June 02, 2025
Maserati and D’Ieteren Luxury Performance, the Luxury division of D’Ieteren Mobility Company, a 100% Subsidiary of D’Ieteren Automotive, have joined forces and further expanded their cooperation for the Belgian market. As of May 28, 2025, D’Ieteren Luxury Performance is the sole distributor of Maserati in Belgium, operating with three sales outlets in Antwerp, Brussels, and […]
June 02, 2025
Toyota’s Aygo X urban crossover gets electrified, it’s the first full hybrid in its segment. The newcomer has the lowest CO2 emissions of any non-plug-in car on the market, claims Toyota: 86 g CO2/km. At the same time, a GR Sport version will be introduced in the Aygo X lineup. “The Aygo X has attracted […]
June 02, 2025
BMW has announced a series of model upgrades for summer 2025. In terms of electric cars, this includes the i4, where not only the two rear-wheel drive models become more efficient, but a more powerful top-of-the-range model will also be added to the range. The two variants, i4 eDrive35 and i4 eDrive40, will be equipped […]
May 29, 2025
A German court has condemned four former top managers of Volkswagen to jail sentences for “fraud and ganging up”. It’s been almost ten years since the biggest scandal in the automotive world, known as the ‘Dieselgate’ scandal, broke out in the United States. Volkswagen Group had installed fraud software in its vehicles to circumvent official […]
May 29, 2025
The three-millionth electrified vehicle rolled off the assembly line today at the BMW Group’s main plant in Munich, a BMW 330e Touring (PHEV) in Portimao Blue, destined for the UK market. In 2024, one in four vehicles sold by the company were already either fully electric or plug-in hybrids. At BMW Group plants, vehicles with […]
May 28, 2025
The EU Parliament has approved the Commission’s request to soften the 2025 CO2 fleet targets. The proposal received 458 votes in favour, 101 against, and 14 abstentions. All that remains is for the European Council to approve it, which it did on 27 May. The more flexible CO2 targets are one measure the EU Commission […]
May 27, 2025
Car manufacturer Volvo Cars, owned by the Chinese Geely group, will cut 3,000 jobs (about 7% of its total workforce), primarily in Sweden. It’s a decision as part of the cost-cutting announced at the end of April. The goal is “to make Volvo cars more resilient in an era where the automotive industry is confronted […]
May 27, 2025
According to data from ACEA, the European Car Manufacturers Association, new EU car registrations fell by 1.2% in April 2025 compared to last year’s first four months. Nonetheless, registrations rebounded with a 1.3% increase last month, showing signs of recovery despite the ongoing unpredictable global economic environment. The battery-electric car market share for April 2025 […]
May 26, 2025
Up to 3 million households on low or modest incomes in Europe’s five largest countries (Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and Poland) could switch to electric cars by 2032 thanks to social leasing, according to an analysis by T&E based on data from the Öko-Institut. This scheme, which allows affordable electric vehicles under €25,000 to be […]
May 26, 2025
At the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2025, the renowned celebration of historic vehicles on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, where the BMW Group has long been a leading actor, the Munich company presented an exclusive new concept car that will subsequently be made available for purchase in a small series. “The BMW Concept […]
May 26, 2025
Hyundai Motor Group and Incheon International Airport Corporation will deploy AI-powered automatic EV charging robots in South Korea to demonstrate the next stage in automated electric mobility infrastructure. The partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The company aims to commercialize its automatic charging robot (ACR) for electric vehicles through a strategic collaboration with Incheon International […]
May 26, 2025
Northvolt, an insolvent battery cell manufacturer, is discontinuing production at its main plant in Skellefteå, Sweden. Most recently, the factory only served a single customer, truck manufacturer Scania. The doors will shut by June 30 at the latest, and 900 people could lose their jobs. However, the company insists that work on the German Heide […]
May 23, 2025
On Xiaomi’s 15th anniversary, CEO Lei Jun introduced the company’s first electric SUV, the YU7, marking another step in its automotive transition following the SU7 sedan. Lei confirmed that Xiaomi has delivered over 258,000 units of the SU7. The YU7 is a fairly large electric SUV built on the company’s Modena platform. It measures 4999 […]
May 22, 2025
Honda has announced that it will reduce its investments in electric cars due to declining demand and focus on the growing demand for hybrid vehicles with new models. Motorcycles will also play a larger role in the company’s plans. The Japanese manufacturer has stated that it will reduce its investments in electrification and software from […]
May 22, 2025
An all-new Lexus ES made its world-first appearance a few weeks ago at the Shanghai Auto Show, signalling the introduction of an eighth generation of the global luxury sedan later this year. Lexus has now also provided some details about the battery. While the ES has been a key model for Lexus in North America […]
