T&E: ‘Trenitalia is EU’s best rail operator, Eurostar ends last’

December 09, 2024

Italian rail operator Trenitalia, Swiss operator SBB, and Czech carrier RegioJet top a new ranking of European railway companies. The study was conducted by the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), which advocates for more environmentally friendly transport. The Belgian railway company NMBS/SNThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a level that has […]

Brussels taxis get two year delay for going fully electric

December 09, 2024

The Brussels Parliament has adopted an ordinance proposal to postpone the taxi sector’s obligation to purchase zero-emission vehicles by two years until January 2027. Green parties denounced the fact that since June, there has been no majority in the Brussels Parliament except for specific files,This content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a […]

Belgium allows boss to pay lump sum for EV-charging at home

December 09, 2024

In Belgium, employers must reimburse their employees with an electric company car for the actual cost of EV charging at home. So far, determining this ‘real cost’ has proved daunting, as electricity prices are ‘blurry’ and vary between employees and among regions, and digital meters aren’t widespreaThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

Acquirer Air Belgium wants to keep only half of staff

December 06, 2024

The company that wants to take over the financially troubled airline Air Belgium is known. It is a consortium of two companies: Dutch company PESO Aviation Management and British company Air One Holding International. That consortium also wants to keep only 197 of Air Belgium’s 401 current employThis content has been archived. Log in or […]

Train only popular for half of the Belgians

December 06, 2024

Almost half of Belgians, 47%, never take the train, according to the survey ‘Accessibility of transport in Belgium 2024’ by the Federal Public Service Mobility. The same goes for the bus: 44% of Belgians never take the bus. Although more than eight in 10 respondents regularly use the car every weThis content has been archived. […]

Brussels EV and heat pump owners face sharply more expensive electricity

December 05, 2024

Brussels energy regulator Brugel has approved Sibelga’s new network tariffs for electricity and natural gas in 2025 and 2029. This will initially result in a higher bill for Brussels households of around 67 euros. At the same time, Brugel is also introducing a specific tariff for reinforcing elecThis content has been archived. Log in or […]

De Lijn offers end-of-year ‘all night ticket’ for €2.5

December 03, 2024

On New Year’s Eve, Flemish public transport company De Lijn is offering a 2,5 euros ticket that is valid all night. With the so-called party buses and trams, De Lijn aims to take travelers to their destinations in complete safety all night long. Some lines follow their familiar route, while otherThis content has been archived. […]

Brussels Airlines to start flying daily to Kinshasa

December 03, 2024

From March, Brussels Airlines will start flying direct to Kinshasa daily. Currently, there are five direct flights a week and two flights a week with a stopover in Luanda (Angola). By broadening its offer to the Congolese capital, Brussels Airlines confirms its reputation as the Lufthansa Group’sThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

Brussels Airport tests another self-driving shuttle on tarmac

December 02, 2024

Brussels Airport has started another pilot project with a self-driving shuttle bus. The van will transport employees on the airport’s tarmac for three months. The pilot project is part of the European Commission’s Stargate program, which aims to make aviation more sustainable. The shuttle itself This content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to […]

Nissan eyes affordable bi-directional charging in EU by 2026

December 02, 2024

Nissan has announced plans to launch affordable vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology on select electric vehicles in Europe starting in 2026. Developed in collaboration with Belgian technology firm Enovates, the carmaker promises a price not higher than current charging systems. The rollout will commencThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a level that has […]

‘Belgium’s road network quality at a new low, behind Uzbekistan’

November 29, 2024

Belgium has a bad reputation regarding the quality of its road network, but now the country seems to have reached a new low. According to a recent study by the World Economic Forum, Belgium ranks 61st for road quality out of 119 countries surveyed. That is even lower than countries such as UzbekistaThis content has […]

Curtain falls on Air Belgium: no more passenger flights

November 29, 2024

What was first feared is now confirmed: the only take-over bid for Air Belgium only concerns the cargo operations. In other words, passenger operations will disappear. The ailing airline will know on December 5th whether the sale proposal receives court approval. But it looks like an end to Air BelgThis content has been archived. Log […]

Honda to throw lifebuoy as Nissan struggles for survival?

