August 11, 2025
As part of its 2024 joint venture with BAIC, Beijing Hyundai will launch the EO in September, its first EV developed specifically for China. The production model of the electric SUV, formerly known as the Elexio, will be called the EO and is scheduled to hit the Chinese market in September 2025. Beijing Hyundai reportedly […]
August 07, 2025
Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng has set a new internal sales record with the launch of its new-generation P7 saloon, drawing more than 10,000 pre-orders just 6 minutes and 37 seconds after bookings opened. The response marks the fastest uptake for any Xpeng model to date. It highlights Xpeng as a new force to be […]
August 06, 2025
Polestar’s presence in China, once considered a crucial pillar of its global electric vehicle ambitions, is rapidly eroding. The Swedish-Chinese brand has seen its retail footprint in the country shrink to a single store in Shanghai, while online sales have been suspended and test drives are only available by phone appointment. For many observers, this […]
July 29, 2025
Global sales of electric cars are picking up speed again, driven by strong growth in China and renewed momentum in Europe, according to a new analysis by consulting firm PwC. In the first half of the year, more than 5.9 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were registered worldwide, a 37% increase compared to the same […]
July 22, 2025
The all-new MG4, the Chinese brand’s new budget electric hatchback, will debut a new type of battery technology that bridges the gap between current technology and the highly anticipated solid-state batteries. However, the numbers of the MG4’s ‘semi-solid’ state batteries aren’t as impressive as you might think. MG promised last year that it would debut […]
July 15, 2025
According to Chinese media, BMW has signed a deal with leading Chinese autonomous-driving technology company Momenta for its Neue Klasse smart driving systems (ADAS). Momenta will provide localized L2/L3 smart driving software, including city and highway navigation systems trained on Chinese roads with specific infrastructure. It’s not uncommon for a Western carmaker to work with a […]
July 14, 2025
Volkswagen and SAIC close their joint plant in Nanjing, China. Production has already come to a standstill. In Nanjing, the partners had mainly built combustion models such as the VW Passat and Skoda Superb. Production is now moving to a nearby plant. There had already been rumors last year about the closure of the plant […]
July 14, 2025
MG has started producing the second-generation MG4 electric hatchback in SAIC’s Nanjing factory. The new MG4 falls in line with the design of the Cyberster and is a collaboration with tech expert Oppo, which supplies the in-car infotainment system. The MG4 will launch in China in August and will likely come to European shores as […]
July 10, 2025
Chinese top EV maker BYD has announced that its cars, equipped with God’s Eye ADAS systems, will be able to park themselves completely autonomously without the need for a driver. BYD is so confident that it says it will pay for any damages the car may cause, including hitting other vehicles. On the Chinese Weibo […]
July 03, 2025
Polestar is staking its European future on a new production strategy that focuses on local manufacturing for regional markets. The Swedish electric performance brand, owned by China’s Geely, confirmed this week that its upcoming Polestar 7 will roll off the lines at Volvo Cars’ under-construction factory in Košice, Slovakia. The 7 marks the premium brand’s […]
July 03, 2025
The American research organization BloombergNEF (BNEF), widely regarded as an authority in global analyses across various domains, including electric mobility and clean energy, expects EV sales to surge this year like never before, with a 25% increase to 22 million vehicles. Nearly two-thirds of those 22 million will be sold in China, 17% in Europe—a […]
July 02, 2025
The French-speaking liberal party MR wants to relaunch mining in Belgium. They advocate rebuilding a full value chain, from mine to recycling. After all, the energy transition is driving up demand for metals, and Europe needs to reduce its dependence on China in particular, according to the party’s study center. “If we have an idea […]
June 30, 2025
Leapmotor has launched its latest model in China: the B01 electric saloon. The 4.77-meter-long EV has a CLTC range of up to 650 km, is available with LiDAR-assisted semi-autonomous driving technology, and can be purchased in China for 105,800 RMB, or just under €12,600. Leapmotor is one of the more successful Chinese new-energy vehicle (NEV) […]
June 27, 2025
It was announced as China’s latest Tesla Y-killer, and it lives up to the expectations, creating a virtual ‘stampede’ within minutes of its official launch on Thursday. Xiaomi claims to have received over 200,000 confirmed orders in three minutes for its newest YU7 electric SUV, a vehicle that resembles a Ferrari Purosangue and nearly outperforms […]
