Skyworth wants to prove that budget-EVs can charge fast

December 13, 2025

Best known until now for televisions and household electronics, Chinese Skyworth has set its eyes on the Belgian car market. To stand out in the plethora of Chinese newcomers, the brand promises an 11-minute charge with grace from the 800-volt network. The question remains whether its K800V SUV can earn enough trust with sharp numbers […]

Brussels Motor Show has high hopes for 2026 edition

December 12, 2025

According to organizer Febiac, the Brussels Motor Show 2026 is alive and kicking. This 102nd edition will feature a record number of participating exhibitors (64), while two-wheelers are back again, with an additional 28 exhibiting companies. Frank Van Gool, CEO at the sector federation Febiac: “Records are always lovely for statistics, but to me it’s […]

Vias: ‘In half of cases, emergency services arrive within 12 minutes’

December 12, 2025

The speed at which emergency services respond is crucial for the survival of road accident victims. The Vias Institute therefore analyzed the time elapsed between answering the emergency call after an accident with injury and the arrival of emergency services at the scene.  In Belgium, emergency services arrive at their destination within 12 minutes (11 minutes and […]

Alstom to slash 150 jobs at Bruges train plant

December 12, 2025

French train manufacturer Alstom plans to cut 150 jobs at its factory in Bruges from mid-2026. Earlier this year, Alstom lost out on a large train order from the Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB, which opted for the Spanish company CAF. The unions feared that this would lead to job losses at the Bruges factory, […]

Farmer vs. oil giant trial: TotalEnergies rejects blame for climate chaos

December 11, 2025

TotalEnergies’ lawyers have, in turn, presented their arguments in the so-called ‘Farmer case’, the lawsuit brought by Hugues Falys, an organic farmer from Hainaut, against the French oil giant. Falys holds the energy company responsible for climate change and, consequently, for the storms and droughts that have significantly impacted his business. According to them, a […]

Belgium’s flight tax clash escalates as Ryanair warns of million-passenger cut

December 10, 2025

There has been a flood of reactions to Ryanair’s threats to reduce passenger numbers at Brussels Airport and Brussels South Charleroi by 1 million. Is this a bluff, a negotiating tactic, or will the higher flight tax in Belgium indeed jeopardize Europe’s largest airline’s profit targets? Whichever way you look at it, the International Air […]

All eyes on Brussels: Opel’s new Astra and the fight for its future

December 10, 2025

When the doors of the Brussels Motor Show open in January 2026, all eyes will turn to several ‘world premieres’, and one of them is Opel. The German brand is preparing the fully updated Opel Astra range, including the Astra Electric and the Astra Sports Tourer Electric. And fittingly, Brussels itself has grown in strategic […]

Dutch agree to allow Belgian farmers without tractor G-license (update)

December 10, 2025

Belgian drivers born before 1 October 1982 will not need to obtain a G driver’s license to operate agricultural vehicles in the Netherlands. A new bilateral agreement was announced by Belgian Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés) and his Flemish colleague Annick De Ridder (N-VA). From 1 January 2026, these farmers may use an EU […]

New intermodal bridge transforms access to Brussels Sint-Job Station

December 09, 2025

In the Brussels municipality of Ukkel/Uccle, the new Carsoel Bridge over the Schaerbeek-Halle railway line has officially been put into service. The new bridge at Sint-Job station looks like a small square and is set to become a central intermodal hub, designed to promote sustainable transport. The revamped mobility project at the station, which welcomes […]

Dutch GoVolta targets budget travel to Berlin with revamped Belgian trains

December 09, 2025

The new Dutch international train company, GoVolta, will begin operating direct daytime trains from Amsterdam to Berlin and Hamburg in March. The trains are expected to run three times a week. The cheapest tickets will cost €10, although it is also remarkable that the journey will be made using 13 trains from the Belgian railway […]

Belgian old seat belt exemptions no longer valid as of January 1st, 2026

December 09, 2025

From January 1st, 2026, medical exemptions authorising the use of seat belts will cease to be valid in Belgium. Anyone who benefits from an old exemption, issued before March 1st, 2022, and whose state of health still justifies the impossibility of wearing a seatbelt, will have to submit a new application. An exemption is only […]

Traffic fines are increasing by 10% – for safety or treasury?