May 21, 2025
Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) unveiled its new RAV4 on May 21. The model will be launched in Japan before the end of the fiscal year 2025. It’s the sixth generation of a car that debuted in 1993 and has sold 15 million units worldwide, 2.5 million of which were sold in Europe. “Under the concept […]
May 21, 2025
The BMW Group has integrated large-format solid-state battery cells from partner Solid Power into a test vehicle, a BMW i7. The aim is to test how the solid-state cells behave in everyday road operation. BMW and Solid Power have been working together on solid-state batteries for years. The partnership dates back to 2016. Things turned […]
May 20, 2025
According to a monitoring report of the Belgian governmental service for social security (RSZ), there were 572,416 company cars in Belgium, which can also be used privately by company employees. The number of cars still increases (+10.9 % compared to 2022), as does the number of companies offering a company car (+3.6%). “Despite all the […]
May 20, 2025
Xavier Chardon, who has led Volkswagen Group France until now, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Citroën brand, effective June 2, 2025. He will report to Jean-Philippe Imparato, Enlarged Europe Chief Operating Officer, Stellantis, who is currently overseeing the multinational group as it searches for a new CEO after Carlos Tavares’s departure. At […]
May 19, 2025
In contrast with earlier speculations, Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer has confirmed plans to further develop the MEB platform with the MEB+, following longstanding rumors of a refresh. The platform refresh will begin with the launch of the new ID.2 next year. Following the launch of the ID.2, Volkswagen will begin moving all of its electric […]
May 19, 2025
French car manufacturer Renault will reveal an off-road show car based on the Renault 4 E-Tech Electric on the sidelines of the French Open tennis contest. Compared to the production model, the small off-roader features a second engine on the rear axle and more ground clearance. The electric R4 is not yet on the road; […]
May 16, 2025
Waymo has recalled 1,212 self-driving vehicles in the U.S. following minor collisions with fixed roadside objects such as gates and chains. That is the majority of the company’s fleet. Strangely, the issue seems to have already been fixed. The recall is apparently due to software limitations that caused minor collisions with roadside objects such as […]
May 16, 2025
Toyota is set to launch an estate car version of its all-electric SUV model, the bZ4X, next year. It will be called the BZ4X Touring and will be 14 cm longer than the standard car. Its European launch is planned for the first half of 2026. The bZ4X Touring features 33% more trunk space than […]
May 15, 2025
At a meeting of the Supervisory Board held following BMW AG’s Annual General Meeting, Dr. Nicolas Peter was elected chairman. 86.21 percent of shareholders had voted earlier to appoint Dr. Peter to the Supervisory Board for a four-year term. Dr. Nicolas Peter served as a member of BMW AG’s Board of Management responsible for the […]
May 15, 2025
The Stellantis brand DS Automobile has introduced the DS N°4, a revision of its compact hatchback. The new lineup, a second in the N° nomenclature, features a fully electric E-Tense with a range of 450 kilometers, as well as PHEV and hybrid versions. DS Automobiles says it has focused on technological development with this revision, […]
May 14, 2025
Roughly a year after the major facelift of its electric Gran Turismo, Audi is expanding the e-tron GT line-up with a new powertrain variant. Following the S and RS models, it has introduced a new ‘base model’ with 430 kW of power and a starting price of €108,900 in Germany and €110,500 in Belgium. Since […]
May 14, 2025
All alarm bells are going off at Nissan. Japanese media reported that Nissan Motor Co. plans to cut about 20,000 jobs globally as part of a ramped-up restructuring campaign under the new CEO, Ivan Espinosa. Last week, in an effort to speed reforms and conserve cash, Nissan announced it was canceling plans to build a […]
May 13, 2025
Since last week, Belgian car owners have been able to receive their official invitation for the obligatory car inspection in their eBox, an official and secure electronic mailbox used by the government. Until now, invitations to present your car (older than four years) for official inspection in one of the agreed inspection centers were mainly […]
May 12, 2025
Car manufacturing group Stellantis has launched an online compensation platform for European clients with unforeseen reparation costs related to their 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech engines. Several generations of these engines (also known as EB) confronted their owners with excessive oil consumption or a premature degradation of the timing belt. This additional compensation scheme is meant […]
May 12, 2025
In the first quarter of 2025, the Chinese manufacturer MG realized substantial growth in Europe and the Belgian car market. In Europe, it sold 78,505 cars during Q1, a 33.5% increase in sales compared to 2024. In Belgium, MG registered 35% more registrations in the same period. With the noticeable progress of another Chinese brand, […]