June 26, 2025
The financial analysis platform TradingPedia analyzed global sales of electrified vehicles worldwide in 2024 by examining new car registration data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). The fact that China is by far the leading country in EV sales is confirmed here. According to TradingPedia research, China led […]
June 25, 2025
BYD is leveling up the game for electric buses once again. After presenting the B12 at Busworld Europe 2023 in Brussels, the first model with a Blade Battery integrated into the chassis, the Chinese manufacturer has now unveiled the B13.b at the UITP Summit in Hamburg. This low-entry 13-meter electric intercity bus surpasses the B12 […]
June 25, 2025
Firefly, Chinese premium EV maker NIO’s sub-brand, launches its own ‘BaaS’ offer in China, allowing customers to buy an EV and rent the battery instead of purchasing it. This ‘Battery-as-a-Service’, already offered by NIO and its other brand, Onvo, reduces the initial purchase price by more than 30%. The starting price of its – for […]
June 24, 2025
Since Monday, June 23rd, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn has officially put its first electric buses, manufactured by the Chinese company BYD, into service. These are the first of 92 e-buses ordered. At Jacob Autocars, which is part of Hansea, one of the largest private bus companies in Belgium that also provides transport […]
June 23, 2025
The Voyah Courage, a “premium” electric SUV built by Chinese conglomerate Dongfeng Motor, is coming to Belgium this summer. The brand is distributed by the Ghistelinck group, with one dealership currently located near Ghent. And while the specs seem decent, we still don’t know the price. Voyah is part of Dongfeng Motor’s plan to conquer […]
June 23, 2025
Chery Group—China’s largest vehicle exporter—announces a second model, alongside the Omoda 5 (ICE and EV), the flagship SUV, the Omoda 9 SHS. This one isn’t fully electric, but it is a plug-in hybrid with an electric range of 145 km, and it is offered for €52,900. The Omoda 9 is known in China as the […]
June 19, 2025
Having your car braking automatically in an emergency at 130 km per hour and coming to a complete standstill without hitting the obstacle. Some cars can do that today, and Xpeng shows how to do it with its newest G7 SUV equipped with a Turing AI chip, even at night. Xpeng shared a video on […]
June 18, 2025
A sulfide-based solid-state battery that promises a range of over 3,000 kilometers and can be charged in as little as five minutes? It’s hard to believe, given that we’ve been hearing for years that solid-state batteries are still a decade away, but when a giant like Huawei files a patent for it, there’s no smoke […]
June 13, 2025
After a year of dragging its feet on greening its fleet, the Flemish public transport company now seems to be reaching full cruising speed in terms of curbing its CO2. On top of the 230 new buses currently being delivered, De Lijn is ordering another 290 electric buses. This investment of 185 million euros aligns […]
June 13, 2025
Chinese carmaker Xpeng has launched its G7 SUV in China, anticipating future models, including a sleeker, sportier successor to the original P7 flagship sedan, in Q3 2025. With 4,892 mm in length, 1,925 mm in width, and 1,655 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,890 mm, it sits neatly in between the G6 and G9 […]
June 12, 2025
How do they do it? While one of the main complaints in Europe about electric cars is that it’s impossible to build a compact, fully electric vehicle that is affordable and profitable, the Chinese prove the opposite. Latest example: Chery’s QQ Domi compact city car was launched in China at a starting price of 59,900 […]
June 11, 2025
Toyota has officially launched its new all-electric bZ5 mid-size SUV in China, taking direct aim at Tesla’s Model Y — but at less than half the price. In a market where electric vehicle competition has become fierce, the Japanese automaker is relying heavily on local partnerships to bring affordable EVs to market. The bZ5 is […]
June 11, 2025
The Chinese Geely Holding does not intend to join the race for the best production sites in Europe and the US. Amid subsidy criteria and ongoing global tariff conflicts, localised production in Europe and the US has become an increasingly relevant topic for Chinese carmakers. Still, Geely doesn’t want to get involved in this. At […]
June 10, 2025
It appears that BYD is bringing another heavy cannon to bear in the ongoing price war with the new, fully electric Seal 06 sedan, boasting a 470 km (CLTC) range, launched in its homeland at a starting price of 109,800 yuan, or approximately 13,400 euros. The differences include a few centimeters in length, reduced power, […]
June 06, 2025
The West’s once-dominant car manufacturers are losing ground at an alarming rate to the new generation of fast-rising competitors from Asia, especially China. According to a study by the consulting firm EY, the profit gap is expected to continue growing. A new quarterly report by consultancy EY reveals a strong divide between Western and Asian […]
