January 12, 2024
Since September last year, Wolfgang Bremm von Kleinsorgen (52) has been CEO of Mercedes-Benz Benelux. He took the alternative Mercedes motor show event ‘Defining Class Star Days’ in his own headquarters as an opportunity to talk to the outside world for the first time. The new CEO originates from Aachen, Germany, and knows Belgium fairly […]
January 11, 2024
The students of the Belgian Solar Team, who became world champion in October 2023, are preparing for the SASOL Solar Challenge in South Africa, which will start within eight months. This competition is considered the most extreme in the world. The engineering students from KU Leuven will travel more than 4 000 kilometers over eight […]
January 10, 2024
The BMW Group sold a total of 376 183 all-electric vehicles in 2023. That is 74,4% more than in 2022, with the BMW core brand achieving even stronger growth thanks to several new models, while Mini only saw a slight increase. In 2022, the BMW Group sold 215 755 fully electric vehicles of the BMW […]
January 09, 2024
Germany has been given the green light by the European Commission to allocate 902 million euros in subsidies to a battery plant by Sweden’s Northvolt in Heide, in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The plant in northern Germany, positioned to produce the cleanest batteries for EVs in continental Europe with a capacity of up to 60 […]
January 09, 2024
Toyota Belgium, one of the market leaders in the segment of individual buyers with its Yaris model, ordered a survey showing great uncertainty reigning in this market segment about when and what to buy. Toyota Belgium asked marketing research specialist Ipsos to investigate the buying intentions of individual car buyers. 1 000 respondents (only potential […]
January 09, 2024
CO2 emissions from Germany, Europe’s leading industrial nation and the largest energy consumer in Europe, have reached their lowest level in around 70 years, thanks to a stronger-than-expected decline in the use of coal. Greenhouse gas emissions reached 673 million tons of CO2 last year, “the lowest level since the 1950s” and significantly down from […]
January 08, 2024
According to market research ordered by Mobia, the Belgian car buyer will be more impacted by a premium to buy an electric car than by the eventual expansion of LEZ zones. Mobia, the overarching association of car sector federations Febiac (new car market), Traxio (second-hand car market), and Renta (car leasing and renting), has done […]
January 08, 2024
Volvo Cars set a new global sales record as the company reported full-year sales of 708 716 cars during 2023, an increase of 15% compared to the entire year of 2022. Volvo Cars will also get a €420 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to develop a new electric car platform. Volvo Cars […]
January 05, 2024
NanoFlowcell, a Swiss flow cell battery research company founded by Nunzio La Vecchia, promises 2 000 km of all-electric range for passenger vehicles thanks to flow batteries with an exceptionally high energy density. But a finished product still hasn’t come out, even after nearly ten years… NanoFlowcell was founded in 1996 and claims to have […]
January 05, 2024
The California based EV car manufacturer Fisker Inc. today announced that the company is developing an innovative Dealer Partnership model in North America. In Europe, Fisker intends to pursue a hybrid of direct sales and dealer arrangements. “As we saw throughout 2023, the EV market has changed dramatically, said Chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker. “As […]
January 05, 2024
Last year, 2,84 million cars were sold in Germany, or 7,3% more than in 2022. Electrified vehicles, however, struggle to find buyers, primarily due to the disappearance of practically all incentives for buying them. 979 000 of the cars sold were simply gasoline engine powered, and that’s a 13% growth, while the pure electric cars […]
January 04, 2024
Volkswagen is betting on American solid-state pioneer QuantumScape in the race for the ‘Holy Grail’ of EV batteries, and its European PowerCo daughter just proved their claim that batteries can last for over 500 000 kilometers without substantial degradation. QuantumScape delivered the first samples of its latest solid-state cells to several partners for in-depth testing […]
January 03, 2024
Under Joe Biden, the US has become the world’s largest oil producer and is producing more oil than any country ever has. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), US oil production has even increased by 21% over the past five years, and it settled in December a new annual production record with […]
January 03, 2024
In Belgium, 2023 was a good year for wind and solar energy production, accounting for 27,6% of the total of 30,1% of renewable energies with sources such as biomass and waste included. At the same time, production from nuclear (31,29%) and gas power plants (19,8%) fell significantly. That’s clear from the latest statistics of the […]
January 03, 2024
The Chinese car manufacturer BYD (Build Your Dreams) has a very ambitious goal: to become the world’s biggest car manufacturer and overtake Toyota and other VWs by 2030. It is now the biggest producer of electrified cars in the world. BYD sold a record number of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in December, reaching its full-year […]
January 02, 2024
