Geely joins charging arms race and makes 4 minute top-ups reality

September 25, 2026

Geely Auto has unveiled a 2.25-megawatt smart-charging system that charges its electric cars from 10 to 70% in four minutes and 30 seconds. That is roughly thirty seconds quicker than BYD’s latest Flash Charging 2.0 platform, the previous benchmark.  The company officially announced the record-breaking charging system at its Safety Center in Ningbo. It’s not […]

Infrabel and Siemens sign €215 million contract for Belgian digital rail

September 25, 2026

The Belgian rail network operator Infrabel has signed a new contract with Siemens Mobility to maintain, further develop, and modernize the Operational Control System (OCS), a digital system that ensures trains run safely and smoothly across the Belgian railway network. The framework agreement, worth 215 million euros, will run for 11 years and is also […]

Renault invests € 600 million in Spanish production plants

September 25, 2026

Renault has announced it will invest 600 million in two of its Spanish plants by 2030. This will allow the brand to produce new models and secure 6.000 jobs in the region. The goal is to prepare the group’s plants in Valladolid and Palencia to produce five new vehicles, including two electric cars. The investment […]

Plasman closes and exposes the slow death of Volvo Ghent’s supply chain

September 25, 2026

Canadian bumper manufacturer Plasman is closing its Ghent factory, costing more than 300 jobs. The announcement follows an earlier decision by axle-parts supplier Benteler to shut its nearby site next spring. The local supply network that once sustained Volvo’s assembly line is now effectively gone. But how come? Remaining production evaporated Plasman throwing in the […]

Bentley Torcal uncovered a little too early (update)

September 24, 2026

A few days before the official introduction of the first fully electric Bentley, the Torcal, a set of near-official pictures has leaked, thanks to the unstoppable hunger for exclusive news from sites like Cochespias. Bentley reacted by officially unveiling the car three days later, so in this update we replace the ‘spy photos’ with the […]

Volkswagen cuts ICE production while demand for affordable EVs takes off

September 24, 2026

Volkswagen is adjusting production at several German plants as demand shifts faster than expected from combustion cars toward electric vehicles. Wolfsburg will build fewer ICE cars than initially planned, while EV production in Emden and Zwickau is increasing.  “Turning point” The reversal is striking. Not so long ago, Volkswagen struggled with underutilized EV factories and […]

One in eight cars sold in the EU is now Chinese thanks to PHEVs

September 24, 2026

Chinese carmakers grabbed a record share of the European car market last month. But their advance is increasingly driven by plug-in hybrid sales. As many as one in three PHEVs now carry a Chinese badge. Chinese brands accounted for almost 12% of European new-car sales in August, according to figures from German market researcher Dataforce. […]

Nissan’s Twingo brother is called Pixo and starts in 2027

September 24, 2026

Nissan presents its electric microcar as the Pixo. It is closely related to the Renault Twingo Electric and the new Dacia Spring. All three electric vehicles will roll off the production line at the Renault plant in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. Nissan is scheduled to start deliveries of the Pixo in early 2027. Pricing remains a […]

First-ever Saudi carmaker Ceer Motors unveils two spectacular EVs

September 23, 2026

If you thought the Tesla Cybertruck looked extreme, think again. Meet the Exobot Sedan and SUV, the first models built by the Saudi-Arabian company Ceer Motors. Ceer Motors is a relatively new carmaker, founded in 2022. The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) backs it and aims to diversify the country’s economy and reduce its dependence […]

Leapmotor gets rid of the 12-volt battery in EVs

September 23, 2026

Chinese automaker Leapmotor is removing the 12-volt battery from its future electric cars, relying solely on the high-voltage battery. The new approach is part of a broader redesign of the company’s technical architecture, which will increase cars’ interior space. While electric cars have a high-voltage battery to feed their electric motor(s), they also have a […]

Hyundai Tucson sharpens up for its 5th generation

September 22, 2026

Hyundai has revealed its new Tucson at a South Korean media event. Design-wise, the 5th generation of the popular mid-size SUV takes a completely different direction from the current model, launched in 2020. Hyundai is planning a major global product offensive over the coming years, including more than 40 new models in Europe alone. They will […]

BMW adds a third shift to iX3 production due to high demand (also in the U.S.)

September 22, 2026

BMW has increased production of the iX3 at its Debrecen plant from two to three shifts this month, effectively moving to round-the-clock manufacturing. The reason is strong demand: BMW has already said that 100,000 orders for the iX3 have been placed in Europe alone, and BMW North America is accelerating the market launch of the […]

Toyota plans 400,000 factory robots: is human workforce at risk?