December 08, 2025

Fines for traffic violations will soon increase by 10%; court fines will even increase by 25%. This was confirmed by the office of Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden (CD&V). In concrete terms, this means that a minor first-degree offense, such as forgetting to signal, will now cost €63.80 instead of €58. A second-degree offense will increase […]

Brussels begins test-drilling in Maximilian Park for heating network

December 08, 2025

In the future, Brussels’ Maximilian Park will also serve as a source of heating and cooling for the surrounding buildings. Test drilling will begin today as part of the park’s energy transition in the North District. Be.SHARE, a project for a low-temperature network, aims to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in the district by replacing fossil […]

Vias study: ‘Why we don’t like each other on Belgian roads’

December 08, 2025

According to a recent study by the Belgian road safety institute Vias, there really is an “affective polarization” in traffic ─ negative feelings and hostility ─ between different groups of road users. People clearly rate their own group more positively than others, with particularly negative feelings toward e-scooters and cyclists. In an urban context, these tensions […]

Fiat Grande Panda and Dacia Bigster winners of VAB’s family car election

December 05, 2025

For the 39th edition of the Family Car election by Flemish mobility club VAB, the participating journalists and VAB members could choose from two pricing categories. In the past, there was a third category for electric cars, but it has since been abolished as more affordable BEVs have entered the market. This year, (partial) electrification […]

Europe agrees to adopt Belgian Car-Pass system to combat odometer fraud

December 05, 2025

There is an EU agreement for a system like the Belgian Car-Pass, at least if it is up to the European transport ministers. With this initiative, Europe aims to tackle odometer fraud in second-hand vehicles across the European Union. The mandatory registration system is primarily based on the operating principles of the Belgian Car-Pass, a […]

New analysis offers a sharp snapshot of Europe’s fast-shifting EV market

December 05, 2025

Despite the (mostly German) carmakers’ lobbying to hit the brakes and give ICE another chance, Europe’s electric-vehicle landscape is shifting fast, and a new analysis from TradingPedia offers an unusually detailed snapshot of which brands and models are winning the race in 2025. TradingPedia, a Bulgarian financial analysis platform that frequently works with industry datasets, […]

Poppy launches new flexible, short-term private leasing formula

December 04, 2025

Poppy, the D’Ieteren-owned mobility provider with its iconic red cars, is today launching Poppy Lease, a 100% digital, flexible offering for Belgian private individuals and the self-employed. The project actually started three years ago under the name MyPop as a test phase. Belgium lags far behind its neighbours in private leasing. A study by Renta, […]

Nissan Belux deploys plans for 2026

December 03, 2025

A lot is going to happen for Nissan Belux in 2026. The recently launched Micra and Leaf are ready for sale; other BEVs are coming. Secondly, Nissan will again be present at the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) in January. Thirdly, Nissan Belux, part of Nissan eNEST (Benelux plus three Scandinavian countries), will be selling the […]

Lizy’s used-car leasing proclaimed ‘Scale up of the Year 2025’

December 02, 2025

On Monday, the Brussels-based company Lizy, which specialises in the digital leasing of reconditioned used cars, received the ‘Scale-up of the Year 2025’ award, marking a milestone for a company that has reshaped one of Europe’s most traditional sectors. The award is granted by EY Belgium, in partnership with BNP Paribas Fortis, L’Echo, and De […]

Kia picks Brussels for its Europe-only ‘affordable’ EV2 world premiere

December 02, 2025

Kia officially confirmed on Tuesday that its all-new EV2 will make its world debut at the 2026 Brussels Motor Show in January 2026, a decision that places Europe firmly at the center of the brand’s electric ambitions. The EV2 has been designed from the start as a European car. It will be the smallest member […]

Brussels North Station recognized as a monument

December 01, 2025

Large parts of Brussels North Station have been recognized as monuments. These include the clock tower, the facades in natural stone and beige brick, the large ticket hall “with its monumental U-shaped staircase,” the seven platforms, and the remaining wooden benches on those platforms. The North Station, located in the Brussels municipality of Schaerbeek, was […]

Doel 2 nuclear reactor permanently disconnected from grid after 50 years

December 01, 2025

After operating for 50 years, the nuclear power plant Doel 2, on the banks of the river Scheldt, was finally shut down on Sunday evening. It is the fifth Belgian reactor to be disconnected, after Doel 1 and 3, and Tihange 1 and 2. Doel 3 was disconnected in 2022, Tihange 2 was shut down […]

More than 5,000 Airbus A320s get major safety software update

December 01, 2025

European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has issued a software update for its A320 Neo aircraft. This was prompted by a recent incident involving a JetBlue Airways Corp. aircraft. According to Airbus, this incident showed that intense sunlight can affect critical control data, potentially forcing the airplane into an unexpected dive. Initially, there was talk of a […]

