September 15, 2023
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s statement on Wednesday that the EU is to launch an investigation into China’s state support for makers of electric vehicles was brushed away by the Chinese government as ‘naked protectionist behavior.’ One that von der Leyen’s home car industry fears will backfire in a Chinese market they desperately […]
September 13, 2023
On Tuesday, the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) updated the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) to raise the share of renewables in the EU’s final energy consumption to 42,5% by 2030. Member states should strive to achieve 45%. The legislation will also speed up procedures to grant permits for new renewable energy power plants, such […]
September 11, 2023
The Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) has approved the operations of a second lithium mine in the country. The Romano mine will be situated in Montalegre, in the northern region, near the Baroso mine, which was permitted back in May 2023. However, only part of it has been approved, so the owner still has homework. The […]
September 07, 2023
The European Commission calls for introducing a standardized disability card recognized throughout the European Union’s 27 member states. The card should simplify travel and free movement for people with disabilities across Europe, one of the core rights of the bloc. “The rights of people with disabilities must not stop at national borders,” says EU Commission […]
September 07, 2023
With six electric vehicles on the stand, a world debut for the Seal U, and the European launch of its new brand Denza, China’s largest EV maker, BYD wowed the crowds at the IAA Mobility in Munich. In the backyard of the German premium carmakers, the boss of BYD Europe also announced that the final […]
September 01, 2023
Ahead of its motor show debut, Volkswagen has lifted the veils of the new Passat. It’s exclusively available as a station wagon and is no longer assembled in Germany. With beefed-up plug-in hybrid versions, a revolutionary damping system, and return-to-button controls on the steering wheel, the old namesake must straighten its back in a fast-moving […]
August 28, 2023
At the Mobility Summit in Münich, BMW will unveil the Vision Neue Klasse (Vision New Class), which is believed to sit close to the production model and marks a new chapter in the brand’s history as it embodies its new generation of electric vehicles. The platform will feature 800-volt technology for increased fast charging. It […]
August 24, 2023
According to an analysis commissioned by Greenpeace, twelve of Europe’s leading fossil fuel companies are deceiving the public about their willingness to curb their climate-damaging impact by transitioning to renewable energy sources. Greenpeace calls for strict regulation of fossil fuel companies to prevent even more fossil-fuelled climate destruction. The report, titled “The Dirty Dozen: The […]
August 24, 2023
The all-new Hyundai Kona Electric has entered production. The second-gen model is aimed at the European market and produced in the Czech Republic, which should account for 15% of the plant’s total output. The new Hyundai Kona was first announced at the end of 2022 before its full reveal in March this year. The compact […]
August 22, 2023
Road fatalities in the European Union dropped by almost 13% in 2021 compared to 2019. In 2021, they decreased in 22 of the 27 EU member states. The European Union counts 45 road fatalities per million inhabitants annually, compared to 66 fatalities (per million) back in 2011. This demonstrates that clear progress has been made […]
August 21, 2023
Sales keep troubling the German automotive giant Volkswagen Group. Its latest results published on Friday report encouraging growth for the Western European market, but registrations are further decreasing in the crucial Chinese marketplace. In July, Volkswagen delivered 770 000 vehicles, an increase of 12,8% compared to 2022, which was particularly cumbersome because of supply chain […]
August 10, 2023
There were 322 automobile assembly, engine, and battery production plants in Europe, up from 301 in 2021, according to the latest figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). Of these, 213 are in the EU, an increase of 19 from 194 in 2021. These totals comprise 127 car factories, 44 for vans, 56 for […]
August 08, 2023
In July, prices of second-hand cars in Europe fell slightly. According to the Auto1 Group Price Index, the European report on used car prices, the prices in July 2023 were 13,6% lower than in July 2022 but still 25,6% higher than before the corona pandemic in July 2019. One year ago, In July 2022, the […]
July 27, 2023
The first half of 2023 saw an increase in registrations for new vans (LCVs) and trucks compared to 2022, although the pre-corona figures are still out of reach. The market share of electrified commercial vehicles is also growing relatively quickly. The worst of the supply chain issues seems to have passed, as new EU van […]
July 19, 2023
Seat has reconfirmed its wish to keep producing cars in the electric age in its Martorell production facility by announcing a €300 million investment in a new battery plant. This will provide the battery packs for the VW Group’s compact electric models, which Seat will produce in Martorell. Seat is committed to its Martorell production […]
