Öko-Institut: Nearly half of Belgians never use public transportation

May 20, 2026

Nearly half of Belgians never use public transportation. This is according to a study on public transportation in Europe conducted by the German research institute Öko and commissioned by Greenpeace. Long travel times deter Belgians, and another weakness of public transportation is the significant disparity in availability between urban and rural areas. Belgians are not […]

Jaecoo 8: flagship plug-in hybrid SUV lands in Belgium (update)

May 20, 2026

Omoda & Jaecoo has officially confirmed that its seven-seater SUV, the 8 SHS-P, is now available in Belgium, starting at €54,900. The brand’s largest and most premium model brings a 134 km WLTP electric range, and a level of cabin technology that aims to put considerable pressure on established European rivals in the same price […]

Electra undercuts home rates for fast charging – but not always and not everywhere

May 20, 2026

The French charging point operator (CPO) Electra is the first major player in Belgium to tie public charging costs to time-of-use logic. This means that off-peak rates will be offered that are lower than the average Belgian household electricity tariff. This scheme provides a new windfall for environments where charging is constrained by practical caveats, […]

ZAS Hospital Group calls for ban on nighttime rides on shared e-scooters

May 19, 2026

The Antwerp-based ZAS Hospital Group is advocating a ban on shared e-scooters between midnight and 8 a.m., according to Gazet van Antwerpen. With this proposal, emergency services aim to halt the rise in accidents involving this mode of transportation. However well-intentioned it may be – and understandable given the frustration of emergency room doctors who […]

VITO: ‘Delays at offshore wind farms will cost families hundreds of millions’

May 15, 2026

The delay in developing additional offshore wind turbines in the Princess Elisabeth Zone (PEZ), an area in the North Sea where new wind farms are planned, will be reflected in the electricity bills of families and businesses. According to the researchers, the delay would be at least five years. The offshore island is a complex […]

Flanders allows Tesla’s FSD Supervised on public roads

May 13, 2026

Following the regulatory approval in the Netherlands, Tesla is officially allowed to expand its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) to Belgian roads. However, as regulatory barriers across Europe are being lowered, the automaker is simultaneously overhauling the pricing model for its assisted-driving package. The Netherlands has triggered the regulatory domino effect under EU law, and it is […]

GOCA: ‘Minister’s plan on car inspection collides with future EU regulations’

May 12, 2026

The drastic reform of the car inspection procedure in Flanders, planned by Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder, goes in the opposite direction to the new regulatory plans of the European Union, says GOCA, the sector federation currently responsible for the technical and safety inspection. “We have a growing impression that a more ideological viewpoint […]

Cargo Velo pedals ahead with Antwerp rival Fietskoerier acquisition

May 12, 2026

Bike courier company Cargo Velo is acquiring its Antwerp-based competitor, De Fietskoerier. Together, they will form Belgium’s largest bike courier company, with around 50 couriers and an expected turnover of more than one million euros. Former politician Willem-Frederik Schiltz, who once led the Open Vld party in Antwerp, has been the CEO of Cargo Velo […]

The robotaxi has arrived in Europe… if you live in Zagreb

May 12, 2026

Verne, the Zagreb startup backed by Mate Rimac, has launched the continent’s first commercial self-driving ride service. The dream of joining the United States and China is European. But don’t be mistaken: the underlying tech is Chinese. Since last April, citizens of Zagreb have had an interesting option for their morning commute. The Croatian autonomous […]

American LanzaTech to build first SAF plant for Europe in Ghent

May 12, 2026

American company LanzaTech has chosen North Sea Port in Ghent as the site for its first European plant to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using alcohol-to-jet technology. The project involves an investment of 500 million euros. The plant is expected to create 50 permanent jobs, in addition to approximately 300 jobs during the three-year construction […]

Van Mossel is largest car sales group in Belgium

May 11, 2026

Last year, the car dealer group Van Mossel became the biggest car seller in Belgium. The group overtook importer D’Ieteren, which had been the most important car seller in this country for years. According to data from dealer data analyst Aumacon, requested by De Tijd, Van Mossel recorded 32,500 new-car registrations in 2025, while D’ieteren […]