May 08, 2025
German carmaker BMW Group reported a 26.4% drop in first-quarter net profit to €2.2 billion, as weak demand in China weighed on earnings. Revenues fell 7.8% to €33.8 billion as global vehicle deliveries dropped 1.4% to 586,117 units, driven by a decline in China amid intense market competition. “Given the sustained demand for its attractive […]
May 08, 2025
The new Volvo XC70 mid-size SUV is Volvo Cars’ first extended-range plug-in hybrid. According to the Chinese CLTC standard, it provides a pure electric range of up to 200 kilometers, making it Volvo Cars’ longest-range plug-in hybrid. The new XC70 is designed to meet the demand for longer-range PHEVs in China, where it will be […]
May 07, 2025
Ford presented its business figures for the first quarter and reported a 200% increase in sales for its electric car division. As a result, turnover is also higher, and the loss is lower than a year ago. However, the loss still totals $850 million, and the manufacturer seems to be struggling with its EV future. […]
May 06, 2025
Today, the all-new Jeep Compass debuted in Italy and will be manufactured at the Melfi plant, a key hub for Stellantis’ electrification strategy. The new Compass evolves with an expanded engine range, which includes three powertrain options: e-Hybrid, e-Hybrid plug-in, and full electric with up to 650 km range. The latter also offers four-wheel drive. […]
May 06, 2025
Stellantis President John Elkann and Renault CEO Luca De Meo said in an interview with Le Figaro on Monday that the fate of the European automotive industry is being played out this year. Both are pleading for Europe to rediscover its origins: the popular and affordable car. They say that a radical and fast simplification […]
May 05, 2025
The federal service Mobility & Transport and the sector federation Febiac have shared their data about the number of vehicle registrations in April 2025. In the same period, 37,812 cars were registered, 4.7% less than a year ago. Noticeable: the market of individual car buyers rose (again) by 7.7%, the professional market of company cars […]
May 04, 2025
US President Donald Trump softened some of his automotive tariffs on Tuesday, following industry complaints. Trump signed off on orders that will stop separate levies “stacking” on top of each other, thereby reducing the overall tariff level on vehicle imports. The orders state that vehicles assembled in the US will qualify for partial reimbursements on […]
April 30, 2025
Citroën has presented the second generation of the C5 Aircross, which is based on the new Stellantis platform STLA-Medium and will also be available as a BEV version ë-C5 Aircross. The second-generation ë-C5 Aircross will launch in two versions: The ‘Standard Range’ variant runs on 157 kW drive power and 73 kWh usable battery for […]
April 30, 2025
Volvo Cars reports a group operating income (EBIT) of SEK 1.9 billion (€173 million) for the first quarter of 2025, following a drop in wholesales (-6%) and adverse currency effects. The result also reflects the current turbulence in the world and a challenging external environment for the automotive industry. To protect profitability, drive structural efficiencies […]
April 29, 2025
After much deliberation over different platforms and product strategies to enter India’s EV market over the last two years, Skoda appears to have come to a decision. The company has allegedly begun working on its first locally manufactured EV for this important emerging market. According to a recent report from the Indian newspaper Business Standard, […]
April 29, 2025
The new 2025 Range Rover Electric has completed its second round of winter tests, ahead of its planned release later this year. Technical details have now been confirmed, and the 800-volt SUV runs on a 117-kWh battery with cell-to-pack architecture. The launch of the long-awaited newcomer is planned later this year. The first technical data […]
April 28, 2025
Volvo’s factory in Ghent has just started production of the fully electric EX30. The model was previously only built in China, but the Belgian factory will now support production capacity for European sales. The plant of the Geely-owned Swedish car manufacturer will also begin producing the EX30 Cross Country later in 2025. Volvo states that […]
April 25, 2025
The two most important members of the Alliance, Renault and Nissan, posted very different results for Q1 2025. Renault holds strong in a challenging environment, while Nissan is struggling to survive and is still looking for a partner. Renault Group recorded 564,980 sales in 2025 Q1, up 2.9% versus 2024 Q1. In Europe, Group sales […]
April 24, 2025
According to data from the European car manufacturers’ association ACEA, new EU car registrations declined by 1.9% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to Q1 2024, with March 2025 figures showing a slight 0.2% year-on-year (YOY) decline as the global economic context remains particularly challenging and unpredictable for auto makers. In Q1 2025, the […]
April 23, 2025
On Wednesday, the Toyota bZ7 all-electric sedan debuted at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show as the first joint venture (GAC-Toyota) car equipped with Huawei’s HarmonyOS cockpit system, and developed specifically for the Chinese market. The official launch is expected to occur later this year. A Toyota bZ7 concept car previously appeared at the 2024 Guangzhou […]