July 18, 2023
Belgian airline company Brussels Airlines has filed an official complaint with the European Commission against the “illegal state aid” it claims Charleroi Airport receives. The complaint relates to the terminal navigation charge, which the Belgian air traffic controller Skeyes receives per plane taking off at Brussels Airport. Airlines have to pay part of that amount […]
July 14, 2023
In a proposal announced on Thursday, the European Commission said it wants to ban scrap cars that are not roadworthy from being sold to countries outside the European Union. The Commission said the prohibition is part of plans to reduce carbon emissions, create more jobs, and improve access to raw materials like steel and aluminum […]
July 12, 2023
The European Commission has proposed increasing the total allowed weight of electric trucks by 2 tons after a similar proposal was approved in 2019. This higher weight limit of 44 tons aims to counteract the weight penalty of battery-electric drivetrains, thus allowing for similar payload figures. The EU wants to cut heavy truck emissions by […]
July 12, 2023
The European Parliament took a final decision on Tuesday: from 2026, the main European highways must be equipped with fast-charging stations for electric vehicles every 60 kilometers. From 2028, this should apply to half of the European road network. Those charging stations must have a capacity of at least 400 kW and be able to […]
July 07, 2023
The European Commission wants to limit the validity of driver’s licenses for people over 70 to five years. After that time, people would be required to undergo a medical examination or take a refresher course. Okra, the association for the elderly, is highly offended by the proposal and calls it “age discrimination”. And also, the […]
July 06, 2023
The Chinese car manufacturer SAIC plans to build a plant for electric vehicles in Europe and is currently looking for a location. SAIC has joint ventures in China with Volkswagen and General Motors that produce electric cars, among other things. According to Reuters, the company is not yet giving any further details. SAIC is active […]
July 05, 2023
The good news for Rivian is that the American EV start-up has ended its Q2 with good production figures, putting it on track for its 2023 target. Meanwhile, the first European Amazon EDV vans have landed in Germany. Back in April, things were not looking up for Rivian. It had fallen behind on its production […]
July 04, 2023
According to the latest Clean Cities Campaign, comparing emission-free mobility in 42 European cities, Brussels (11th place), Antwerp (12th), and Ghent (18th) have achieved a place in the top twenty rankings. Liège, on the other hand, sits in 36th place. Still, all four Belgian cities could step up their game toward a zero-emission future, especially […]
July 03, 2023
Announcing its production and delivery numbers for the second quarter of 2023, Tesla posted a new record, beating analysts’ predictions. The company is well on track to achieve its annual goal of deliveries by the end of the year, meaning it would globally outperform Audi. But over in China, BYD is in a fierce fight […]
June 30, 2023
Renault delays the stock market introduction of its all-electric subbrand Ampere to the first half of 2024. The French car maker points to a less-than-ideal market climate, but the postponed launch of the all-electric R5 is also playing its part. Renault is pushing forward with a revolutionary plan to launch 18 new models by 2025, […]
June 29, 2023
Denmark will review the energy island project in the North Sea because of the high costs. That is what the Danish government announced on Wednesday. “The project is challenging, the costs are too high, and the risks are too great,” the Danish Ministry of Energy explains in a press release. “The island would cost the […]
June 29, 2023
The European Commission will invest 20 million euros in a hydrogen project off the Belgian coast by 2026. It will build and operate hydrogen facilities off the coast of Ostend, in an offshore testing zone intended to be the nerve center of the green hydrogen industry in Belgium. The HOPE project as it is called […]
June 28, 2023
The Eurostar Group, the merger of high-speed train operators Thalys and Eurostar, transported 14,8 million passengers last year and posted a turnover of over 1,53 billion euros, two and a half times more than a year earlier. As a result, profit before Ebita reached a record level of 332 million euros. By mid-October, a new app, […]
June 27, 2023
Apart from dieselgate, there was another conflict of interest between consumers and manufacturers of diesel cars, the so-called ‘thermal window’ software. For the first time, the German Federal Court (Bundesgerichtshof or BGH) has considered that customers, having bought a car with the device, can claim compensation. The software permits controlling the air pollution equipment on […]
June 27, 2023
It is by no means certain that the European Union will achieve its ambitious climate and energy targets for 2030 with the current measures, warns the European Court of Auditors in a new report. Moreover, the foundations of the member states’ climate plans are not transparent, so it’s unclear whether they are feasible. The Auditors […]