Ghent sees more available chargers after rotation tariff launch

May 11, 2026

Three months after Ghent introduced a financial penalty for drivers who hog public charging points, the numbers paint a clear picture: behavioral change. The number of long-stay sessions has decreased, charger availability has increased, and the city’s revenue amounted to €230,000. There is a particular frustration that unites EV drivers across Europe: arriving at a […]

Sustainable city trips are getting wind in their sails

May 11, 2026

Sustainable travel in Europe is no longer a niche market; it’s a movement, just like slow travel. Not only are airfare and driving costs rising due to the crisis in the Middle East, but many people with vacation plans are looking for alternatives. In addition to a train trip or an active cycling or hiking […]

Strong passenger demand limits losses at Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines

May 08, 2026

Despite a substantial operating loss (EBIT) of 612 million euros for the first three months of the year, the Lufthansa Group has little cause for concern.  Due to seasonally weaker demand in Europe, the first quarter is structurally loss-making for Europe’s largest airline group, the parent of Brussels Airlines. What’s more, the loss is 15% […]

MG leads the trend of Chinese car makers to import their cars themselves

May 08, 2026

Chinese brand MG (part of SAIC Motor) and the Belgian importer Astara have reached an agreement under which MG Europe will import its cars itself as of the first of July. Meanwhile, the second-largest Chinese car brand in Belgium, BYD, is considering doing the same. The distribution of MG in Belgium and Luxembourg will be […]

Belgium hits milestone 500,000th electric car, just three years after 100,000

May 07, 2026

The half-millionth fully-electric passenger vehicle was registered in Belgium earlier this week. To celebrate this milestone, advocacy group EV Belgium held a small ceremony, handing over the keys to a new Polestar. It also reflected the positive market developments that enabled accelerated growth in EV adoption in Belgium. Three years ago, in early 2023, the […]

Commuting becomes a puzzle: Antwerp metro tunnel closed for an extended period

May 06, 2026

Since Saturday, Antwerp’s main metro tunnel, connecting the Left Bank and the city center, has been completely closed for a large-scale renovation. If all goes well, the renovation will take approximately 11 months, expected to be completed by the end of March 2027. To avoid a traffic gridlock, the transport companies De Lijn and NMBS/SNCB, […]

Ghent startup Optimile finds its next gear as DKV Mobility takes over 

May 06, 2026

The Ghent-based software builder for charging stations, Optimile, has found a new breath. To expand its operations at a European level, the company has been fully acquired by the German fuel card giant DKV Mobility. The takeover fits into a broader scenario, as the latter has been buying similar companies over the past few years […]

Brussels Airport causes sleep disturbances for over 104,000 residents

May 06, 2026

A total of 104,298 people living in the wider vicinity of Brussels Airport have their sleep severely disrupted by aircraft taking off and landing. This is according to the annual, mandatory study on the airport’s noise impact conducted by the Dutch firm To70. That represents a 2,5% increase compared to 2024. And whether by coincidence […]

Belux car registrations in April on par with last year

May 05, 2026

According to data from the sector federation Febiac and the Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport, 37,802 new cars were registered in April 2026, 10 units fewer than in 2025. According to Febiac, the results were influenced by the strike at BPost, with delays in number plate deliveries. Noticeable fact: Registrations of individually bought cars […]

Historic turnaround: Belgium plans to nationalize old nuclear power plants

May 05, 2026

The Belgian government wants to regain full control over energy policy and has secured a purchase option on Engie’s Belgian nuclear operations. Although the decision, a historic shift following the nuclear phase-out under the Verhofstadt 1 government, is generally welcomed, criticism is also growing. The costs remain a major question mark – even Prime Minister […]

Is Volvo Ghent’s future at stake? (Update)

May 04, 2026

The fact that the Belgian federal government has set up a ‘task force’ to consider the future of Belgium’s only surviving large car assembly plant in Ghent, operated by Volvo, has set off several alarm bells. Despite the soothing words of Flemish Minister-President Mathias Diependaele, concerns are rising. The different rumors are also fed by […]

Cuts to De Lijn’s school transportation service on the horizon

May 01, 2026

As costs rise and the budget remains unchanged, potential adjustments are on the horizon for De Lijn’s school transportation service for special education – most of these trips are operated by subcontractors. The Flemish public transportation company announced this in a letter to the schools. In the letter, De Lijn states that the Flemish government […]