April 23, 2025
Volkswagen Group’s premium Audi brand is fighting back with a range of new, more extended versions of its models designed for the Chinese market, where wealthier consumers with chauffeurs often sit in the back of their cars. It also showcased the first vehicle of a new model line with a different logo from its famous […]
April 23, 2025
With no less than three concept cars from its three China joint ventures, VW provided a taste of the model offensive that will start in 2025 on the eve of Auto Shanghai. A total of 30 new vehicles are to be launched on the market by 2027. The three announced VW studies are the ID. […]
April 22, 2025
Renault is opening reservations for the Renault 5 Turbo 3E ‘mini-supercar’ on 22 April 2025, from 9 a.m. (CET). A modern, electric reboot of the legendary Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2 of the 1980s, the new vehicle will be available for €155,000, including VAT as an introductory price, excluding options, accessories, and personalisation choices. […]
April 22, 2025
Reactions to the automotive import tariffs in the US differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. Audi is considering producing in the US, GM has no plans to move from Mexico to the US, and Mazda is decreasing its US production. In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume said the […]
April 22, 2025
Subaru of America unveiled its second electric SUV, the Trailseeker EV, at the New York International Auto Show. The model is scheduled for sale in the US starting in 2026. Meanwhile, the brand’s first EV, the Solterra, received a facelift. It’s not clear yet if and when the Trailseeker will come to Europe. Trailseeker EV: […]
April 18, 2025
BYD has officially registered its new Sealion 06 model with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), revealing plug-in hybrid (PHEVs) and pure electric versions (BEVs) of this latest Ocean series lineup. It’s worth noting that while this SUV is known as the Sealion 6 in China and some international markets (like Australia and […]
April 18, 2025
Lotus Technology Inc. has announced that Geely, the majority owner of its vehicle manufacturing business Lotus UK, exercised its put option earlier this week to sell its 51% stake in the latter company back to the former company. In other words, Geely steps out, and Lotus Tech has to buy back 51% of Lotus UK’s […]
April 17, 2025
At the New York International Auto Show, the World Car of the Year and other winners in different categories were revealed. The overall winner is the Kia EV3, chosen by 96 international automotive journalists from 30 countries out of 52 contenders. This is Kia’s second consecutive World Car of the Year win and the third […]
April 17, 2025
According to data from the sector federation, Febiac, and the government services, 120,940 new cars were registered during the first quarter of 2025, a decrease of 10.5% compared to 2024. We already showed these results earlier; now is the time to get into the details about who buys what. In 2023 and 2024, Belgium had […]
April 16, 2025
2024 was disappointing for the Stellantis Group, President John Elkann told the annual shareholders meeting in Amsterdam on Tuesday, adding that a new CEO to replace Carlos Tavares, who quit in December, will be named by the middle of this year. The remuneration of the former CEO for 2024 also caused some turmoil. “I would […]
April 16, 2025
Rho Motion, a leading EV research house, revealed that 1.7 million electric vehicles were sold globally in March 2025, with 4.1 million sold in Q1 2025. The EV market grew by 29% in March 2025 compared to March 2024 and increased by 40% compared to February 2025. For Q1 overall, the growth rate was also […]
April 15, 2025
About 320,000 Belgians who bought a car with ‘fraud software’ from the VW Group can finally claim indemnification. Nine years after the court case started, an agreement exists between the Belgian consumer organization TestAankoop/TestAchats and Volkswagen. In those nine years, Volkswagen finally admitted that it had sold some 11 million diesel cars with engine type […]
April 15, 2025
The Belgian federal government gave hybrid cars more breathing space in its Easter agreement. The authorities now think that a battery electric car is not yet the right solution for everyone and are providing more room to hybrids. Organisations that promote EVs or environmental associations see the new rules as a serious step back. The […]
April 14, 2025
At the Brussels Motor Show in January, Mazda showed the all-new Mazda 6e, the European version of the EZ-6, the already existing Chinese model developed in cooperation with Chinese car manufacturer Changan and based on the Changan Deepal SL03. The Japanese carmaker will perform the same exercise for its first entirely electric full-size SUV. With […]
April 11, 2025
The Volkswagen Group increased its global BEV deliveries by 59% to 216,800 vehicles (commercial vehicles and buses/trucks included) in the first quarter compared to Q1 2024. Polestar’s Q1 sales were up 76% compared to last year. For the Volkswagen Group, things went very well in Europe and the US, but not in China. We can […]
