March 03, 2023
During a round table, BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse told car magazine Motor.at and others about his view on hydrogen and the plans to ban ICE cars in the EU by 2035. In his view, “hydrogen-fueled cars don’t stand a chance against BEVs except for customers who do not have access to charging infrastructure or […]
March 01, 2023
Dredging companies DEME and Jan De Nul, world leaders in dredging and constructing offshore wind farms, are joining forces to create the energy island that will be built off the Belgian coast. Both Belgian companies – eternal competitors but now united in a new consortium called TM Edison – have won the tender for constructing […]
March 01, 2023
In 2023, the new Mini Countryman production will begin at the BMW Group plant in Leipzig. The crossover model will be offered with pure electric drive and combustion engines. Preparations for the start of production of the first Mini ‘Made in Germany’ are already in full swing. According to BMW, Leipzig is one of the […]
February 28, 2023
US researchers have developed a lithium-air battery with a solid electrolyte, of which the energy density could be increased fourfold compared to today’s lithium-ion batteries. The team said it achieved 1 000 charge and discharge cycles in test cells. Researchers drive the project at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) and the US Department of […]
February 28, 2023
The construction of new wind farms at sea risks being delayed, reports research company BloombergNEF. The reason for the delay is the shortage of large vessels used for the installation of wind turbine foundations on the ocean floor. Offshore energy is considered a crucial alternative to fossil fuels. It should help reduce CO2 emissions and […]
February 28, 2023
Nissan is accelerating its electrification strategy again. The Japanese automaker will launch 27 new electrified models by fiscal 2030, including 19 purely electric ones. That is four more pure electric vehicles than announced with the last strategic plan in November 2021. Nissan’s electrification mix worldwide is expected to increase to more than 55% by 2030, […]
February 28, 2023
There will be no new VW plant in Europe in the foreseeable future. VW CFO Arno Antlitz confirmed in an internal interview that the Trinity production version would be built in Wolfsburg. In the US, however, VW will build a new factory for its new EV brand Scout. The carmaker had considered a new factory […]
February 27, 2023
Audi CEO Markus Duesmann recently uttered that building a new EV plant in the US becomes highly attractive given the new IRA subvention plan for electric vehicles issued by the Biden administration. He added that it is not clear whether Audi will build its own plant or whether it will be part of the Volkswagen […]
February 27, 2023
Over the next two years, Chinese car manufacturer Geely wants to launch seven new premium electric cars under its new sub-brand Galaxy. That includes four long-range hybrids and three battery-electric vehicles. The first three models will hit the road this year. The new Geely Galaxy series will have two model lines – L for plug-in […]
February 27, 2023
BMW plans to build a large assembly plant for high-voltage batteries in Bavaria. The carmaker confirmed the plan but has not yet signed all the contracts. If all goes as planned, they can start building in 2024. An exact location for it has now finally been found. “All Bavarian plants, i.e., Munich, Regensburg, and Dingolfing, […]
February 24, 2023
The Netherlands remains the country with the highest share of EV-charging infrastructure, with 111 821 chargers or 23,3% of the total number in the EU on its territory. Germany comes in second, with 87 674 public chargers, 18,3% of the total. Together they stand for 41,6% of the EU’s total charging infrastructure today, scattered over […]
February 24, 2023
Ford agreed to form a joint venture with LG Energy Solution and Koç Holding to build a large battery cell plant for commercial electric vehicles in Turkey. The plant in Turkey had originally been planned with SK On, but that deal was canceled some time ago. According to the three companies, the groundbreaking ceremony for […]
February 23, 2023
As part of the EU project CEVOLVER (Connected Electric Vehicle Optimized for Life, Value, Efficiency, and Range), Ford engineers have shown that heating surfaces can reduce energy consumption in the interior of an electric vehicle by 13%. This can improve the range of that vehicle by 5%. The test was conducted in an electric delivery […]
February 22, 2023
For the first time since the European Union introduced the CO2 emission rights, the price of 100 euros per ton of CO2 was exceeded on Tuesday. The leading EU Allowance contract briefly peaked at 101,25 euros. A milestone reflecting the increased price factories and power plants have to pay when they pollute. The European Union […]
February 22, 2023
According to the figures of the European Car Manufacturers Association ACEA, in January, the European Union passenger car market grew by 11,3% to 760 041 units, starting the new year on a positive note. However, one must consider that this was mainly due to an unusually modest comparison base in 2022 when the lowest January […]
February 21, 2023