A new study by the British Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) comparing four popular electric cars available on the second-hand market today in the UK with their siblings with a combustion engine on petrol shows EVs to be four times cheaper in energy costs in 2023, despite soaring electricity prices last year. It presumes […]
January 02, 2024
Volvo Cars is working on an electric version of its luxury saloon, which will probably launch in 2025 as the ES90. According to media reports, the carmaker has already built the prototypes at its plant in Shanghai. Deliveries will kick off in mid-2025. According to information from the specialized site motor.es, the Volvo ES90 will […]
December 29, 2023
All airlines departing from Brussels Airport in 2024 can benefit from a one-off premium to use Sustainable Aviation Fuels or SAFs. The SAF premium will be up to 200 000 euros per airline. According to Brussels Airport, that will cover up to 80% of the additional cost. Due to the high price of SAF, that […]
December 29, 2023
Some EV experts and sector federation Traxio say there is an urgent need for a reliable battery test and the appropriate certificate to regulate upcoming sales of second-hand electric vehicles. Recent tests of battery packs in second-hand full-electric vehicles have shown that batteries still can be in good shape after years of use and can […]
December 28, 2023
JAC, China’s partly state-owned EV maker, controlled by Volkswagen, has launched the world’s first mass-produced electric car, equipped with a sodium-ion (Na+ ) battery pack, a promising cheaper alternative to today’s lithium-ion batteries. The advantage of Na-ion batteries is the natural abundance and lower cost of sodium compared to lithium. In addition, Na-ion batteries are […]
December 27, 2023
Toyota Motor Corp. said on Wednesday that its global output from January to November reached 9,23 million vehicles. That’s a new single-year record with still one month left in 2023. The result is also achieved thanks to robust demand in North America and Europe. The all-time high came as the automaker’s worldwide production for November […]
December 27, 2023
The Chinese car manufacturer BYD, the world’s number one in building and selling electrified cars, will build a car plant in Hungary as part of its plan to conquer Europe. “BYD is preparing to build its first car manufacturing plant in Szeged, Hungary, and is hereby making an important step towards green mobility in Europe,” […]
December 26, 2023
The British multinational Shell has introduced a new charging structure. The company will charge blocking fees for drivers who leave their EV at a public charging station for more than four hours, even if the battery is not yet fully charged. The measure only applies to Bluecorner, EV Box, and Road charging points for now, […]
December 22, 2023
From January 1st, car buyers in Belgium will pay an additional 10 euros environmental contribution when buying a new car or van. This contribution will pay for the future recycling of the vehicle, reports Febelauto, the Belgian management body for both end-of-life vehicles and batteries from hybrids and EVs. Febelauto has been managing the recycling […]
December 22, 2023
The Russian car manufacturer Avtotor has released the first pictures of a new electric prototype called Amber. It’s 100% made in Russia and has been developed in partnership with the Russian Polytechnic University of Moscow (MAMI). Since the start of the Ukrainian war, the Russian industry has been almost entirely on its own since all […]
December 21, 2023
BMW Belux will be celebrating its 50th anniversary of presence in Belgium and Luxembourg with the third consecutive number-one place in the market in 2023. At a press meeting, Belux CEO Alexander Wehr and his colleagues looked forward to consolidating this success. The fact that three premium brands are in the top five of car […]
December 19, 2023
William Li, founder, chairman, and CEO of Chinese premium EV brand NIO, has personally proven the capacities of the earlier announced semi-colid-state battery of 150 kWh in a real-life driving test. After some 12 hours of actual driving, the ET7 had 1 044 km on the odometer on a single charge, with 36 km left, […]
December 19, 2023
The German government announced a direct halt of the environmental bonus in 2024 after it had to compromise its budget for the coming years. First, it sounded like Germany would phase out EV incentives earlier than planned; now, it has been scrapped entirely as of last Sunday. “We will phase out the environmental bonus, i.e., […]
December 18, 2023
Chinese car manufacturer Maxus, daughter of the SAIC group, presents its first SUV in Belgium, a fully electric one. The eUniq6 is a 5-seater with ample cargo space (754 liters of boot volume). The SUV is driven on the front wheels by a 130 kW/177 hp electromotor, providing also 310 Nm of torque. The car […]
December 15, 2023
Belgian Shell NV, Carrefour Belgium, and real estate company Redevco will install approximately 1 000 charging stations in the supermarket chain’s car parks by the end of 2024. On Thursday, November 14th, the 100th charging point was officially inaugurated on the parking grounds of the Carrefour hypermarket in Korbeek-Lo. Between now and 2025, almost 500 […]
December 15, 2023
In April 2024 in Milan, Alfa Romeo will unveil its first ‘Sport Urban Vehicle’ in its history, which will also be available in a 100% electric version. It will be named Milano as a tribute to the city where it all began on June 24, 1910. With the Alfa Romeo Milano, the brand rejoins the […]