Brabant lowers blood alcohol limit for driving licence revocation

November 28, 2025

In the province of Flemish Brabant, driving licences will now be revoked at a blood alcohol level of 0.35 mg/l, down from 0.50 mg/l. With this measure, the public prosecutor’s office of Leuven and Halle-Vilvoorde aims to further increase road safety in the province. The measure to lower the blood alcohol threshold comes on the […]

Bolt’s shared e-scooters break records in Antwerp

November 28, 2025

While micromobility in Belgium usually slows down from the end of September – due to the weather and shorter days – the Bolt shared e-scooter platform in Antwerp is seeing continued growth, with a record month in October. Since the launch of the fleet of about 1,000 e-scooters in Antwerp in March of this year, usage […]

Ryanair: ‘Belgium shoots itself in the foot with new tax on air travel’

November 27, 2025

According to Ryanair, Belgium is pricing itself out of the market now that the De Wever government has decided that the flight tax will be €10 for all flights from 2027, while other countries are reducing or completely scrapping their taxes. However, the Irish low-cost airline’s comment should be taken with a grain of salt. […]

BMW Belux delivers largest ever order of 723 electric cars to PwC

November 27, 2025

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Belgium has placed an order with the BMW Group Belux for 723 full electric vehicles. With this order, PwC will add 300 new Mini Aceman models to its fleet, along with 423 BMW iX1 eDrive20 models. This brings the total composition of PwC Belgium’s fleet to 90% electric and/or hybrid vehicles, of which […]

How Kia’s EV3 propels the brand to the front of Belgian EV market

November 26, 2025

On the Belgian car market, where company cars account for more than 60% of registrations, no electric model has made a louder entrance this year than the Kia EV3. With 39% of its cars sold being purely EVs, Kia scores higher than the Belgian market average of 33%. And by launching a new EV4, EV5, […]

Judges to be replaced in the Belgian farmer vs TotalEnergies case

November 26, 2025

The trial in the case brought by Hugues Falys, a farmer from Hainaut, against oil giant TotalEnergies has only just begun, but has already taken a surprising turn. The judges who were to preside over the case will be replaced. The reason for this reshuffle? One of the three judges on the court has withdrawn […]

Belgian air passenger tax to double from 2027 for flights over 500 km

November 25, 2025

From 2027, the air passenger tax in Belgium will increase for flights over 500 kilometers from €5 to €10 per departing passenger. This is the second time in this legislative period that the federal government will increase the tax on airline tickets. Brussels Airlines points out that it cannot pay the additional tax out of its […]

Infrabel allocates €200 million for military transport infrastructure

November 24, 2025

Belgian railway infrastructure manager Infrabel is allocating 200 million euros to strengthen the infrastructure for the transport of heavy military equipment, according to RTL info. The money will mainly be used to reinforce bridges, widen tunnels, and develop new tracks, particularly around the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge. The investment is in line with the European […]

After hydrogen, Antwerp launches its first fully electric waste truck

November 24, 2025

Antwerp has taken another step toward cleaner and quieter waste collection. The city officially put its first fully electric refuse truck into service, expanding its zero-emission ‘fleet’ of two hydrogen-powered vehicles. Across Europe and beyond, several recent case studies show that electric waste collection trucks are becoming increasingly competitive with their diesel counterparts. While the […]

Ghent and Antwerp in top 10 most bicycle-friendly cities in the world

November 21, 2025

Ghent ranks third in the Copenhagenize Index of the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities, after Utrecht and Copenhagen. The index is compiled every two years by the Danish consultancy Copenhagenize Desing Co., an agency specializing in bicycle strategy, urban planning, and mobility, and is considered an international benchmark. Antwerp ranks eighth. Brussels, the only other Belgian […]

Magnus Nilsson succeeds Stefan Fesser as plant manager of Volvo Car Gent

November 21, 2025

On January 1st, 2026, Magnus Nilsson will take over as the new CEO and plant manager of Volvo Car Gent from Stefan Fesser. After more than seven years, Stefan Fesser will take on a strategic role within the company. Magnus Nilsson (58) was born in Sweden. He has worked for Volvo Cars since 1988, in various […]

Coyote: ‘Men drive faster than women’