November 29, 2024

Nissan is navigating turbulent waters as it faces a strong revenue drop and has switched to ‘emergency mode,’ according to its boss, Makoto Uchida. The Japanese car maker seeks a critical anchor investor to ensure its survival and readies for 2025, a “make-or-break” year. Honda is rumored tThis content has been archived. Log in or […]

Safran inaugurates ‘aviation test center of the future’ in Herstal

November 28, 2024

French aerospace and defense company Safran has inaugurated BeCOVER, a new aviation test center of the future. The test center in Herstal, in the province of Liège, is the only one in Europe. The 3,000 m² will be used to test all types of compressors for new generations of civil and military aiThis content has […]

Brussels Airlines summer 2025: more destinations, flights, and jobs

November 27, 2024

Starting next summer, Funchal, on the Portuguese island of Madeira, will be added to the network of destinations to which Brussels Airlines flies. At the same time, the airline will also deploy more aircraft in the 2025 summer season, allowing it to increase capacity by 18%, which means higher frequThis content has been archived. Log […]

Elia postpones decision on Belgian energy island

November 27, 2024

High-voltage grid operator Elia is postponing the decision on the energy island in the North Sea. On Tuesday, NMN announced that after earlier postponements, Belgium had finally issued a tender for the first of three new giga wind farms in the Princess Elisabeth zone in the North Sea. However, tThis content has been archived. Log […]

Traffic disruption Brussels Leonard crossing beyond Spring 2025

November 26, 2024

Those who thought to see the light and the end of the tunnel in connection with the works on the Leonard crossing can abandon all hope for a short pain. The complete “facelift” of the Brussels ring tunnel (R0) has finally been postponed until next spring. In January, the Works Association (De WerThis content has […]

Belgian tender for North Sea wind farm finally started

November 26, 2024

After earlier postponements, Belgium has issued a tender for the first of three new giga wind farms in the Princess Elisabeth zone in the North Sea. The first new wind farm would be put into operation by the end of 2028 and produce at least 2.6 terawatt hours of electricity annually. A tender for twThis […]

Uber to start operating throughout the whole of Belgium

November 26, 2024

From December 1st, the American ride-hailing service Uber will also start offering its services throughout Wallonia, just as it already does in Flanders and Brussels. New regulations in Wallonia will make expansion possible. In February, Uber had already launched its UberTaxi service, a classic sThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a […]

DHL Express and Shell sign 1-year contract for SAF use at Brussels Airport

November 22, 2024

German parcel company DHL Express and energy company Shell have signed a one-year agreement for the use of 25,000 tons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at Brussels Airport. This will allow it to replace a third of the traditional kerosene in the planes departing from Brussels Airport with the mThis content has been archived. Log […]

Ypres hospital fully automates blood transport by drone

November 21, 2024

The Jan Yperman Hospital, located in a rather enclosed region in Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium, has deployed drones to transport blood samples automatically. The new drone system operates fully automatically and combines 5G technology with a high-tech drone cargo port (DCP)—a world first, it claimThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a […]

Only one candidate to resuscitate Air Belgium

November 21, 2024

These are tense times for Air Belgium. An investor has submitted a bid for the ailing Walloon airline. Judicial reorganization proceedings ended in late September, and potential investors had until November 15th to go forward. The court in Nivelles will consider the bid on December 5th. Who the iThis content has been archived. Log in […]

De Lijn orders 32 articulated e-buses from Iveco

November 20, 2024

Following orders for e-buses from VDL Bus & Coach, Van Hool, and Chinese BYD, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn has again ordered similar buses from Italian Iveco. The order involves 32 18-meter articulated e-buses. Earlier, De Lijn ordered 109 similar buses from Iveco. The first vThis content has been archived. Log in or […]

Brussels ombuds exhorts MIVB/STIB to tackle metro noise

November 20, 2024

The Brussels ombudsman office wants MIVB/STIB to curb noise pollution caused by defective wheels on M7 subway trains. The appeal comes after an investigation following a complaint from a resident of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert/Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe about noise pollution from the metro. According to OmbThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a level that has access […]