June 26, 2023
In an open letter to the EU, 41 firms call for bigger ambitions on the greening of transportation in the logistics sector. Among the companies are Heineken, Nike, the Colruyt Group, and shippers like DFDS and Maersk. They say that increasing the targets will lower costs and make it easier to decarbonize fleets. More precisely, […]
June 22, 2023
More than 20 European consumer organizations have filed a complaint to stop what they call misleading greenwashing claims by a series of airlines. The complaint is filed with the European Commission and the Consumer Protection Cooperation Network (CPC). It is directed against 17 airlines, including those in the Lufthansa Group (among which Brussels Airlines), Air […]
June 21, 2023
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) calls for a three-year postponement to restrictive rules on EU-UK electric vehicle trade, set to come into force in six months. Otherwise, tariffs could total € 4,3 billion, potentially reducing electric vehicle production by some 480 000 units, according to ACEA. Goods exported under EU free-trade agreements must comply […]
June 19, 2023
The fight of Dutch fast-charger company Fastned and Tesla with its Superchargers against the charging station monopoly for Tank & Rast, owning 95% of all fuel stations along German highways, is moving to a higher level; the European Court of Justice (ECJ). Both companies were challenging the decision of the German Federal Anti-Cartel Office, which […]
June 19, 2023
According to the European Court of Auditors, Europe’s plan of becoming a world leader in battery development and production is at risk. The stakes are high. If Europe fails in shaping up, the energy transition can falter, while it might also affect the 2035 ban on combustion engines. In 2018, the European Union issued the Battery […]
June 13, 2023
After Arriva last week, now Dutch public transport company Qbuzz has announced plans for high-speed trains between Amsterdam and Paris. For both companies, the trains would stop in Antwerp and Brussels en route. The start-up is targeted for January 2027. The application to the Dutch regulator Authority Consumer & Market (ACM) mentions seven trips in […]
June 13, 2023
After about 3,5 years, the Audi plant in Forest (Brussels) has built its 200 000th electric vehicle: a Soneira Red Q8 Sportback e-tron, the updated version of the original e-tron, which has been in production since late 2018. Later this year, the plant will also start building the smaller Q4 e-tron to meet global demand. […]
June 13, 2023
Ford has completed the $2 billion transformation of its Cologne (Germany) production facility, which will focus on EV production. The Ford Cologne Electric Vehicle Center will start production with the new Explorer, with another electric crossover soon to follow. Ford’s Cologne plant in Germany, which has been operating since 1930, building the Model A, has […]
June 12, 2023
The Zeekr X is the first model from Geely’s young premium brand to journey to the European market soon. In China, the series production has started. The car will be ready for delivery at the end of this week. Later this year, Zeekr’s smallest will be launched in Europe, starting in Sweden and the Netherlands. […]
June 09, 2023
Swedish automotive safety supplier Autoliv announced that it would cut its global workforce by up to 6 000 employees (11%). One thousand of these are expected to be in Europe. The worldwide leader in airbags and seatbelts says these cuts aim at reducing costs in the face of inflation. Autoliv is a significant actor in […]
June 05, 2023
A European survey shows that 7% of Belgians, or around 420 000 drivers, have already had an accident attributable to alcohol behind the wheel. Last year, nearly 47 000 drivers, an average of 128 per day, were also fined for ‘alcohol behind the wheel’ in Belgium. The new BOB campaign ‘BOB protects lives’, therefore, calls […]
June 05, 2023
Seven European transport ministers want to make 2024 the year of cycling. They launched this call on World Cycling Day. The United Nations has declared the 3rd of June World Cycling Day in 2018 to draw attention to the benefits of bicycles. The seven mobility ministers are asking Europe to develop a genuine cycling policy. […]
June 01, 2023
Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motor is looking into acquiring a European EV plant in order to support its international expansion. Building a new plant in Germany, Hungary or the Czech Republic would be an option, but the company is also looking to buy an existing plant. Great Wall Motor, known in Europe for the […]
May 30, 2023
The Model Y can parade itself as the best-sold car in the world. It took the title in Q1 of 2023 from the Toyota Corolla, which has held the top spot for many years. It’s the first time an electric car has won the gold medal. The Model Y also surges in Europe. Tesla’s price […]
May 24, 2023
The lobby organisation for car manufacturers ACEA is flashing the lights again on the proposed Euro 7 rules, which are considered unnecessary and a waste of money by many car brands. A new survey has calculated that the price increase could be four to seven times higher than initially accounted for. “The effects on the […]