Less than a week after opening reservations for the electric 1500 REV pickup truck, RAM has closed the books again, citing high demand. No reservation numbers are given, however, and many of the REV’s specifications remain unclear. RAM presented the production version of the 1500 REV in a Superbowl ad, which shows a pickup truck […]
February 21, 2023
In addition to the battery and the electric drive, Volkswagen Group Technology is now also developing the pulse inverter and the thermal management itself for its electric drives. This was announced at the company’s Tech Day 2023. As with other components, the VW developers have opted for a modular system. The first application will be […]
February 21, 2023
In an interview with the British car magazine Autocar, Dacia Vice-President for Sales, Marketing, and Operations Xavier Martinet says that a much greater emphasis needs to be put on weight efficiency when designing (EV) cars. “If we’re serious about collectively reducing emissions, then excessive weight should not be acceptable.” Martinet made his statement when he […]
February 20, 2023
Chinese battery manufacturer CATL, the world’s largest, will offer decisive price reductions for its battery packs. But only the domestic brands benefit. Tesla, the supplier’s biggest customer, isn’t included in the deal. So are the international trade frictions between the US and China also showing up in the automotive industry? EV carmakers Nio, Zeekr, Huawei, […]
February 20, 2023
Japanese carmaker Nissan and compatriot Hitachi’s Building Systems Co Ltd. subsidiary have demonstrated in Japan the possibility of keeping elevators running via V2H (vehicle-to-home) power from an electric car in a building during blackouts. In earthquake-prone Japan, the risk of getting stuck in an elevator is not uncommon. For the test, according to Reuters, both […]
February 20, 2023
Mercedes-Benz sold some 2 million vehicles last year, a 5% increase compared to 2021. Turnover increased by 12% and reached € 150 billion, while the benefice was more than a third higher, landing at almost € 15 billion. For 2023, anticipations are a bit subdued, due to delivery shortages, higher costs and an unsure overall […]
February 17, 2023
Yesterday, Renault published its financial results for last year. The French car manufacturer revived in 2022, compensating for serious sales regress and the costly Russian retreat with significant price hikes and a very profitable Dacia. The turnover of Renault Group has progressed by 11,4% to € 46,4 billion, and the operating margin has doubled to […]
February 17, 2023
VW’s main plant in Wolfsburg has been awarded the contract for an additional electric model from 2026. The vehicle is to be an electric SUV model the size of a Tiguan. The new electric model will bridge the gap until the future core model Trinity is ready for launch. The planning of the Trinity was […]
February 16, 2023
The Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini (Lega Nord) is vehemently opposed to the decision of the European Parliament to ban the sales of new cars with an internal combustion engine in 2035. Salvini calls it a ‘folly’ and a ‘bad intended choice’ to which Rome will oppose itself. The member states already agreed with the […]
February 15, 2023
The city of Antwerp is planning to install at least two ‘fast charging squares’ for electric vehicles on its territory. Each of them will have eight fast charging points where electric vehicles can recharge a considerable amount of kWh in 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of vehicle. A high-voltage cabin will guarantee […]
February 15, 2023
Following the positive feedback on the unique specimen presented in the summer of 2022, Mini is now going ahead with a small series of the all-electric Cooper SE Convertible. From April 2023, the car will be available to open-air lovers in Europe in a limited number of 999 vehicles. “Three years ago, we launched the […]
February 15, 2023
It is now officially confirmed that Ford Motor Company is again planning to cut thousands of jobs. Some 3 800 across Europe before 2025, but the biggest part of it will be in Germany (2 300) and the UK (1 300). The proving grounds in Belgian Lommel also seem to be threatened. The American number […]
February 14, 2023
Belgian battery materials specialist Umicore announces it will start industrial production of cheaper manganese-rich HLM battery materials to be used in electric vehicles from 2026, next to its ‘premium’ NMC battery materials. It believes “HLM is gaining traction with car and battery cell manufacturers as a differentiating lower-cost, high energy-density, and sustainable battery technology”. Umicore […]
February 14, 2023
The future Toyota CEO (as of April 1st), Koji Sato, declared on Monday that he wanted to accelerate the group’s development of electrification. However, he also pointed out that the number one car manufacturer in the world had a “communication problem” over its electrification strategy until now. At the end of January, Toyota’s heir and […]
February 13, 2023
Mercedes-Maybach is introducing its first model with a plug-in hybrid drive. This is essentially the Maybach variant of the plug-in hybrid of the Mercedes S-Class. The first fully electric model from Maybach will also be presented before the end of 2023. The plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Maybach S 580 e, now presented, offers a purely electric WLTP […]
