November 27, 2025
Horse Powertrain, the Renault-Geely joint venture backed by Saudi Aramco, has unveiled the production-bound version of its ‘Future Hybrid System,’ signalling a decisive shift from an intriguing idea shown earlier this year to a fully industrialised technology aimed at mass-market deployment by 2027. It’s more than yet another powertrain technology. It signals a shift in […]
November 26, 2025
Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius is apparently seeking a second term as president of the European Car Manufacturer Association ACEA. The ACEA president is elected annually, and an extension is possible, which Källenius now appears to intend. The rumors were reported by the German business publication Handelsblatt, citing industry sources. Typically, the ACEA president serves a […]
November 26, 2025
At last week’s Solutrans trade show in Lyon, Renault Trucks finally pulled the wraps off what it had promised earlier as its spearhead for long-distance electric freight. The new E-Tech T 780 and its payload-focused sibling, the E-Tech T 585, build upon the architecture developed by Volvo Trucks. The new trucks aim at convincing logistics […]
November 25, 2025
From 2027, the air passenger tax in Belgium will increase for flights over 500 kilometers from €5 to €10 per departing passenger. This is the second time in this legislative period that the federal government will increase the tax on airline tickets. Brussels Airlines points out that it cannot pay the additional tax out of its […]
November 25, 2025
Ford Trucks is preparing to enter a new chapter in its history with the launch of the F-LINE E, the company’s first fully electric heavy truck, first unveiled to the public at the Solutrans commercial vehicle show in Lyon in late 2025. The choice of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg as pioneers reflects both strategic […]
November 25, 2025
GAC has begun building its Aion V electric SUV at Magna Steyr’s plant in Graz. While giving the Austrian contract manufacturer fresh volume after a series of wind-downs, this is one of the first actual Chinese passenger cars produced in Europe. While the Aion V isn’t a common sight on Belgian roads, the midsize electric […]
November 24, 2025
Belgian railway infrastructure manager Infrabel is allocating 200 million euros to strengthen the infrastructure for the transport of heavy military equipment, according to RTL info. The money will mainly be used to reinforce bridges, widen tunnels, and develop new tracks, particularly around the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge. The investment is in line with the European […]
November 24, 2025
BYD has moved decisively into the global lead in battery-electric vehicle sales, widening the gap with Tesla and signalling a shift in the balance of power in the world’s largest and most contested segment of the auto market. New data for the third quarter of 2025 shows BYD selling more than 582,000 BEVs worldwide, comfortably […]
November 21, 2025
Ghent ranks third in the Copenhagenize Index of the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities, after Utrecht and Copenhagen. The index is compiled every two years by the Danish consultancy Copenhagenize Desing Co., an agency specializing in bicycle strategy, urban planning, and mobility, and is considered an international benchmark. Antwerp ranks eighth. Brussels, the only other Belgian […]
November 21, 2025
On January 1st, 2026, Magnus Nilsson will take over as the new CEO and plant manager of Volvo Car Gent from Stefan Fesser. After more than seven years, Stefan Fesser will take on a strategic role within the company. Magnus Nilsson (58) was born in Sweden. He has worked for Volvo Cars since 1988, in various […]
November 21, 2025
Chances are high that you’ve seen this S6 EV before. In the summer, this SUV was inadvertently published on Euro NCAP’s test publication pages ahead of its official reveal. MG has finally unwrapped the full specs of its latest addition to its electric portfolio. It’s an SUV destined for families who have outgrown the S5 […]
November 20, 2025
To enhance security and increase the EU’s deterrent capacity, Member States must be able to rapidly move large quantities of troops and equipment across the Union. This means there should be specific rules for cross-border military mobility, preferably without excessive administrative hassle. Currently, member states have their own rules and requirements, which make troop movements […]
November 19, 2025
Belgium ranks 37th on the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), the annual ranking of climate performance by environmental NGOs. This means the country has dropped two places compared to last year. The CCPI evaluates the climate‐mitigation performance of 63 countries plus the European Union (EU) — together covering more than 90 % of global greenhouse […]
November 18, 2025
A new international survey by the Global EV Alliance suggests the electric-vehicle landscape is being shaped as much by politics and perception as by product and pricing. As for car brands, 41% of buyers are reluctant to buy Tesla due to political concerns, while one in ten opposes cars made in China. The Global EV […]
November 18, 2025
Renault Group and Nissan are in talks to revive their faltering alliance following leadership changes at the two automakers and struggles at Nissan, The Financial Times reported. Citing people familiar with the discussions, the FT reported on November 17th that Luca de Meo’s departure last summer had spurred the talks. De Meo was replaced by […]
November 17, 2025