December 15, 2023
Swedish-Chinese Geely daughter Zeekr has presented a newly in-house developed 800 V lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery to be used in its new 007 sedan. This so-called ‘Golden Battery’ can be charged at up to 500 kW from 10-80% in merely 15 minutes. That provides the Zeekr 007 with an extra 500 km range. Zeekr claims it […]
December 15, 2023
Volkswagen is planning a second version of the upcoming, affordable ID.2 small EV. It will be a compact SUV version based on the same MEB platform and with the same drivetrain. Stepan Rehak, spokesperson for Design at VW Passenger Cars, posted the teaser image on social media. Rehak also confirmed it will arrive in 2026. […]
December 14, 2023
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) warns the European authorities of a Chinese dominance of the EV supply chain and the US government incentives for domestic automakers. According to ACEA, the EU electric vehicle industry risks losing ground even more without a robust EU industrial strategy. It risks putting the EU on the back pedal […]
December 14, 2023
Jaguar Land Rover has opened the waiting list for people who want to have one of the first fully electric Range Rovers, due in 2024. Meanwhile, the extensive testing phase for the prototypes has started, and JLR gives a glimpse of what we can expect. “With more patents anticipated to be filed for New Range […]
December 13, 2023
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) will also offer the successor to the T6.1 Transporter as a BEV. The sales launch is scheduled for 2024, and VWN does not want to present the exact technical data of the electric van until then. The entirely newly developed Transporter and its shuttle variant, Caravelle, will be available as a […]
December 13, 2023
Belgian battery manufacturer ABEE (Avesta Battery & Energy Engineering), with headquarters in Nivove, plans to invest 1,1 billion euros over the next five years in three sites in Bulgaria. Apart from a battery factory for producing a new generation of solid-phase lithium-ion batteries for the automotive industry, there will also be an R&D center to […]
December 13, 2023
Now that 2023 is ending, it’s already apparent that the best-selling EV worldwide is the Tesla Model Y, according to recent research by Clean Technica. Also very noticeable is the ubiquity of Chinese brands in the EV top 20, with BYD as an absolute shiner. Of course, we have only verified data for the first […]
December 13, 2023
The Belgian company EnergyVision will invest 15 million euros over the next twelve months in installing approximately 150 fast-charging stations in Belgium “with no price difference with slow-charging stations”. Until recently, EnergyVision had ten fast-charging stations in Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent. The new fast-charging stations will be installed on the sites of more than sixty […]
December 13, 2023
Citroën has presented the new edition of the ë-Berlingo in detail. The most important fact of the update is the switch to an LFP battery with a better net energy content of 50 kWh. At the premiere at the ‘Stellantis Commercial Vehicles Ambition Day’ in October, it was suggested that the key data of the […]
December 12, 2023
German carmaker Volkswagen announced that bi-directional charging is finally available with the ID. Software 3.5 version or higher to all new electric models with the 77 kWh battery (net). With the ‘Vehicle to Home’ (V2H) function, people can store excess solar power in the car’s battery or use it to power the home over several […]
December 12, 2023
More details about the fake manual transmission for electric cars developed by Toyota have emerged from a recently published patent application. Toyota’s alibi gearbox could have up to 14 simulated gears. In a recent article about Toyota’s financial forecasts and EV strategy, we mentioned the plans for a ‘manual transmission’ Toyota has been experimenting with […]
December 12, 2023
The German automotive supplier Bosch is considering significant job cuts in its powertrain division. Bosch is considering cutting up to 1 500 jobs in development, administration, and sales, said a spokeswoman on Monday. A report in the specialized German magazine Automobilwoche triggered the announcement. The shift of the automotive industry away from combustion engines and […]
December 11, 2023
According to the often well-informed German newspaper Handelsblatt, Volkswagen is considering collaborating with Renault to develop and produce the sub-20 000-euro car. Both companies declined to comment on these rumors from sources familiar with the matter. According to Handelsblatt, VW is talking to potential partners, but Renault is definitely one of them. At the moment, […]
December 08, 2023
The four-year-old German LaneCharge project on inductive charging, has presented the results of its practical tests of this ‘pioneering inductive charging system. The proved to be successful. Launched back in 2019, together with industry partners, researchers at Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts wanted to develop a fully functional inductive charging system, which was […]
December 07, 2023