June 05, 2025
A large car carrier packed with thousands of vehicles, including several hundred electric and hybrid models, is drifting and still smouldering in the Pacific Ocean. A blaze broke out on board – an incident that once again puts the spotlight on the growing safety concerns around transporting electrified vehicles by sea. The Morning Midas, a […]
June 05, 2025
Global carmakers are facing a mounting crisis. China’s tightening grip on the export of rare earth materials begins to choke off essential supplies, which might lead to plant shutdowns and fuel fears of a broader disruption across the auto industry. The supply chain strain, rooted in the export controls imposed by Beijing, is the latest […]
June 04, 2025
Geely’s sub-premium brand Galaxy has unveiled its latest model: the A7 EM-i sedan. It’s a hybrid model, boasting a combined range of over 2,000 km and a very low fuel consumption even when the battery is empty. A launch date has not yet been announced, but the Geely Galaxy A7 is expected to offer a […]
June 04, 2025
Are Belgian EV drivers ready for battery swapping? Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer NIO is gearing up to make its debut in Belgium and Luxembourg this September, as part of a wider push across Europe. The move is part of a strategic partnership with Swedish dealer group Hedin Mobility, which will oversee distribution, retail, and aftersales […]
June 03, 2025
Wuyang Honda, the Chinese joint venture of the Japanese manufacturer’s motorcycle division, has launched its first full-size electric motorbike in China. It’s called the E-VO, and it features a cafe racer-inspired retro design, a range of up to 170 km, and a top speed of 120 kph. As is the case with the automotive industry, […]
June 03, 2025
Huawei has finally unveiled its luxury flagship sedan, the Maextro S800, developed in collaboration with automaker JAC. Positioned to compete with high-end brands like Mercedes-Maybach and Bentley, the S800 offers both fully electric and extended-range drivetrain options at a significantly lower price point. The Maextro name first surfaced in late 2024, when Huawei released teaser […]
June 02, 2025
The crumbling of Europe’s once-ambitious battery industry has prompted a strong warning from two of the continent’s most senior industrial leaders: forget going for it alone, partner with China, or risk falling further behind. The fall of battery maker Northvolt has left a vacuum in Europe, as it seeks to align itself with major Chinese […]
June 02, 2025
Omoda and Jaecoo have appointed Darren Tu as Managing Director for its Belux operations, after his successful tenure at the Spanish division, where the brands succeeded in outpacing legacy brands in the sales charts. The move appears to signal growth potential, as witnessed by holding company Chery. But how much momentum do these brands have […]
May 27, 2025
China’s biggest carmaker, BYD, has rolled out sweeping price cuts across its Dynasty and Ocean series electric vehicles in a move that underscores growing pressure in the world’s largest auto market. The discounts — as high as 34% — come amid ballooning dealer inventories and a cooling appetite among Chinese consumers, and have sent shockwaves […]
May 27, 2025
Chinese electric carmaker Nio has unveiled updated versions of its core models: the ET5 saloon, ET5 Touring estate, and EL6 SUV. The trio accounts for a large chunk of the firm’s global sales and has received over 500 upgrades ranging from styling tweaks to major technological enhancements, improving driver assistance. The updates are most noticeable […]
May 27, 2025
After halting production for a year and teetering on the brink of collapse, Chinese premium EV brand HiPhi is preparing a return. This time under new ownership. Lebanese EV startup EV Electra acquired a majority stake in the embattled automaker. The stage is set for a potential reboot of one of China’s most ambitious electric […]
May 26, 2025
China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has revealed the key specs for the BYD Sealion 06, a new mid-sized electric or hybrid SUV first unveiled in April at Auto Shanghai 2025. The Sealion 06 promises lots of space and a comfortable electric driving range for a relatively low price. BYD unveiled its expanded […]
May 26, 2025
Xpeng Motors has pulled the covers off the latest iteration of its flagship electric saloon, previewing a sleeker, sportier successor to the original P7. Internally codenamed E29 and now officially named the “P7 Ultra,” the car maker revealed its core specs ahead of an expected market debut in Q3 2025. Pricing is projected to start […]
May 26, 2025
With sales leveling off last year, Mazda Belgium remains on a steady course. The all-new, all-electric 6e is gaining traction and could reposition the brand in the fleet sector. But despite strong interest, the new model won’t drive up total sales, as key models are aging. Mazda Motor Corp. reported global sales of 1.3 million […]