The Automotive Cells Company (ACC), the battery cell joint venture between Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, and TotalEnergies, appears to be on the verge of permanently closing its factory in Termoli, Italy. An announcement could be made in a matter of weeks. The decision is imminent and could be officially announced by the end of this year or […]
November 14, 2025
The European Parliament on Thursday backed a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 compared with 1990 levels, broadly aligning with the position agreed earlier by EU member states. 379 MEPs voted in favor, 248 against. The 2040 target is now legally enshrined as an intermediate step towards 2050, when the EU […]
November 14, 2025
A new study by the French Institut Mobilités en Transition (IMT) casts fresh doubt on the future of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), arguing that prolonging their sale in Europe beyond 2035 would harm both household budgets and the continent’s climate ambitions. The study finds that for buyers of new vehicles, plug-in hybrids cost about 7% […]
November 12, 2025
Yutong, China’s biggest bus manufacturer, based in Zhengzhou, which has supplied electric buses to Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands, has built a remotely operated ‘kill switch’ into its vehicles. This mechanism gives the manufacturer digital access to systems for software updates and diagnostics. Still, in theory, it is also possible to disable or influence the […]
November 12, 2025
Executives at Renault Group say they hope the European Commission’s plan for an ‘E-car,’ a small, low-cost EV built in Europe, can be accomplished by freezing regulations for existing small cars rather than creating a new category. Such a freeze would allow automakers to lower their cost base and make the cars economically viable and […]
November 11, 2025
Twenty-one European airlines have committed to stop making claims in relation to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions deemed misleading, the European Commission said on Friday. The airlines include some of the largest in Europe, such as Lufthansa (parent company of Brussels Airlines), Ryanair, KLM, and Air France. In May, the Belgian Federal Public Service Economy’s economic inspectorate, […]
November 10, 2025
Toyota’s indestructible Hilux, long defined by diesel torque and unshakeable dependability, is stepping into uncharted territory. The ninth-generation, on order as of December, marks the most significant shift in the model’s 55-year history with the arrival of a battery-electric version. Also, a hydrogen-powered model will follow. The fully electric Hilux BEV leads the launch, hitting […]
November 10, 2025
The latest ‘Electromobility Report’ from the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, shows that e-mobility worldwide has been experiencing a significant upswing so far this year. In the world regions most important to the automotive industry – China, Europe, and the USA – approximately 12.8 million highly electrified vehicles were sold from the […]
November 07, 2025
The European Commission wants to accelerate the rollout of the high-speed rail network by 2040. By significantly reducing travel times between European capitals, rail is set to become a more attractive alternative to short-haul flights. The ambitious plan also includes a new high-speed connection between Lisbon and Paris via Madrid. This would allow train passengers […]
November 05, 2025
Cléa Martinet, Renault’s Director of Sustainability, says that “by 2028, manufacturing costs are expected to fall by around 40% compared with the first generation of the electric Megane.” In an interview with the German magazine Autoflotte.de, she explained that the most significant levers are the switch to LFP battery cells, more efficient electric drives, and […]
November 05, 2025
The EU has been revising its CO2 regulations for companies for some time now, and many companies fear an early combustion engine ban through the back door. The Commission is expected to present its plans in mid-December. According to the German specialized magazine Automobilwoche, citing industrial sources, the EU Commission intends to present its plans […]
November 05, 2025
Geely’s Swedish-Chinese subbrand Zeekr has just rolled out a refreshed version with more power, more range, and a surprisingly long list of luxury features of its compact electric SUV, the Zeekr X, a sibling to the Volvo EX30 (Belgium-built )and the Smart #1. It packs a 61.47 kWh LFP battery, offering up to 530 km […]
November 03, 2025
Truck manufacturers Volvo Trucks, Daimler, Scania, MAN, Iveco, and Ford have sent a letter to the EU calling for the CO2 emission regulations for the sector to be relaxed. While they do not question the cornerstones of the current standard, they do question the stages between the annual targets. The news was reported by the […]
November 03, 2025
Audi’s third-quarter earnings have risen sharply, mainly because last year, the burden of shutting down its Brussels plant weighed heavily on the results. However, the positive figures mask deeper financial strain from tariffs, falling volumes in China, and rising costs associated with its transition to electric vehicles. Audi reported an operating profit of €468 million […]
November 03, 2025
The Nexperia crisis is entering an easing phase. China has said it will grant case-by-case exemptions from its ban on Nexperia chip exports. This could offer a lifeline to automakers scrambling to secure supplies. In the meantime, industry leaders warn that recovery from the disruption could take months. The Ministry of Commerce said eligible firms […]