September 22, 2026

Humanoid robots are reshaping the factory floor, especially in China. Toyota is joining the bandwagon, targeting 400,000 units to modernize its production infrastructure. Can the bots take over from humans? Toyota has told investors it may need 400,000 robots and roughly 1 trillion yen ($6.4 billion) a year from 2028 to upgrade its factories. The […]

Hot autumn for German car industry

September 22, 2026

Car industry workers protested across Germany on Monday, calling on management at major brands including Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz to secure jobs and provide a future outlook. Meanwhile, these important German manufacturers warn of factory closures or additional cost cuts. “Just like here at Volkswagen, workers in the automotive and supply industries are gathering all over […]

Only minor Tesla self-driving accidents in Belgium, as fatal crashes reach peak in the U.S.

September 21, 2026

Flanders Minister of Mobility, Annick De Ridder (NV-A), has published the first safety data from three months of Tesla’s supervised self-driving system on Belgian roads. The encouraging results report only five minor incidents. At the same time, FSD had its deadliest month in the US.  Since June, owners of Teslas equipped with FSD are allowed […]

The new Volvo boss will be current Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer

September 21, 2026

Skoda CEO Klaus Zellmer, who has led the Volkswagen Group subsidiary to record profits while expanding its full-electric lineup, will succeed Hakan Samuelsson as chief executive officer and president at Volvo Cars. The appointment aims to bring proven leadership in electrification and profitability as Volvo navigates intense competition in premium electric vehicles and prepares to […]

EV Belgium: ‘Belgian drivers to save €1.8 billion per year from 2030’

September 18, 2026

According to EV Belgium, Belgium’s Electric Vehicle Association, current fossil fuel pump prices demonstrate, above all, that Belgium must look beyond temporary measures when oil prices rise. For EV Belgium, this trend confirms that the transition to electric mobility is no longer merely a climate issue, but also, increasingly, a matter of purchasing power, energy […]

New Audi A4 e-tron delayed until 2029?

September 18, 2026

Audi has seemingly postponed production of the all-electric Audi A4 e-tron to the first half of 2029. The reason, once again, appears to be issues with introducing the Volkswagen Group’s new SSP electric architecture. First introduced in 1994, the Audi A4’s model history has confused some customers in recent years: Audi changed its naming convention, […]

A corruption trial started against Ghosn and Dati in Paris

September 18, 2026

Former Renault and Alliance car executive Carlos Ghosn, who faces charges of corruption and influence-peddling in France, did not appear in court in Paris at the start of his trial on Wednesday. No lawyer appeared in court on behalf of the 72-year-old, who has fled to Lebanon, where he holds citizenship. The former Renault-Nissan chief […]

“Bright future for Ghent”: Volvo confirms production volume from a second brand

September 17, 2026

Volvo’s Gent factory is saved. During the Strategy 2026 call, the carmaker has confirmed that a second brand will roll off its production lines in the near future. No concrete names were unveiled, but a Geely-model seems most likely. No factory closures The employees at Volvo Car Gent can take a sigh of relief. During […]

VW ID.3 Neo: GTX becomes GTI

September 17, 2026

Volkswagen has revealed the ID.3 GTI, based on the ID.3 Neo. When it comes to market in the spring of 2027, it will be the brand’s second electric GTI after the Polo, and the most powerful GTI ever made. It will also be the first rear-wheel-drive GTI ever. The ID.3 GTI uses VW’s MEB+ with […]

Toyota wants 76% fewer parts to increase profitability

September 17, 2026

Fierce competition in the automotive world, with Chinese brands aggressively trying to expand to the rest of the world, is forcing legacy brands to reconsider their strategies. Toyota’s new CEO, Kenta Kon, thinks he has part of the answer: fewer parts. Kon, who replaced Koji Sato earlier this year, wants to lower production costs to […]

Nissan kicks off the popular Kicks in Europe to battle the Chinese

September 17, 2026

It has sold 1.8 million units across 70 countries since it was launched ten years ago. Still, it never made it to European shores. Until now. Nissan will build the Kicks in the UK to fill the slot from the outgoing combustion-engined Juke. But it’s a different type of species. Manufactured at the Sunderland plant […]

Already 100,000 BMW iX3 orders in Europe alone

September 17, 2026

A year after the premiere of the new BMW iX3, the company has announced that 100,000 customers in Europe alone have ordered the vehicle. BMW said this is the best first-year start any of its models have ever experienced. The company also said there is strong interest in the electric car in other markets such […]