Social partners want simplification of the mobility budget in Belgium

May 01, 2026

The ‘mobility budget’ system must be simplified before it becomes mandatory. That is what the social partners think. “Today, it is still far too complex,” they say.  The mobility budget is a system that allows employees to exchange their company car for a budget they can spend on various ‘greener’ mobility solutions, such as a smaller […]

VAB Bike of the Year 2026: leasing fuels Belgium’s e-bike surge

April 30, 2026

With the announcement of the winners of the 12th edition of the VAB Bike of the Year (BOTY), Belgium’s evolving mobility landscape comes sharply into focus. What began as a consumer-oriented comparison test has grown into a barometer of a market in transition—one where the bicycle, and especially the e-bike, is rapidly becoming a fully-fledged […]

Brake failure risk: Audi recalls nearly 100,000 e-tron and Q8 e-tron EVs

April 30, 2026

Nearly 100,000 units of the Audi e-tron and Q8 e-tron are being recalled worldwide over a potentially dangerous braking defect. The issue can render the conventional foot brake completely inoperative, leaving the electronic parking brake as the only fallback. The recall also applies in Belgium, where the model was manufactured. Audi has initiated a worldwide […]

Volkswagen’s ID. Polo officially launched, pricing starts at €24,990

April 30, 2026

Volkswagen is finally entering the compact EV segment with the ID. Polo, a name steeped in tradition. It is positioning the new model as an entry point into its electric lineup, priced just under €25,000. Next year, the even smaller ID. Up (name not confirmed yet) should become available at ± €20,000. The Polo first […]

Free bikes on Belgian trains? A popular idea facing hard realities

April 29, 2026

The Belgian Chamber’s Mobility Committee has unanimously approved a resolution by Vooruit to allow free bike use on trains. Whether this will ever actually happen, however, remains to be seen. A resolution is not legally binding. For the resolution to take effect, the government would need to amend the management contract with NMBS/SNCB. In an […]

Freelander is reborn as an electric 4×4 built in China (update)

April 29, 2026

Once upon a time, the Land Rover Freelander was the best-selling four-wheel-drive vehicle in Europe. It held that title for five consecutive years. Now, nearly three decades after its 1997 debut, the name returns, reborn as an independent electric brand built in China but coming to Europe. Together with Chery Jaguar Land Rover and Chinese […]

12 Million passengers for Liège tram, but 17% ride without paying

April 28, 2026

After one year of tram service in Liège, operator LETEC. can report positive figures. This is evident from the official final balance sheet, which La Dernière Heure, RTBF, and others reviewed. A total of 12 million riders used the tram, or about 1 million per month. The satisfaction rate stood at 77% in the fall […]

Much-discussed Ventilus project gets environmental permit

April 28, 2026

Flemish Minister of the Environment, Jo Brouns (CD&V), has granted grid operator Elia an environmental permit for the long-awaited Ventilus project, he announced on Monday. The wind energy sector and environmental organizations are relieved; action groups and companies along the route are disappointed. “Minister Brouns is completely disregarding 3,000 objections,” opponents say. New high-voltage line Ventilus […]

Alcohol and drugs remain a persistent problem for De Lijn drivers

April 28, 2026

Last year, 68 drivers at the Flemish public transportation company De Lijn were caught using alcohol or drugs. This marks another increase compared to previous years, when 62 and 57 drivers were caught during preventive checks, respectively. According to Flemish Member of Parliament and CD&V faction leader Peter Van Rompuy, who requested the figures, the […]

Uproar over De Lijn cost cuts

April 27, 2026

It has long been known that the Flemish public transportation company De Lijn is in cost-cutting mode – the Flemish government imposed a 44 million-euro cost-cutting measure on De Lijn, specifically on the 15 transportation regions. De Lijn has now announced that on July 1 it will implement changes to approximately one in three lines […]

Windrose’s electric truck just leveled with its diesel rivals

April 24, 2026

As oil prices push fleet operators to despair, Windrose has slashed the price of its long-haul electric truck from €250,000 to €198,000. This basically puts it in the range of classic diesel trucks. Clearly, Chinese manufacturers are trying to disrupt the transportation industry, just as they did in the passenger car category. Is it schadenfreude […]

Bolt is rolling out 1,200 new e-scooters with built-in screens and navigation in Brussels