October 31, 2025
Virgin Trains, the railway company owned by British businessman Richard Branson, has received permission from the British regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), to share a central rail depot in east London, where trains are maintained and parked, with Eurostar. With the application approved, Virgin Trains is removing a significant barrier to the […]
October 30, 2025
From June 3, Brussels Airlines will fly twice a week to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, as a stopover on flights to Nairobi, Kenya. Brussels Airlines specializes in flights to Africa. Next year, the airline will offer 18 destinations there. Parent company Lufthansa, on the other hand, will cut several European connections and domestic flights from its 2026 […]
October 29, 2025
Around 300 employees at Opel’s vehicle testing facilities near Frankfurt are set to lose their jobs as French engineering firm Segula Technologies, which operates the sites, winds down its activities following insolvency. The two affected facilities, in Rodgau-Dudenhofen and Rüsselsheim, which have long been central to Opel’s engineering heritage, are among the most significant test […]
October 28, 2025
According to the data provided by the Association of European Car Manufacturers (ACEA), new EU car registrations increased by 0.9% compared to the same nine months last year, marking the third consecutive month of growth. This recent momentum has been driven in part by the launch of new models, with September alone posting a strong […]
October 28, 2025
The German car lobby is pushing an unusual idea to boost sales of plug-in hybrids as the EU seeks to measure their real-life emissions more accurately. The proposal? A legal obligation for plug-in hybrid drivers to charge their cars regularly. The punishment for not abiding by that obligation is reduced power. A creative solution, but […]
October 27, 2025
Effective January 2, 2026, Alexandre Malval has been appointed Vice President of Design for the Renault brand. He will report to Laurens van den Acker, Chief Design Officer and member of the Renault Group Leadership Team. He will also join the Renault brand management committee. “We are delighted to welcome Alexandre Malval to our Design […]
October 24, 2025
Chinese automaker BYD is best known as an electric car brand, but all of its top sellers still rely on an electrified combustion engine. After the Seal U and the Seal 6, the compact crossover Atto 2 will soon add a plug-in hybrid variant to the pure electric model. The new addition is set to […]
October 23, 2025
High-speed train operator Eurostar has ordered 50 trains from French company Alstom. These are double-decker trains, a first for Eurostar. Thanks to their double configuration, with two trains coupled together, they offer more than 1,000 seats per journey while traveling at a maximum speed of 320 km/h. Eurostar needs the trains to open new routes […]
October 23, 2025
Tesla’s latest quarterly report shows the electric-car maker couldn’t benefit from record sales, driven by the prospect of the EV credit abortion in its home country. Despite delivering a record 497,099 vehicles in the third quarter — a 7 percent increase year over year — the company’s net profit tumbled 37 percent to $1.37 billion. […]
October 22, 2025
The European Commission will propose measures to mitigate the impact of its new carbon tax on citizens and businesses. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to alleviate fears of price increases and provide Member States with resources to support families by adjusting the implementation of the CO2 tax. The aim is to save the […]
October 22, 2025
The European Parliament has approved two texts that pave the way for digital driving licenses on smartphones by the end of 2030. They do not replace the physical driver’s license, but both will be valid. In the future, it will also be possible to begin training to become a truck driver at the age of 17. […]
October 21, 2025
Belgian victims of the Dieselgate scandal who still want to file a claim for €1,000 in compensation need to hurry, because the deadline of Sunday, October 26th, is fast approaching. However, the victims themselves do not seem to be losing any sleep over it. According to the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, only 2,400 Belgians have […]
October 21, 2025
The dispute between the Netherlands and China over semiconductor maker NXP (formerly Nexperia) is very much alive and escalating. It has moved from a governance dispute into a real supply-chain risk scenario. Nexperia’s China unit has publicly declared it will operate independently of the Dutch headquarters, saying Chinese site staff should ignore instructions from the […]
October 21, 2025
“Nissan intends to CO₂-pool with BYD across the EU during 2025 to meet more challenging emissions targets.” That’s what Schmidt Automotive Research, a UK-established, Germany-based independent consultancy and publishing firm that specializes in the automotive market, predicts. However, neither Nissan nor BYD has confirmed this so far. Nissan’s intention to pool its European fleet CO₂ […]
October 20, 2025
The vote on a carbon tax for international shipping, known as the Net-Zero Framework (NZF), has been postponed for a year. This was decided on Friday in London by the member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the maritime branch of the United Nations. The postponement comes under pressure from US President Donald Trump. […]
October 17, 2025