Li Auto: European debut at Paris Motor Show 2026

September 16, 2026

Chinese manufacturer Li Auto has confirmed its presence at this year’s Paris Motor Show in October. It will show the European version of its electric Li i6 SUV, and detail its further plans for the brand. There seems to be no end to the number of Chinese manufacturers wanting to expand to Europe. Next in […]

IAA: European trucks crack 700 km range but Chinese steal the limelight

September 15, 2026

The IAA Transportation in Hannover shows how quickly electric trucks are shifting gears: beyond regional deliveries into long-haul and even heavy transport. European manufacturers are pushing range and payload, but Chinese – and one famous American – newcomers are turning the technological race into a commercial battle. Change in the making Electric trucks have been […]

Stellantis’ box of tricks: BOW concept marks a logistics pivot

September 15, 2026

Stellantis Pro One revealed the autonomous BOW delivery concept at the IAA Transportation in Hannover. This delivery pod offers a glimpse of a future where selling vans and services will be replaced by a complete logistics ecosystem. The BOW, or Box On Wheels, wasn’t a surpise unveiling. Stellantis Pro One already teased the innovative concept […]

Kia’s electric van offensive moves up a size with the PV7

September 15, 2026

Fleet buyers just got a serious alternative: the Kia PV7 offers more cargo space, longer range and faster charging than current midsize rivals. The longer version taps in on the success of the PV5, which has rapidly become Europe’s best-selling small electric van. Kia has unveiled the PV7 at IAA Transportation in Hannover. The XL […]

Trump wants to allow Chinese EVs to be built in U.S. but on one condition

September 15, 2026

President Donald Trump has said in a television interview that he is prepared to allow Chinese carmakers to build electric vehicles in the United States. Yet, the US auto industry is demanding precisely the opposite: a complete legislative ban on Chinese vehicles. Is President Trump backtracking on the hardlined opposition against Chinese cars? In an […]

Renault learns ‘China speed’ just as China starts hitting the brakes

September 14, 2026

Renault will not follow Chinese rivals into ever-shorter vehicle development cycles. CEO François Provost says around two years is effectively the lower limit for an all-new platform and its first model if the French group wants to preserve proper testing, validation and quality. That is a striking line for a company that has spent the […]

Geely plans to chase BYD in Europe with 1.800 kW megawatt chargers

September 11, 2026

After BYD, Geely is joining the race to superfast charging. The company claims it is running test cars in China filling up in five minutes at 1.800 kW superchargers. Europe is also on the radar. Tesla once built an empire by selling electric cars accompanied by the charging stations that power them and that could […]

Kia launches sporty GT-versions of its EV3, EV4 and EV5

September 10, 2026

After showing its expanded electric GT line-up at the Brussels Motor Show 2026, Kia now officially launches the sportier versions of the EV3, EV4 and EV5. Kia wants to tailor to all needs with its electric vehicle line-up, from compact affordable cars like the EV2 and vans like the PV5 to big SUV’s like the […]

The China Syndrome: Ford needs Beijing more than Trump grants it

September 10, 2026

The White House thinks Ford has gone soft on Beijing. But CEO Jim Farley believes that Chinese players are ahead of the game and that you need to join them cause you can’t beat them. The paradox keeps Ford in a tight space. US Transport Secretary Sean Duffy fired off a letter this week demanding […]

VW ID. Buzz Cargo LWB: higher load volume and range

September 09, 2026

Volkswagen is preparing to launch a long-wheelbase version of its ID. Buzz Cargo. The LWB passenger version is already available, but now the van-version follows suit. At a brand event in Berlin, Volkswagen has unveiled a long wheelbase version of its electric ID. Buzz Cargo van. The longer wheelbase will bring several improvements for professional […]

Europe’s largest CO2 capture plant inaugurated in the Netherlands

September 09, 2026

The Norwegian fertilizer giant Yara inaugurated Europe’s largest CO2 capture plant on Monday in Sluiskil (the Netherlands), near the Belgian border.  The aim is to capture up to 800,000 tons of CO2 from its ammonia production every year, or about 0.5 percent of the Netherlands’ total annual emissions, and store it permanently.  The plant completes […]

Maserati in advanced talks with Chinese Huawei to build cars together

September 09, 2026

As the electric Folgore strategy has failed on the Italian trident brand, the car maker has reached out to the Chinese smart-car tech company Huawei and the manufacturer JAC to explore a collaboration. The question is what this could entail for the brand’s defined Italian luxury image, as well as its prospects on the US […]