November 21, 2025

We already knew that men have a reputation for driving faster, but now Coyote, a pioneer in driver assistance, confirms this with its own research. In September, Coyote researchers collected data on the driving behavior of men and women in Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels. During this period, the average speed of women on highways in Flanders was […]

MG pushes deeper into EV family market with roomier S6 EV

November 21, 2025

Chances are high that you’ve seen this S6 EV before. In the summer, this SUV was inadvertently published on Euro NCAP’s test publication pages ahead of its official reveal. MG has finally unwrapped the full specs of its latest addition to its electric portfolio. It’s an SUV destined for families who have outgrown the S5 […]

Three-day strike to paralyze Belgian public transport and air traffic

November 21, 2025

Belgian trade unions are organizing three national days of action against government policy on November 24, 25, and 26. On Monday, November 24, they are calling for a rail strike. This will be followed by strikes in all public services and the education sector the next day. Finally, on Wednesday, November 26, the unions are […]

Facing climate damage, Walloon organic farmer sues TotalEnergies

November 20, 2025

The trial of Hugues Falys, a farmer from Hainaut, against TotalEnergies has begun before the Commercial Court of Tournai. At the beginning of 2024, with the support of Greenpeace and others, the farmer sued the French multinational for his role in climate change. The first climate case brought by a citizen against a multinational in […]

Belgium and Brazil sign memorandum of understanding on green hydrogen

November 19, 2025

On Tuesday evening, Belgium and Brazil signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the sidelines of the reception for the Belgian delegation at the UN climate summit COP30 in Belém, Brazil, on cooperation in green hydrogen. Green hydrogen, generated in Brazil, will flow to Belgium in the future, and Belgium will, in turn, use its know-how […]

First new ‘long’ tram for Brussels MIVB/STIB

November 19, 2025

The Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB has taken delivery of the first brand-new Tram New Generation (TNG). This extended 42-meter version will run on the transport network from 2026. Before it can be put into service, the tram still must pass several tests. The tram, built at the Alstom factory in Vienna, arrived at the […]

Almost 6,000 cases of aggression against Belgian public transport staff

November 19, 2025

Last year, Belgium’s four public transport companies recorded 5,908 cases of physical and verbal aggression against their staff. That is an average of more than 16 cases per day, or an increase of approximately 5.5% compared to 2023. According to NMBS/SNCB, Flemish De Lijn, Brussels MIVB/STIB, and Walloon LETEC, the number of aggression cases has […]

COP30: ‘Belgium drops two places in climate ranking’

November 19, 2025

Belgium ranks 37th on the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), the annual ranking of climate performance by environmental NGOs. This means the country has dropped two places compared to last year. The CCPI evaluates the climate‐mitigation performance of 63 countries plus the European Union (EU) — together covering more than 90 % of global greenhouse […]

Antwerp launches a pedestrian program to encourage walking

November 18, 2025

The city of Antwerp has drawn up its first specific ‘pedestrian program’. The program aims to increase the number of journeys made on foot. The program is an important part of the desired ‘modal shift’, in which journeys by private car are replaced as much as possible by more sustainable alternatives. Because “if we make […]

New campaign aims to encourage truckers to buckle up

November 18, 2025

On Monday, the Flemish Road Safety Foundation (Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde, VSV) and the federal road police launched a campaign in Gentbrugge to increase seat belt use among truck drivers. Not an unnecessary campaign, it turns out, because one in nine truck drivers seldom buckles up. The campaign’s slogan in Dutch is “Een echte draagt ‘m” […]

Global EV survey shows 41% won’t buy Tesla over ethical concerns

November 18, 2025

A new international survey by the Global EV Alliance suggests the electric-vehicle landscape is being shaped as much by politics and perception as by product and pricing. As for car brands, 41% of buyers are reluctant to buy Tesla due to political concerns, while one in ten opposes cars made in China. The Global EV […]

Walloon Road Safety Council advocates for speed limit of 70 km/h on regional roads

November 18, 2025

The Walloon Road Safety Council (CSWSR) has presented its action plan to reduce the number of road deaths in Wallonia. Among the most important proposals in the seven-point plan is a speed reduction on regional roads from 90 to 70 km/h, as in Flanders. Another important pillar: better compliance with speed limits, supported by a […]

Annulment of traffic fine puts average speed control system under pressure

November 17, 2025

The Vilvoorde police court has annulled the fine imposed on mobility expert Johan De Mol (Ghent University) for speeding because a private company co-finances the speed camera. The ruling could undermine the entire average speed check system, especially in Flanders. Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA) intends to study the ruling thoroughly and, […]

