an interview with the British car magazine Autocar, car manufacturer Citroën’s chief designer Pierre Leclercq claims to be readying a […]
March 22, 2023
Morris Commercial, the UK-based automotive engineering and manufacturing start-up, has completed a funding round, securing new investment for producing the Morris J-Type, a small van initially produced in the 1950s. The tiny ID. Buzz’s rival was to hit the road in 2021 but has yet to make it to production. The new launch date is […]
March 21, 2023
In February 2023, the EU passenger car market continued to perform well, growing by 11,5% to 802 763 units, according to the data of the European car manufacturers association ACEA. However, it is essential to note the low base of comparison due to the semiconductor shortage crisis at the beginning of 2022. Most EU markets […]
March 21, 2023
Volkswagen has just given the details of its ID. 2 with a base price of € 25 000; now it seems that it is planning an even smaller and, more importantly, cheaper car, the ID.1, starting at under € 20 000 and coming in 2027. The German specialized car magazine Automobilwoche spoke to VW brand […]
March 20, 2023
The Mazda Motor Corporation announced last Friday that its Board of Directors has proposed that Masahiro Moro will become President and CEO. He succeeds Akira Marumoto, who has led the global Mazda business since 2018. Jeffrey Guyton will be the new CFO. Moro (62) joined the company in 1983. Before he took over his current […]
March 17, 2023
At Audi AG’s annual media conference, CEO Markus Duesmann and CFO Jürgen Rittersberger addressed the key financials for the 2022 fiscal year and focused on strategic decision-making, holistic sustainability, and the upcoming model initiative. Markus Duesmann: “Even here in Germany, we are feeling the impact of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine quite directly […]
March 16, 2023
BMW plans at least six model launches within 24 months for the ‘New Class’ electric cars from 2025 onward. To this end, additional plants are to be converted for the production of these electric cars. More concrete information on the platform and the first models will be available in September. Electric cars based on the […]
March 16, 2023
Volkswagen has just presented the ID.2all concept. The long-expected low-cost ID.2 also previews VW’s new design language. The series ID.2. scheduled for 2025 will be “as spacious as a Golf, as inexpensive as a Polo”. The target price lies below €25 000. At the same time, VW announces it will further accelerate its electrification strategy. […]
March 15, 2023
The new BMW head-up display is called BMW Panoramic Vision and represents the reinterpretation of the BMW driver orientation “eyes on the road, hands on the wheel” in the ‘Neue Klasse’. BMW is developing an entirely new technological platform for the ‘Neue Klasse’, whose name refers to the company’s pioneering models of the 1960s. This […]
March 15, 2023
In the next five years, two-thirds of VW Group’s investments will be turned to electric and connected cars. The Group foresees €122 billion in investments in electrification, 68% of its total investment portfolio of €180 billion. The latter is also heightened by 13% compared to earlier multi-annual plans of the Group. At the same time, […]
March 14, 2023
After Poland and Italy, a third EU member state, Germany, rejected the EU’s Parliament’s decision to ban ICE cars by 2035. Inside the German government, there is a serious disagreement between the liberal FDP party and the Green party, both members of the government coalition. The German Digital and Transport Minister Volker Wissing has blocked […]
March 14, 2023
BMW and Volkswagen have reduced the prices of their EVs in China significantly. This comes after several carmakers (Mercedes and Tesla among them) have started offering their electric cars for less to increase sales and reduce inventory in the country. The Volkwagen joint ventures FAW-Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen are lowering the prices of their ID. […]
March 10, 2023
The BMW Group met its forecasted financial targets for 2022 and delivered a solid operating performance in a difficult business environment. The premium manufacturer significantly increased Group EBT (€ 23,5 billion/ +46,4%) and net profit (€ 18,6 billion/ +49,1%) from the previous year, despite a decrease in sales (-4,8%). This positive development can be attributed […]
March 08, 2023
The Egyptian manufacturer, Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles (MCV), is entering the continental European market. The OEM has developed a bus specifically for clients in Germany and has already founded a subsidiary, MCV Deutschland GmbH, for sales, after-sales, and services. The official presentation of the integral, fully electric twelve-meter low-floor bus will take place in March at […]
March 08, 2023
Automotive supplier Onsemi will also use its silicon carbide technology in BMW electric cars in the future. The US semiconductor manufacturer has signed a long-term supply agreement (LTSA) with BMW to use its EliteSiC silicon carbide power module in the manufacturer’s future electric cars. The US semiconductor specialist did not specify the exact number of […]
March 07, 2023
More than two-thirds (68%) of lithium-ion battery production planned for Europe is at risk of being delayed, scaled down, or canceled, a new analysis of Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. Tesla in Berlin, Northvolt in northern Germany, and Italvolt near Turin are among the projects that stand to lose the greatest volumes of their slated […]
March 07, 2023
On Monday, Hyundai Motor Company held a digital world premiere to unveil the all-new Kona, an upscaled multiplayer in the B-SUV segment, led by an all-electric variant (EV) that offers advanced safety and convenience features and class-leading range, according to the manufacturer. Potential customers can choose from EV (standard or long range), hybrid, internal combustion […]
March 07, 2023
The Mustang Mach-E, F-150 Lightning, and E-Transit all enjoy high customer demand in the US. That’s why manufacturer Ford is now stepping on the… stream pedal to boost production of its electric (and in some cases non-electric) models. Ford will also offer its Mustang Mach-E electric model in Europe with LFP battery cells before the […]
March 06, 2023
The Japanese car manufacturer Subaru announced a change in its top management last Friday at a Board of Directors meeting. Tomomi Nakamura, the Representative Director, President, and CEO will leave his position to Atsushi Nakamura, current EVP and Chief General Manager of the manufacturing division. Nakamura entered the presidency of the company in 2018. As […]
March 06, 2023
Volkswagen has now officially unveiled the revised ID.3, in which the quality of the interior, in particular, is to be significantly improved. The powertrains remain unchanged (for the time being). Already in December, VW changed the configurator of its compact electric car and added a note that the delivery deadline had already been extended into […]
March 03, 2023
A growing number of companies is producing EVs, but not all are comparably successful. You have the start-ups, and you have the more traditional car companies trying to catch up. Among the start-ups, Geely-daughter Polestar seems to be heading for success. Others, like Nio, are accumulating sales but also losses. Polestar strengthened its financial position […]
March 03, 2023
During a round table, BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse told car magazine Motor.at and others about his view on hydrogen and the plans to ban ICE cars in the EU by 2035. In his view, “hydrogen-fueled cars don’t stand a chance against BEVs except for customers who do not have access to charging infrastructure or […]
March 02, 2023
Like January, February was the best second month of the year for the last three years in Belgium and Luxembourg. 39 883 cars were registered, 23,9% more than last year. Growth was registered in the company car market (+30,8%) and in the individual buyers market (+13,5%). For the first two months of the year, the […]