Renault hires Nissan veteran Diernaz as new global marketing chief

September 09, 2026

Renault has appointed former Nissan and General Motors executive Jean-Pierre Diernaz as its new global marketing chief. At first sight, it looks like another management reshuffle. But Diernaz’s long Nissan history and the fact that he will report directly to Fabrice Cambolive give the appointment a broader significance. Diernaz becomes Vice-President Renault Brand Global Marketing […]

VW swaps cabriolets for air defence to save German factory

September 08, 2026

Volkswagen is preparing one of the most striking industrial conversions of Germany’s post-war era. Its Osnabrück plant, best known today for the T-Roc Cabriolet, is set to stop building cars in summer 2027 and gradually become a competence center for security and defense systems. VW has agreed key terms with the state of Lower Saxony […]

Ten-month wait for ID. Polo as VW’s cheap EV family takes off

September 08, 2026

With Volkswagen and its dealer body reporting strong demand, the new ID. Polo looks like an instant hit. The Skoda Epiq and Cupra Raval, built on the same platform, show initial signs of similar success. The launch of more affordable EV’s seems to capture the interest of European buyers. The waiting list for VW Group’s […]

New €17,900 Dacia Spring brings EV costs into Sandero territory

September 08, 2026

Dacia has officially unveiled the second-generation Spring, and the biggest change is not its tougher design or slightly longer range. Europe’s cheapest electric car is no longer a low-cost Chinese import. The new Spring will be built at Renault Group’s Novo Mesto plant in Slovenia, with an expected starting price in Europe of €17,900. Belgian […]

JLR reported to cut 4.000 jobs as part of its recovery plan

September 07, 2026

JLR is expected to announce it will cut 4.000 jobs. Although the figure has not been officially confirmed, the company behind Land Rover and Jaguar has stated it has informed employees about a voluntary redundancy program. Things have not been going smoothly for JLR, the UK’s largest car manufacturer, which employs around 30.000 people in […]

ICCT: EVs cost 33% less to drive as battery prices tumble

September 07, 2026

According to a report from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), the financial case for battery cars has tipped into positive territory across much of Europe. At the heart of the transition sit lower battery prices. As the oil market is increasingly pressurized, the cost gap with combustion engines is projected to widen further. The […]

Tesla’s Cybercab finally goes public but may not be road-legal

September 07, 2026

Tesla’s Cybercab, the pinnacle of the company’s future, has been officially revealed and put to the test in the streets of Austin. Instantly, the first problem arose: Washington isn’t convinced it’s legal. Tesla has officially put its purpose-built Cybercab robotaxi into commercial service in Austin, Texas. The company kicks off a new chapter in its […]

VW plans another 50,000 job cuts, four German plants at risk

September 04, 2026

After a months-long deadlock, Volkswagen’s supervisory board has reached a unanimous agreement on a restructuring plan for the group. On top of the previously announced 50.000 job cuts, the plan phases out an additional 50.000 jobs, and 4 German plants are set to close. With the agreement on VW CEO Oliver Blume’s ‘Future Plan 2030 ’, […]

Tesla’s magic trick: more range from poorer rubber

September 02, 2026

Last week, Tesla updated its European configurator to show a WLTP range of 572 kilometers for the base rear-wheel-drive Model 3. Up from 534 kilometers, that’s an impressive gain. Especially because no new motor or cell chemistry swap was involved. Just new shoes from an Indonesian tire manufacturer that don’t bode well, based on initial customer […]

Heylen buys Audi Brussels site for major 3,000-job redevelopment

September 01, 2026

Heylen Warehouses, the real estate arm of the family-owned industrial holding company led by the Kempen-based entrepreneur Wim Heylen, has purchased the former Audi site in the Brussels municipality of Forrest/Vorst. Financial details of the transaction have not been disclosed. The site covers approximately 55 hectares and has been vacant for a year and a […]

Stellantis reshuffles its Enlarged Europe Organization

September 01, 2026

Stellantis announces (again) new appointments within its Enlarged Europe Organization, effective September 1, as it continues executing its Fastlane 2030 strategic plan. Reporting to Emanuele Cappellano, COO Enlarged Europe, are now Arnaud Belloni, who has been appointed CEO of the FIAT, Abarth, and Lancia brands and chief marketing officer for Europe; Xavier Chardon, who has […]