April 23, 2026

The Estonian multinational mobility company Bolt is introducing 1,200 new e-scooters in Brussels. The Bolt 7 features a built-in screen with navigation guidance, and three AI applications will also help address inappropriate riding behavior. Eventually, the entire Bolt fleet of 4,000 shared e-scooters in Brussels will be replace. “We’re not just renewing our fleet; we’re […]

NMBS/SNCB launches boarding zones on platforms

April 22, 2026

The Belgian national railway company NMBS/SNCB is introducing new boarding zones on platforms to make boarding easier for passengers. The boarding zones have been launched at the stations in Halle, Brussels Airport-Zaventem, and Brussels Central. However, the plan is to expand the initiative to other stations soon. Using the NMBS/SNCB app, passengers can also see […]

Belgium introduces safety label for e-scooters

April 21, 2026

Belgium has finalized an action plan to remove dangerous e-scooters from the market more quickly and prevent them from entering the market in the first place. As part of this effort, 75,000 euros will be allocated this year for technical testing, and a safety label for e-scooters will be introduced in January. With this action […]

CAE pilot training center in Brussels faces closure

April 21, 2026

Canadian aviation training provider CAE plans to close its training center at Brussels Airport by the end of this year. This is reported by the business newspaper De Tijd. Due to declining demand, outdated simulators, and structural losses, 22 of the 27 jobs are at risk. CAE Brussels is the direct successor to the historic […]

Belgium’s car market: private buyers are back

April 17, 2026

Mobia’s analysis of the first quarter of car registrations in Belgium points to a structural shift that goes beyond monthly fluctuations: the private buyer – and Tesla – has found its way back to the car market. Electric cars are slowly gaining traction in the second-hand market, but an oil price spike effect has not […]

Commission gives green light for Ventilus high-voltage line

April 17, 2026

The Regional Environmental Permit Commission (Gewestelijke OmgevingsVergunningsCommissie, GOVC) has issued favorable opinions – although conditional – for the permits for the Ventilus high-voltage line. It is the final step before the decision by Flemish Environment Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V). Ventilus is the high-voltage line that Elia, Belgium’s high-voltage grid operator, plans to lay through West Flanders […]

‘Three out of four Walloon drivers occasionally flout parking rules’

April 16, 2026

Nearly three out of four Walloon drivers (72%) admit that they sometimes park their vehicles in a way that causes an obstruction. This is according to a study by the Walloon Road Safety Agency (AWSR). The most common situations involve parking too close to a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, or double-parking. The AWSR points out […]

De Lijn celebrates its 1,000th e-bus

April 16, 2026

The 1,000th electric bus is entering service in Flanders’ public transport system. “A milestone in the transition to greener transport,” is how it’s described. Of those 1,000 e-buses, more than 700 are operated by private bus companies contracted by De Lijn. De Lijn itself currently has nearly 300 e-buses on the road. However, the public […]

Traxio: ‘Motorcycle sector records its best season start since 2021’

April 16, 2026

The Belgian market for new motorcycles concludes the first quarter with distinctly positive momentum. With 6,990 registrations compared to 5,694 in 2025 (+22.8%), the sector records its best start to the season since 2021. In March 2026 alone, 3,169 motorcycles were registered. That is +10.2% compared to March 2025 and +5.5% above the average for […]

VW makes ID.3 Neo official: up to 630 km of range

April 16, 2026

Volkswagen has officially pulled the wraps off the ID.3 Neo at a world premiere in Hamburg, with pre-sales already kicking off across most European markets. The model – which we reported on in March when the name first surfaced – turns out to be considerably more than a mid-cycle refresh. It’s a fundamentally updated car, […]

Private lease rises in Belgium, but ownership myth remains (Renta)

April 16, 2026

Private lease is gaining traction in Belgium, but from a very low base. According to figures published by Renta, the Belgian federation of vehicle rental and leasing companies, the number of private lease contracts reached 16,074 vehicles by the end of March 2026, up 22% year-on-year from 13,201 a year earlier. While the growth is […]

Port of Antwerp-Bruges CEO Jacques Vandermeiren steps down

April 15, 2026

Jacques Vandermeiren (63), the CEO of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges, is stepping down after nearly ten years of service. He had been CEO since 2017 and would normally have remained in office until the end of 2029. The Dutchman Rob Smeets, currently COO, will temporarily take over the leadership. Next week, the port authority will start negotiations […]