Belgian Solar Team heads for American Challenge

November 14, 2025

In July 2026, the students of the Innoptus Solar Team (KU Leuven) will travel to the United States to participate in the American Solar Challenge. After a strong performance and third place in Australia in August 2025, the Belgian team wants to showcase Belgian innovation in America. For the first time, the Belgians are participating in […]

Air Liquide builds ammonia cracker for hydrogen in Antwerp

November 14, 2025

French multinational Air Liquide, a company with a strong focus on innovation and the energy transition, has started up an ammonia cracker in the Antwerp-Bruges port area. This is a pilot plant that cracks ammonia and converts it into hydrogen. According to Air Liquide, this is a world first, and the project will save more than […]

Chery bolsters its range with all-electric Omoda 4 and new hybrid Five

November 14, 2025

As Chinese carmakers accelerate their push into global markets, Chery’s youth-oriented Omoda brand is preparing a two-pronged assault on Europe, strengthening its presence with two new electrified models. The company announced that the Omoda 5 will receive a new SHS-H hybrid variant later this year. At the same time, the all-new Omoda 4, unveiled at Chery’s […]

Belgians prefer their cars despite growing popularity of e-bike

November 14, 2025

Despite the popularity of the (electric) bicycle, the car remains the Belgian’s favourite means of transport. Its share in our transport has generally remained stable over the past 25 years. However, the use of bicycles, especially e-bikes, continues to increase, as shown by the new, large-scale survey by the Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport, conducted from […]

Flanders and Wallonia reach agreement with industry on CO2 capture

November 14, 2025

The Flemish and Walloon governments reached an agreement at the beginning of this month with some of the largest CO2 emitters in Belgian industry on the capture, storage, and transport of carbon dioxide, also known as CCUS. The agreement was signed yesterday at building materials manufacturer Holcim in Obourg, near Mons, by Flemish Minister-President Matthias […]

Flanders to pay Netherlands millions for failing Hasselt-Eindhoven tram line

November 13, 2025

A Dutch court has ruled that the Flemish Region must pay compensation to the Dutch province of Limburg and the municipality of Maastricht because the express tram line between Hasselt in Belgium and Maastricht in the Netherlands will not be built. The Dutch are demanding 19,6 million euros, but the amount of compensation has not […]

Drivers with foreign licence plates rarely pay fines in Brussels

November 13, 2025

In Brussels, foreign drivers who receive parking fines do not pay them in 90% of cases. This is according to figures from the office of outgoing Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt (Groen). According to BRUZZ, the Brussels-Capital Region is now investigating whether wheel clamps can be used to force non-payers to pay. The Region, which […]

Tom Waes in new VRT campaign: ‘No excuses. Don’t drink and drive’

November 12, 2025

The Flemish national broadcasting company VRT is launching a remarkable traffic campaign to remind Flemish drivers that there are no excuses when it comes to driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. One of the key figures in the campaign is… television producer Tom Waes, who was involved in a traffic accident one year ago, […]

Jera Nex BP launches new hydrogen refueling station in Ostend

November 11, 2025

A new hydrogen filling station for ships was officially inaugurated in the port of Ostend on Friday. Jera Nex BP developed the hydrogen filling station, and in the initial phase, only one ship will use it: the Windcat 48, which uses green hydrogen to sail from the port of Ostend to a wind farm in the […]

Wave of thefts of Poppy shared cars in Brussels by minors

November 11, 2025

In Brussels, there has been a noticeable increase in thefts of Poppy shared and rental cars. Exact figures are not available, partly because some cars are recovered before they are reported stolen, and because attempts are often considered vandalism. What is striking, however, is that the thieves are often minors without a driver’s licence. They […]

Toyota Hilux enters new era as all-electric pickup

November 10, 2025

Toyota’s indestructible Hilux, long defined by diesel torque and unshakeable dependability, is stepping into uncharted territory. The ninth-generation, on order as of December, marks the most significant shift in the model’s 55-year history with the arrival of a battery-electric version. Also, a hydrogen-powered model will follow. The fully electric Hilux BEV leads the launch, hitting […]

Renta: half of Belgium’s EVs are company leased, but private still lags

November 07, 2025

More than half of all electric cars on Belgian roads are leased or rented. According to new figures from the vehicle rental federation Renta, its members alone operate 195,990 fully electric cars, representing 51% of Belgium’s total EV fleet. The data highlight the crucial role of corporate leasing in driving the country’s vehicle electrification. Renta […]