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
Chinese carmaker BYD is making another push into the European electric vehicle market, this time at the more affordable end of the spectrum. Its new compact model, the Dolphin Surf, launched this week in several continental markets, including Belgium, arrives with a promise that could rattle established players: fully electric motoring for just under €22,000. […]
May 22, 2025
It’s no secret that the global car industry is undergoing a power shift, but the numbers suggest that the United States are more severely on the back foot than generally assumed. A new benchmark report by Chinese manufacturing network RapidDirect places the U.S. a distant fifth among the world’s top automotive producers—well behind China, Germany, […]
May 19, 2025
The Chinese holding company Geely posted a sharp rise in first-quarter profit. Record sales and cost controls helped the automaker tighten its grip on its fast-moving domestic market. But in the near future, the Chinese car group, which owns Volvo, Polestar, and others, will face mounting export pressures and, consequently, push for a corporate restructuring. […]
May 16, 2025
Planet Earth is heading for more than 1.5 degrees of global warming. A disturbing new calculation shows that the rate of warming is now twice as fast as it was at the end of the 20th century. The climate goal the world set itself ten years ago in Paris was to limit global warming to […]
May 16, 2025
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD will establish its European headquarters and a significant research and development hub in Budapest. The investment is part of a €248 million expansion into Hungary. It underlines the company’s growth ambitions and the Orban government’s close ties with Beijing. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and BYD’s chairman and chief executive, Wang […]
May 15, 2025
According to the latest report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), electric vehicle sales are on course to top 20 million globally in 2025, marking a significant milestone for the automotive sector. This figure translates to one in every four new cars sold this year being electric—a remarkable rise considering the lingering economic uncertainty and […]
May 14, 2025
Changan Mazda, the Japanese manufacturer’s Chinese joint venture, has signed a memorandum of cooperation with CATL (Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd.) to use the battery expert’s new CIIC (cell-to-chassis) skateboard platform. This will allow for high efficiency and a shorter development time for new electric cars. The skateboard chassis includes a base structure or a […]
May 13, 2025
Electrified cars have overtaken gasoline and diesel models in China’s vast passenger car market for the first time. In March, so-called new energy vehicles (NEVs), which include battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models, accounted for 51.1% of all retail car sales in the country. The milestone signals not just the rapid maturation of China’s electric vehicle […]
May 13, 2025
BYD’s latest all-electric saloon, the e7, has quietly begun arriving at dealerships across China after it was previously leaked. The e7 is expected to be priced very low, potentially starting at 70,000 yuan or under €10,000, making it one of the world’s most affordable full-sized EV sedans. The model offers a stripped-down but capable alternative […]
May 13, 2025
Chinese premier EV maker NIO has its flagship sedan, the ET9, certified for steer-by-wire (SWB), a first for Europe, after the regulator in its homeland did the same in December 2024. There is no longer a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the turning wheels. Still, NIO claims its system is fully redundant, making […]
May 12, 2025
MG has opened the order books for its newest electric SUV in Europe: the MGS5 EV. This succeeds the ZS EV, which kicked off the nameplate’s renaissance in Europe. The MGS5 EV is still an electric SUV, but boasts improvements in pretty much all areas without touching the affordable price tag. MG, the former British […]
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
Italian sports carmaker Ferrari is in roaring good health. Net revenues in the first three months of 2025 topped 1.79 billion, up 13.0% versus the prior year, and total shipments of 3,593 cars were 33 more than in the same period last year. Ferrari will announce six new models, which include the newly launched 296 […]
May 05, 2025
Lynk & Co, the Geely-Volvo-founded brand now operating under Zeekr, has officially launched its most ambitious product: the Lynk & Co 900. It’s a full-size plug-in hybrid SUV positioned to take on China’s fiercely competitive upper market. The 900, which was already unveiled at the beginning of the year, marks a bold step for the […]
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 […]