Belgian newspaper group Rossel joins Tesla-X boycott

November 20, 2024

Following the lead of individuals, several business leaders, and Hollywood celebs, Groupe Rossel, the Belgian media group behind the newspaper Le Soir and SudPresse, has announced it will no longer buy Tesla or use X because Elon Musk supports Trump. “It seems incompatible to us to implement ESG This content has been archived. Log in […]

Already 350,000 digital Brupass and Brupass XL tickets sold

November 18, 2024

Exactly one year after its launch, 350,000 digital Brupass, and Brupass XL tickets have already been sold to nearly 125,000 customers for public transport in the 19 Brussels municipalities and the Flemish periphery. These digital tickets allow travelers to use the public transport network of the This content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

Chery signs up fifth Omoda & Jaecoo dealer in Lier

November 18, 2024

Chinese Chery Automotive has signed up a fifth Belgian dealer for its Omoda and Jaecoo brands. The company will officially introduce them in Belgium at the revived Brussels Motor Show in January 2025 and start deliveries in the spring. Stellantis dealer Nova-Van Brempt Groep from Lier joins PagnoThis content has been archived. Log in or […]

De Lijn adjusts its offer while facing shortage of drivers and buses

November 18, 2024

The Flemish public transport company De Lijn is adjusting its offer as of January 6th. Due to driver and equipment shortages, the offer will be reduced in several regions to guarantee a more reliable service. At the same time, changes are also planned in Leuven, Mechelen, the Flemish periphery arThis content has been archived. Log […]

Walloon Columbus carbon capture and utilization project put to a stop

November 14, 2024

Engie and lime producer Carmeuse are terminating the Columbus project, an industrial carbon capture and use (CCU) plant at Amercoeur near Charleroi, for “economic and regulatory reasons.” The project had a total investment cost of more than 300 million euros. 187,000 tons of CO2 With the ColumbThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

New plug-in hybrid Audi A3 also available in crossover trim

November 14, 2024

Audi is enhancing its A3 offering with the introduction of the earlier announced new plug-in hybrid models, the 40 TFSI e and 45 TFSI e. These models boast more power and double the battery capacity over their predecessors. A3 enthusiasts can also look forward to the 40 TFSI e in the rugged AllstreeThis content has […]

Eurostar turns 30 with 380 million passengers and 30% discount

November 13, 2024

Eurostar celebrates its 30th anniversary on Thursday. On November 14, 1994, Eurostar’s high-speed trains carried passengers through the Channel Tunnel between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe for the first time. Eurostar has become a significant player in the European rail landscape in threThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a level […]

Audi Brussels’ hope for a miracle buried once and for all (update)

November 13, 2024

The curtain has definitely fallen on Audi Brussels. The hope for a miracle in finding a take-over candidate is dead and buried, with the last one pulling out. The official date of the death certificate remains February 28th, 2025, when the last Audi Q8 e-tron will be made. Audi Brussels’ spokesThis content has been archived. […]

VRT Pano: ‘Alcohol and drugs related traffic deaths but hardly any controls’

November 12, 2024

According to Flemish public broadcaster VRT, more than 40% of traffic accidents that happen during weekend nights are linked to alcohol or drugs. Pano’s research also shows that it is precisely at these high-risk moments that far too few checks are carried out in Flanders. However, the most recenThis content has been archived. Log in […]

Chinese EV-brands Voyah, Dongfeng, and Mhero drive into Belgium

November 12, 2024

Belgium welcomes the arrival of three new Chinese electric car brands in the same automotive group. After their debut in the Netherlands, Voyah, Dongfeng, and Mhero are officially available today through the Ghistelinck group network. The first brand store has opened in Eke, Ghent. When the DongfenThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

Fastned to deploy 11 fast-charging stations in Luxembourg province

November 12, 2024

Dutch fast-charging chain Fastned will deploy eleven fast-charging stations in the Belgian province of Luxembourg in the next twelve to eighteen months. Fastned won a tender from the inter-municipal group Idelux, which – under tourism pressure – wants to address the ‘EV-charging desert landscapeThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a level […]

Johan Portier (Renta): ‘second-hand market needs urgent support’

November 08, 2024

At their annual press conference, the Belgian Association of Vehicle Rental Companies Renta urgently appealed for help. Renta Chairman and Ayvens CEO Johan Portier made it clear that the second-hand market needs structural support, now. “The Belgian market is now like an island in Europe. With itThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

Umicore slashes 260 jobs in its battery materials division

November 07, 2024

Belgian multinational Umicore, a company specializing in materials technology for electric car batteries, is cutting about 260 jobs worldwide. Some 100 jobs are disappearing in Belgium, including 71 in Olen and the rest in Brussels. The construction of a new plant for battery materials in Canada This content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

Will Belgium charge up for Alpine’s new hot hatch A290?