May 23, 2023
Chinese car giant Geely is increasing its interest in iconic British sports car brands. The owner of Lotus has raised its share in Aston Martin to 17 percent, a little more than a half year after it stepped in, buying 7,6 percent in September last year. Geely is now the third-biggest shareholder of Aston Martin. […]
May 16, 2023
The EU Commission has approved an 837 million euros program by the Spanish government to support the production of batteries for EVs. This reports the news site elective.com. The program is open to battery manufacturers and suppliers of essential components or related materials. The Spanish government plans to launch two new electric vehicle and battery […]
May 12, 2023
French President, Emmanuel Macron, could announce a reform of the government’s EV bonus plan. The suggestion could be based on the vehicle’s carbon footprint, thus excluding cars produced in heavy-polluting countries such as China. However, it’s easier said than done. For a few months now, France has considered a way to exclude vehicles built far […]
May 12, 2023
The Danish capital plans to oust all passenger cars on combustion engines from its center by the decade’s end. The proposition isn’t put into law yet but has been accepted by all the governing parties. The confines of the electric-only zone will be determined after a feasibility study. Copenhagen is an example of the transition […]
April 28, 2023
On its home turf, Chinese car giant BYD has beaten Volkswagen and is currently the number one brand in sales. Also, the brand doubled its registrations worldwide, boosting its profit fivefold during the first quarter of 2023. At Auto Shanghai, Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume stated, “BYD is very, very strong”. Reporting on its sales for […]
April 27, 2023
The latest study from the International Energy Agency (IEA) reveals a significant jump in the adoption of electric cars around the globe. In a year-on-year comparison, the share has risen from 9% in 2021 to 14% in 2022, a new record. Expectations for this year are a further rise of 35%. In its yearly ‘Global […]
April 25, 2023
Nine European countries signed a joint declaration on Monday in Ostend at the second North Sea Summit to make the North Sea the “green power plant of Europe”. The nine aspire to produce some 300 gigawatts (GW) of energy by 2050 through the massive construction of offshore wind farms. According to Belgian Prime Minister Alexander […]
April 24, 2023
Ford has started the international career of its electric pickup F-150 Lightning, as the American manufacturer is preparing for a market launch in Norway. According to Ford, the customer demand for the product and the country’s advanced EV adoption were just too hard to resist. Although production of Ford’s first electric pickup truck is still […]
April 21, 2023
Eight European partners, of which five research facilities and three industrial partners, have joined forces to create a next-gen electric drive unit for mass-produced EVs. The goal is to create a synchronous motor that is more efficient, cheaper to produce, and, importantly, less dependent on rare earth materials from China. The Mondragon University in Spain […]
April 19, 2023
The European Parliament and EU member states have agreed on a plan to produce more chips in Europe and become less dependent on Asia. “Europe is taking control of its destiny”, is how Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton hailed the breakthrough. With the so-called Chips Act, the EU aims to increase its share of global […]
April 18, 2023
Polestar has thrown the rear window, well, out of the window on its latest addition to the range. Though the number in its nametag suggests otherwise, the cross-over coupé 4 slots exactly between the sedan 2 and the larger SUV 3. The new model was unveiled at the press day of Auto Shanghai. Swedish-Chinese EV […]
April 17, 2023
After more than ten years, Lancia has come out with a newly-designed car. The Pu+Ra HPE is not meant for production, but it shows the way for the next decade as Lancia embarks on its renaissance in the electric era. And it’s very much a designer’s car, with countless new materials, classic inspirations, and a […]
April 17, 2023
HiPhi, the young Chinese brand of the Human Horizons Group, is one step closer to launching in European markets. Its first model, the SUV called X, already for a while on sale in its homeland, completed TÜV SÜD testing in Germany successfully. The futuristic-looking Z sedan-GT and a compact SUV, called Y, just announced as […]
April 14, 2023
Images and preliminary info of MG’s all-electric roadster have been released before its official debut at the Chinese motor show Auto Shanghai later this month. The body type of a roadster is historically rooted in the back-then British brand, but this new version is in every sense a modern take on that old formula. Instead […]
April 13, 2023
Amsterdam should become a full-fledged European hub for train travel across Europe by 2025. So says the top woman of the Eurostar Group, Gwendoline Cazenave, in an interview with the Dutch news agency ANP. An additional Eurostar train and a redevelopment of Amsterdam Central Station should contribute. Currently, four trains depart daily from Amsterdam for […]