February 13, 2023
Dutch Fastned has opened last week its 19th fast-charging station in Belgium, located just outside the Antwerp Metropole on the E19 toward Brussels, at the park & ride at Exit 7 in Kontich. The station features eight 300 kW chargers for charging up to 300 km range in fifteen minutes if circumstances are favorable. The […]
February 13, 2023
The German Volkswagen Group plans to expand its software investments, digital services, and electromobility investments. That’s the result of a supervisory board meeting when it weighed investments for the next five years. Related discussions were delayed as the IT development (grouped under the Cariad daughter) ran into development problems, and the first EV products encountered […]
February 10, 2023
John Deere, the American manufacturer of agriculture machinery and lawn care equipment, has just announced that it’s joining the electric revolution and launching a line of battery-powered residential ride-on lawnmowers. Up first is the Z370R Electric Ztrak Residential Zero Turn mower, launched on Tuesday. The new fully electric ride-on mower – an industry-first, according to […]
February 10, 2023
Porsche’s new electric flagship should be launched in 2027 and will be a seven-seater, off-road-capable luxury crossover. Porsche previously announced that it is working on an electric SUV positioned above the familiar models. Now, the first technical data have surfaced. According to information from the British magazine Autocar, the SUV will be more than five […]
February 10, 2023
BMW Group is reportedly negotiating with the British Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to receive a £75 million (± €84,5 million) grant to continue production of the electric Mini at its plant in Cowley on the outskirts of Oxford. This comes after British media reported in October that the German carmaker could […]
February 09, 2023
In the future, the supply and demand of electricity will increasingly depend on the weather circumstances. That is the conclusion of the International Energy Agency’s latest report presented in Paris on Wednesday. The report highlights the need for faster decarbonization and accelerated deployment of clean energy technologies. Drought and heat waves in Europe, India, and […]
February 09, 2023
Citroën CEO Vincent Cobée is clear: the energy transition will lead to another smaller, lighter type of car. It could prelude the end of the current hype: the big, boxy SUV. BEVs need more aerodynamic shapes and as less weight as possible. Unfortunately, that’s hardly the case for SUVs. The Citroën boss is fairly outspoken […]
February 06, 2023
The BMW Group is accelerating its ramp-up of e-mobility, and is poised to gain even more momentum with its next vehicle generation, the ‘Neue Klasse’. The BMW plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, will produce fully-electric models for the New Class in the future and is setting up its own high-voltage battery assembly for this […]
February 03, 2023
More than a hundred TotalEnergies hydrogen stations for trucks will appear along major highways in France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg in the next few years. French companies TotalEnergies and Air Liquide are creating a joint venture for this purpose. According to specialists, there are currently 250 hydrogen stations in Europe. By 2030, the […]
February 03, 2023
Volvo Cars plan to turn its S60 and S90 sedan models into fully electric cars. The two sedans are part of a plan to launch at least six new electric models by 2026, according to people familiar with the plans. According to the Reuters news agency, insiders revealed that the six new models include the […]
February 02, 2023
Ford lowers its prices for the Mustang Mach-E in the U.S. as a reaction to Tesla. The starting price for a Mustang Mach-E is now $ 45 995 ($ 900 lower than before, (-2%), and a GT Extended Range now costs $ 63 995, a whopping $ 5 900 less than before (-8,5%). Tesla decided […]
February 01, 2023
The specialized sports car manufacturer Lotus, now a part of the Chinese Geely automotive group, will have an Initial Public Offering (IPO) this year, 75 years after it was founded. The IPO will occur on the Nasdaq stock market via a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). Lotus will be housed under the umbrella of L […]
January 31, 2023
In Flanders, anyone who has an electric car but no place to charge it (at home or nearby), can request a public charging station at a maximum of 250 meters from their home. Since September 1st, when the Flemish government introduced the proposal, almost a thousand applications have already been received to install a public […]
January 27, 2023
Citroën has unveiled its first electric car to go on sale in the Indian market. The new ë-C3 is based on the ICE version, which the French brand launched in India last year, and will hit showrooms in February. The Citroën ë-C3 is powered by a 29,2 kWh battery pack, offering a claimed range of […]
January 27, 2023
French carmaker Peugeot is accelerating its electrification strategy. At the e-Lion event on Thursday, it announced that every Peugeot in the range will offer a battery-powered version as of 2025. The company also said it was looking into making cars last a lifetime by updating and refurbishing the car along the way. It predicts that […]
January 26, 2023