November 07, 2024

Alpine has officially launched the A290, an electric hot hatch that ventures into more practical territory. In many respects, this car can be regarded as the modern successor to the famous Renault R5 Turbo. It is also in an emission-free guise, which is a first for the brand. Alpine unveiled its This content has been […]

Bolt rolls out ‘premium’ green Tesla ride-hailing fleet in Brussels

November 07, 2024

Mobility platform Bolt has launched a ‘premium’ ride-hailing fleet in the Brussels Capital Region, totaling some 30 bright green Tesla cars. With this initiative, part of a large-scale European initiative, Bolt hopes to support fleet owners in shifting to EVs. “We are excited to introduce more elThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

Belgium’s iconic Atomium gets airborne on Brussels Airlines plane

November 06, 2024

Brussels Airlines has chosen the Atomium as the new design for painting one of its aircraft. The Atomium design was chosen from the five most popular designs out of more than 900 entries. The winner of the design competition is Thomas Faes, a Belgian architect. “The Atomium has been luring visitoThis content has been archived. […]

BYD surpasses Tesla in quarterly revenue but not (yet?) in EV sales

October 31, 2024

For the first time, Chinese automaker BYD has surpassed Tesla in quarterly revenue. The leap is driven by strong domestic sales, helped by government incentives, and BYD’s relentless focus on expanding its international footprint. In China, where over half of vehicle sales now consist of electric orThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

Wallonia wants to scrap dirt-cheap TEC fares for young people

October 30, 2024

The new Walloon Minister of Mobility, François Desquesnes (Les Engagés), wants to rebalance the prices of the public transport company TEC between different age groups. Currently, 18- to 24-year-olds pay only 12 euros a year for a season ticket, or one euro a month, while 12-17-year-olds pay muThis content has been archived. Log in or […]

Job students as steward(ess) on Brussels Airlines flights

October 30, 2024

From the summer of 2025, Brussel Airlines will employ job students on its flights. This will be a first for the airline. The students will receive the same training and pay as other cabin crew. Brussels Airlines wants to start with up to 60 job students, who will come in addition to the normal teThis […]

MobilityPlus raises €40 million for expansion in Belgium and France

October 29, 2024

MobilityPlus, a Ghent-based Belgian company that specializes in intelligent, integrated charging stations for businesses and fleets, has raised an additional 40 million euros in capital. The new investors include Suma Capital, while Concentra, the holding company of the Limburg Baert family that This content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a level that […]

Antwerp Oosterweel costs soar to €10,1 billion

October 29, 2024

The cost of the Oosterweel works, the mobility and livability project around Antwerp that will, among other things, close the car traffic connection along the north side of the ring road, has risen to 10.1 billion euros. The new bill is more than 3 billion euros higher than estimated two years agThis content has been […]

De Lijn tests anti-slip safety layer on Ghent’s streetcar tracks

October 28, 2024

In Ghent, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn is testing an anti-slip coating on metal covers and switch rails to make streetcar tracks safer for cyclists. Several media outlets, including the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, are reporting this. De Lijn will now continue monitoring and evaluating This content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

Vias: ‘Transition to wintertime is dangerous for pedestrians’

October 25, 2024

This weekend, we will switch to wintertime again. This means that from Saturday, October 26th, to Sunday, October 27th, 2024, we will switch from summer to wintertime. In concrete terms, this means turning the clock back one hour and getting one hour of extra sleep. This also means it will get daThis content has been […]

One-fifth fewer accidents between cyclists and MIVB/STIB vehicles

October 25, 2024

The number of accidents between vehicles of the Brussels public transport company MIVB/STIB and two-wheelers decreased by 20% in 2023. MIVB/STIB describes this as “an encouraging result” and is launching a new awareness campaign. The cheering message comes at a rather unfortunate time. Yesterday This content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a […]