Finnish Suvia buys Belgium’s largest body repair chain AutoRepairGroup

September 01, 2026

Belgium’s biggest independent body repair network is changing ownership. After a period under the umbrella of a private equity firm, AutoRepairGroup has been acquired by its Finnish peer Suvia. It reads as an early sign of a consolidation wave that will ripple through the sector as electric vehicles are rewriting the playbook. AutoRepairGroup runs fourteen […]

Renault upgrades Scenic E-Tech

September 01, 2026

Renault is upgrading the Scenic E-Tech electric with new features and services to enhance comfort, connectivity, and electric performance. With the 162 kW/220 hp motor, the Scenic E-Tech electric is now available with a choice of two new batteries offering greater range and shorter charging times at DC fast-charging points. The 89 kWh NMC (nickel-manganese-cobalt) long-range […]

BMW delays agency sales again: if it works for MINI, why wait until 2028?

September 01, 2026

BMW is reportedly postponing the introduction of its agency sales model in Germany until mid-2028, more than two years later than originally planned. That seems strange, as BMW continues to insist that the same model is working successfully at MINI. The explanation may be that MINI demonstrated both the potential and the complexity of taking […]

BYD profits rise for first time in five quarters as overseas sales surge

August 31, 2026

After four straight quarters of decline, BYD has managed to reverse the trend. The world’s largest EV maker, which was struggling in an overheated home market, posted a second-quarter net profit of 8.2 billion yuan (roughly 1.05 billion euros). That is a 30 percent year-on-year jump and the first time profitability has risen since early […]

VW’s smallest EV will be named ID. Up

August 31, 2026

Volkswagen’s planned electric small car for 2027, with a projected base price of around €20,000, will be called ID. Up, not ID.1, according to a Spanish media report. The publication writes that VW has already finalized the model’s name as ID. Up. The specifications of the new ID. Up are expected to largely match those […]

Lotus’s electric revolution is over, now comes the rescue plan

August 28, 2026

Lotus is growing again, but its latest half-year results also confirm how radically the British sports-car brand has had to rewrite its future. Deliveries rose 39% in the first half of 2026, yet Europe went backward, losses remain heavy, and the parent company, Geely, has had to inject another $128 million. The all-electric revolution is over. […]

BMW sold 2 million BEVs and 3.5 million electrified vehicles

August 27, 2026

BMW’s Neue Klasse is apparently providing strong momentum for fully electric vehicle sales.  Two million BEVs have been handed over to customers since sales of the very first BMW i3 launched in late 2013. Including plug-in hybrids, BMW has delivered around 3.5 million electrified vehicles to customers worldwide since 2013. In the first half of […]

Honda won’t build a new US factory without USMCA agreement

August 27, 2026

The consequences of the upcoming trade war between the US and Canada are already showing. A senior Honda executive said the Japanese automaker might not build an eighth assembly plant in North America unless a key trade deal (USMCA) is extended. The Trump administration is currently negotiating with Canada and Mexico over the fate of […]

Geely is developing a 1,000-volt architecture for shorter charging times

August 27, 2026

Geely is developing a new 1,000-volt architecture for electric cars to further reduce charging times. The Chinese group has already installed charging points with peak outputs of up to 1,500 kW. Its latest charging tests show just how quickly its current models can recharge. In its current electric vehicles, Geely is increasingly adopting 800-volt technology. […]

Xiaomi shifts into gear for 2027 assault on Europe’s premium car elite

August 27, 2026

Xiaomi has taken another concrete step towards becoming a global carmaker. The tech giant, often referred to as the ‘Chinese Apple’, has launched a dedicated international website and overseas social-media channels for Xiaomi Auto. The site is explicitly stating that its cars are “officially coming to Europe in 2027”. More tellingly, the site already includes […]

Canada-US trade deal has faltered; tariff threats swing back and forth (update)

August 26, 2026

US President Donald Trump said on Monday he will raise US tariffs on all Canadian-made cars, trucks, and auto parts to 50%, effective Jan. 1, after talks with Canada collapsed over the weekend. The deal on the table would have cut the tariff on Canadian light-duty vehicles from 25% to 15%, and the metals tariff […]

Hyundai goes all-out: 41 European launches in global product blitz

August 26, 2026

Hyundai is preparing the biggest product offensive in its history, with more than 100 launches and model updates planned worldwide by 2030, including 41 for Europe alone. But behind the headline lies a more interesting strategy: the Korean group no longer wants to bet on a single drivetrain everywhere. North America will lean on hybrids, […]

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