According to figures from the sector federation SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders), vehicle production in the UK dropped to its lowest point in almost 70 years. However, a revival is due for the year 2023. “The automobile industry in the UK has been going through three horrible years,” resumes Mike Hawes, general director […]
January 25, 2023
German multinational energy company RWE is building two new plants in the Maastricht-Roermond region in the Netherlands, to produce 54 000 tons of green hydrogen yearly out of 700 000 tons of municipal solid waste that otherwise would have to be incinerated. Hydrogen from non-recyclable solid waste streams saves around 3,6 million tons of CO2 […]
January 24, 2023
Public transport company De Lijn has ordered the first 17 electric tram buses for the Spartacus project in Limburg. The decision was made in May last year to shelve the almost 18-year-old plans for a tram connection between Hasselt and Maastricht and replace it by electric buses to be delivered now by Dutch-Belgian bus builder […]
January 23, 2023
At the Brussels Motor Show, the Japanese manufacturer Mazda had a world premiere, the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, a range extender version of their MX-30 BEV. On the sidelines, we talked to Martijn ten Brink, President and CEO of Mazda Europe. This relatively small car manufacturer has its own way of doing things. For Mazda, its […]
January 20, 2023
Vanwall, a former English Formula 1 racing team, is revived and has presented an electric compact production model to be built in Germany. The Vandervell stands out with its sporty look and performance and will be delivered in the third quarter of 2023 at a (hefty) price tag of around €150 000. Vanwall was a […]
January 18, 2023
Britishvolt, the UK’s hope of constructing a 30 GWh Gigafactory in Blyth, in the northeast of England, is going belly-up as attempts to find last-minute investors failed. The startup collapsed into administration on Tuesday, and most of the 232 employees were made redundant immediately. Britishvolt had asked the government last year for an advance payment […]
January 17, 2023
As part of a new package of product updates, Volvo has improved both the range (WLTP) and charging for the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge, increasing range by as much as 60 kilometers on some variants. Furthermore, three new powertrains are offered on the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge. These include two rear-wheel-drive variants – […]
January 17, 2023
Last week, BMW Group CEO Oliver Zipse previewed some of the technology on its ‘Neue Klasse’ EV platform at the CES in Las Vegas. He was also very outspoken regarding the group’s future in the EV market. Zipse boldly said that BMW’s next wave of EVs will be the industry benchmark in range, charging speeds, […]
January 16, 2023
As we were already hinting at a few weeks ago, Mazda revealed a new car at the Brussels Motor Show. The independent Japanese manufacturer is adding a plug-in hybrid version to its battery-electric MX-30. The MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV is the announced new variant with a rotary engine acting as a range extender. It’s sold at […]
January 16, 2023
For the first time, the award-winning Car of the Year (COTY) ceremony was at the Brussels Motor Show. Fifty-seven car journalists from 23 countries have finally voted for the fully electric Jeep Avenger as COTY 2023. Before the voting, there was no great rival this year, although the VW ID. Buzz was the most noticed […]
January 13, 2023
On Thursday, New Holland Agriculture, a global player in agricultural machinery, showed in Belgium its first tractor that runs on methane, a gas emitted from various anthropogenic (human-influenced) and natural sources, like cows, goats, and sheep. The vehicle was presented at Agriflanders, an agricultural fair in Flanders Expo (in Ghent, Belgium). Earlier, two new prototypes […]
January 13, 2023
The Brussels-Capital Region is releasing 500 000 euros to support eleven private projects to roll out fast and ultra-fast charging stations for EVs. This was announced by Brussels Minister for Energy and Climate Transition Alain Maron (Ecolo). Brussels wants to make 22 000 charging points accessible to the public by 2035, both on and off […]
January 12, 2023
During the last quarter of 2022, the Dutch fast-charging operator witnessed a growth of almost factor three compared to the year before. Apart from a significant expansion of its network, this is attributed to the rise in BEVs on the roads. As well as price hikes due to the energy crisis. In the last quarter […]
January 11, 2023
The intended merger between the Norwegian oil tanker shipping company under Cypriot flag, Frontline, and the Belgian sector peer Euronav is definitely off. Frontline pulls the plug, and the company does not give an official reason for abandoning. In reaction to the news that came like a bolt from the blue, Euronav management says that […]
January 11, 2023
For the second consecutive year, the BMW Group has beaten Mercedes-Benz in total sales for 2022. The number three, Audi, follows at arm’s length. Also noticeable: all three have sold consistently more electric and electrified cars than in 2021. With 2,4 million vehicles sold by the BMW Group (BMW, Mini, and Rolls-Royce) and 2,1 million […]