Electra to open first of 20 fast-charging stations at Burger King

October 22, 2024

Over the coming two years, Electra, a European expert in fast-charging stations, plans to open and operate at least 20 fast-charging stations at existing and future branches of the fast-food chain Burge King. The collaboration starts today with the opening of the first fast-charging station at BurgeThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

The fate of Audi Brussels hasn’t been decided yet

October 21, 2024

Specialized news magazine Automotive News communicated this week that the fate of the Audi factory in Brussels was sealed. The factory will be closed, and all 3,000 employees will be laid off. Maybe the spectacular message comes a bit too early. A recent statement by Audi COO Gerd Walker has fueled This content has been […]

Brussels Airport among world’s 67 best in CO2 reduction

October 20, 2024

Brussels Airport is among the 67 most efficient airports in the world in terms of CO2 emissions. It has achieved Lever 4+, the penultimate level of Airport Council International’s Airport Carbon Accreditation program (ACA). A total of 592 airports worldwide participate in the ACA program that comThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe […]

Poppy withdraws shared cars from Liège due to vandalism

October 18, 2024

Poppy, a provider of shared and rental cars, is pulling out of Liège due to too many incidents with the shared cars, according to its marketing director, Pierre de Schaetzen. Poppy, a subsidiary of the Brussels holding company D’Ieteren, has been operating in Liège since early February 2023, thThis content has been archived. Log in […]

Faster train Brussels-Amsterdam gets also criticism

October 18, 2024

Since yesterday, ticket sales have started for the faster trains that will run between Brussels and Amsterdam from mid-December. From Brussels to Amsterdam, a ticket for the new Eurocity Direct costs between 25 and 64,1 euros, and to Rotterdam on the Eurocity, it costs between 13,1 and 32,7 euros. This content has been archived. Log […]

De Lijn to deploy six compact electric buses in Mechelen

October 11, 2024

The Flemish public transport company De Lijn will introduce six new emission-free minibusses to the Mechelen city network after the autumn vacations. These busses are more compact and run entirely electrically. The new buses, costing 350,000 euros each, have been ordered from Chinese manufacturerThis content has been archived. Log in or Subscribe to a level […]

One-millionth Volvo XC40/EX40 rolls of the line in Ghent

October 10, 2024

In seven years, Volvo Cars’ factory in Ghent, Belgium, has produced one million XC40s (and derivatives). The car was Volvo’s first compact premium SUV and also became the first EV for the Swedes with a fully electric version. In 2025, it will be joined by Volvo’s latest small EV to date, the EX30, wThis content […]

Lack of punctuality costs NMBS/SNCB a plus €400,000 fine

October 10, 2024

Belgian public railroad company NMBS/SNCB must pay the state a fine of 416,666 euros. In 2023, NMBS/SNCB was insufficiently punctual, canceled too many trains, and experienced too many minutes of delays. The fine results from an alarming report that is part of the public service contract between This content has been archived. Log in or […]

After LEZ also mandatory electrification of cab fleet on hold in Brussels?

October 08, 2024

The business newspaper L’Echo writes that there is a good chance that the measure requiring all new cabs in Brussels to be emission-free by January 1st, 2025, will be postponed for a year. The main reason would be that there are not enough charging stations in the Brussels Region, while the high This content has […]

Arriva orders 150 VDL e-buses to be partly built in Roeselare

October 08, 2024

Dutch transport company Arriva has ordered 157 new electric buses from VDL. Some buses will be built in the VDL factory in Roeselare, West Flanders. The 157 new-generation Citea buses are destined for the West Brabant region of the Netherlands. Financial details about the order are unknown, but tThis content has been archived. Log in […]

Against prevalent perception, Belgian EV sales still soar

October 07, 2024

Are EV sales slowing down to near a standstill? Not in Belgium. Despite prevalent perception, EV sales are still soaring, with 96.233 new registrations in the first nine months of 2024, more than in the whole of 2023 (93,180). The same goes for second-hand EVs, 16,004 (January – September 2024) compThis content has been archived. […]