The Belgian gas system operator Fluxys has decided to partner with two German companies to develop cross-border CO2 pipelines to transport and store CO2 in the North Sea. The companies announced the deal on Wednesday, during the Belgian state visit to Germany. Fluxys previously concluded an agreement with the German oil and gas company Wintershall […]
December 07, 2023
Renault Group is launching a plan to transform its industrial base fundamentally. Between now and 2027, it is seeking to cut production costs per vehicle by 30% for internal combustion vehicles (ICE) and 50% for electric vehicles (BEV). Renault Group’s Industrial Metaverse will play a vital role in the transformation, enabling the Group to accelerate […]
December 06, 2023
The coming Mini Cooper SE electric 3-door model will also be available in the John Cooper Works trim to emphasize the brand’s racing history. With 160 kW and 330 Newton meters of maximum torque, the more powerful Mini Cooper SE version can sprint from 0 to 100 kph in 6,7 seconds and offers a range […]
December 06, 2023
US-based battery start-up Our Next Energy (ONE) announces that a BMW iX prototype with its proprietary Gemini dual-chemistry battery managed an impressive 608,1 miles (978,6 km) range. Despite the higher range, ONE’s battery pack occupies the same space as the iX original battery pack. Furthermore, the company’s innovative technology reduces lithium use by up to […]
December 06, 2023
The electric vehicle manufacturer EV Electra has bought the rights to the Emily GT project, also called ‘the new Saab’, from NEVS (New Electric Vehicle Sweden) and could produce the sporty electric saloon in the former Saab factory in Trollhättan, Sweden. Last August, we reported about the Emily GT, citing that an ‘unknown investor’ had […]
December 05, 2023
Toyota wants to expand its range of electric cars in Europe to six models by 2026. That’s what we wrote on Monday, talking about the brand’s two concepts unveiled at its annual Kenshiki event in Brussels. But the Japanese company is also providing more details on its battery roadmap and hydrogen plans. With the presentation […]
December 04, 2023
At last week’s Toyota Motor Europe (TME) 2023 Kenshiki event, a team of global and European executives presented the company’s latest electrified products and technologies. Today, we’re paying attention to two new BEV concepts arriving in Europe reasonably soon. Toyota provided a preview of its future battery electric vehicle (BEV) strategy for Europe by unveiling […]
December 04, 2023
The deal between the French multinational and the Belgian government on the lifetime extension of Belgium’s two youngest nuclear power plants, Doel 4 and Tihange 3, has been fully finalized. According to federal Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten (Groen), the 1 500-page contract will be discussed at the various federal vice cabinets this week, […]
December 04, 2023
In a surprising move, the German government has given the green light to subsidize Sweden’s Northvolt battery plant Drei in northwest Germany with over €560 million. This announcement comes just weeks after the German government froze spending in the sector after a court ruling. The subsidies, totaling around €700 million, will be distributed over several […]
December 01, 2023
Hyundai and Kia have presented a new wheel drive system called the Universal Wheel Drive System (‘Uni Wheel’ for short), designed for taxis, shuttle buses, and other special purpose vehicles of all sizes. The Uni Wheel creates extra space in electric vehicles by moving the reduction gear to the wheel hub. The Uni Wheel relocates […]
December 01, 2023
After two years of delays and anticipation, Tesla’s digital showroom offers the highly controversial Cybertruck. CEO Elon Musk handed over the first customers’ vehicles during a special event on Thursday at the company’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. Though the looks and specs are spectacular, the Cybertruck also puts dark accolades around its promised range and […]
December 01, 2023
Renault will present the R5 E-tech electric, its B-segment EV, Zoe successor, and Renault 5 reminiscer at the Geneva Motor Show on the 26th of February. In anticipation, the manufacturer has already shown some details of the production version and launched a teaser campaign with an R 5 R Pass for early potential buyers. “Renault […]
November 30, 2023
With Skye, Callum Designs, the company of former Jaguar design boss Ian Callum, presents the concept of an all-terrain electric vehicle with all-wheel drive in the style of an electric buggy with a roof. Technical details are not yet available. “Callum Skye is a high-performance multi-terrain electric vehicle created for discerning owners seeking extraordinary on- […]
November 30, 2023
Febelauto, the Belgian management organization for waste vehicles and industrial batteries, will organize a circular truck and bus event in December. The event will take place in Beringen on December 11th. Importers and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) will be invited to sign a manifesto that day. Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters […]
November 30, 2023
On Thursday, BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. and Mercedes-Benz Group China Ltd. announced that they had agreed to establish a 50/50 joint venture in China to operate a high-power charging network. The aim is to provide Chinese customers with premium charging services. The joint venture aims to establish a network of at least 1 000 high-power […]