Phew! Zaventem’s Tesla police car hits the road after six years

April 15, 2026

Anyone driving around Zaventem or Brussels Airport these days had better watch out, because from now on, you might spot the now-infamous Tesla police car from the local police zone appearing in your rearview mirror. Or how, after more than six years of inactivity, the car can finally be put into service – a textbook […]

Oil price spike fuels rush on used EVs, with Belgium as bellwether

April 15, 2026

Rising fuel prices linked to tensions around Iran are beginning to ripple through Europe’s car market, and Belgium offers one of the clearest early signals. New data show that second-hand electric vehicles are gaining traction at an accelerating pace, even as the broader used-car market remains under pressure. In March, registrations of fully electric used […]

Brussels Airport Ombudsman Philippe Touwaide fired

April 14, 2026

What had been in the works for a while has now become official: Brussels Airport Ombudsman Philippe Touwaide has been fired. Touwaide had come under fire for his lack of neutrality and his personal conduct toward the airport’s top management. The dismissal comes as no surprise. The Federal Public Service Mobility has recommended Touwaide’s dismissal […]

800V and 925 km range: Mercedes EQS reclaims EV-range crown

April 14, 2026

When Mercedes launched the EQS in 2021, the message was simple: going electric didn’t have to mean giving anything up. The panoramic Hyperscreen, the slippery Cd 0.20 body, and the class-leading range all made for a compelling package. But the EV landscape moves at blistering speed. So Mercedes responds with a ground-up technical overhaul that […]

More than one in three Belgians regularly exceed speed limits

April 14, 2026

According to a recent survey among 5,000 Belgian drivers by the Traffic Safety Institute Vias, more than one in three drivers admit they often drive too fast. Speeding is clearly no marginal behavior in Belgium, it’s mainstream, and seen as relatively socially acceptable. One in four respondents (26%) exceed the speed limit several times a […]

BMW turns Spa-Francorchamps into classroom to tackle technician shortage

April 13, 2026

At the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, better known for Formula 1 than for classrooms, BMW Group Belux is launching an unusual response to one of the automotive sector’s most pressing challenges: the growing shortage of skilled technicians. In partnership with Le Forem, Wallonia’s public employment agency, and Technifutur, a specialized technical training center near Liège, […]

Engie to install 3,300 additional charging points in Wallonia

April 13, 2026

Electric Mobility Infrastructure, a subsidiary of the French company Engie, has won the contract to install 1,650 charging stations in Walloon municipalities. Since each charging station has two charging points, this totals 3,300 charging points, representing an increase of nearly 44% over the current charging infrastructure in the southern part of the country. Catch-up effort […]

Overshoot Day: ‘Belgians live as if we have 3.6 Earths’

April 13, 2026

On Sunday, Belgium reached its Overshoot Day. This means that if all countries in the world followed the Belgian consumption pattern, all the natural resources the planet could supply in one year would already be used up. We would then need 3.6 Earths. Every year, Global Footprint Network calculates Earth Overshoot Day: the date on which humanity […]

How drunk cycling can cost you your driver’s license

April 10, 2026

In 2024, the police fined about 460 drunk cyclists. Various newspapers reported this in recent days. And even more striking: about 270 times, this also led to the revocation of the driver’s license. In that case, the cyclist not only received a hefty fine but also had to leave his car or motorcycle parked for a […]

Cupra Raval launched: the most sporty compact BEV in the VW Group

April 10, 2026

At the Volkswagen Group, four electric compact cars are ready for launch. The Cupra Raval, the first production model of an upcoming compact electric car family, is now in the spotlight. It will be joined by the ID. Polo and ID. Cross, and by the Skoda Epiq. The Raval is the sporty-looking option of the […]

People on rail tracks cause 4.5 hours of delays per day in Belgium

April 10, 2026

Last year, there were 583 reports of people walking on or along the railway tracks in Belgium. According to the rail infrastructure manager Infrabel, these individuals were responsible for 4.5 hours of delays per day. Track intruders cause significant delays, particularly during the evening rush hour and on the busy north-south line in Brussels. Infrabel […]

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