A pet travelling on an airplane falls under the definition of ‘baggage’. The European Court of Justice has declared this. The declaration arose from a dispute between a Spanish airline and a passenger whose dog was lost during transportation. Whether animal welfare organizations will be happy with this legal ruling is another question. They consider […]
October 16, 2025
Alphabet-Google’s daughter company, Waymo, plans to introduce its robotaxi operations in London next year. This is in response to plans by the British government to allow commercial pilot projects with autonomous vehicles from 2026. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was “delighted” by the announcement. For Waymo, this will be its second international expansion, after […]
October 16, 2025
The multi-brand car manufacturer Stellantis will invest $13 billion (€11.2 billion) to expand its U.S. operations and boost domestic production over the next four years. It will focus primarily on new combustion-engine (ICE) models. New Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa described the plan as the most significant single investment in the company’s 100-year history. With the […]
October 16, 2025
The end of the EV paradise? Norway’s 25% VAT exemption for electric vehicles has been in place for over 20 years, making it one of the earliest and longest-running EV incentives in the world, but now it’s thinking about scrapping it from 2027. Alongside, the government proposes increasing the registration tax on fossil fuel (ICE) […]
October 16, 2025
The EU car industry wants plug-in hybrid vehicles to be considered carbon neutral, but data from thousands of vehicles shows that PHEVs emit just 19% less CO2 per km, on average, than petrol and diesel cars. Carmakers are lobbying and asking EU lawmakers to treat hybrids as clean vehicles under a ‘technology-neutral’ approach to decarbonizing […]
October 15, 2025
The Court of Audit, responsible for external control of the budgetary, accounting, and financial transactions of Belgian governments, has reviewed the Flemish plans for renewable energy. The institution also examined the financial support for renewable energy. Between 2014 and 2023, almost 13 billion euros in support for renewable energy were granted in Flanders. And 11.2 […]
October 15, 2025
According to a new report from UK-based research, analytics, and data company Rho Motion, global EV sales—battery electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) combined —passed the 2.1 million mark for the first time in September 2025, up 26% YoY. The Reuters press agency adds a regional snapshot detailing that China contributes the most with 1.3 […]
October 14, 2025
Three years after its launch, Nissan has given the Ariya a modest but meaningful update. The electric SUV retains its core engineering but gains a sleeker design and much-needed digital upgrades. With Google built-in technology and the ability to power external devices, the Ariya is being repositioned as more practical and better connected. When it first […]
October 14, 2025
Ford has nominated a new CEO for Europe as it wants more region-focused cars again. Jim Baumbick is named Ford of Europe’s first president in three years; his first task will be to develop and build those more Europe-focused cars. Ford has named Jim Baumbick as its first dedicated European boss in three years, as […]
October 13, 2025
The United States is threatening sanctions if the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations’ maritime branch, votes this week in London to adopt the Net-Zero Framework definitively. This framework aims to make shipping greener through a carbon tax. Sixty-three countries have already expressed their support for the plan, including Belgium. Sixteen countries, including Russia […]
October 13, 2025
As previously announced, Tesla has begun assembly and sales of its new base model, the Model Y Standard. The new Model Y Standard, priced from €39,990 in Belgium, lowers the barrier to entry by trimming away some of the brand’s hallmark features. The Standard must help revive flagging European demand, though some European markets have […]
October 10, 2025
The head of Lufthansa does not believe the aviation sector will achieve net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050. CEO Carsten Spohr attributes this to the slow development of technology and the increased availability of more sustainable aircraft fuels. The Lufthansa Group has set itself ambitious climate protection goals. The company aims to achieve a neutral CO2 […]
October 08, 2025
The European Commission wants to erect a tariff wall to protect the strategically important steel industry from global overcapacity. Welcomed by the European steel industry, which is in a state of survival, but met with skepticism by European carmakers who fear higher production costs. Specifically, the Commission wants to limit tariff-free imports of steel from […]
October 07, 2025
The German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, declared yesterday that he wants the EU Commission to abolish the EU ban on the sale of ICE cars after 2035. “I don’t wish Germany to be one of the countries supporting this bad interdiction,” he said on the TV channel NTV. The pressure of big German car companies like […]
October 07, 2025
After more than a year of delays, the Belgian federal government and the regions of Flanders, Wallonia, and the Brussels-Capital Region have finalized the approval of the National Energy and Climate Plan (NEKP). At the same time, an agreement has also been reached on the distribution of funds from the European Social Climate Fund. Maron: […]
