July 30, 2025
Our assumptions earlier today that François Provost would be nominated as the new CEO of the Renault Group have been confirmed. The official announcement came late in the afternoon. “The Renault Group Board of Directors, meeting today (Wednesday, July 30) under the chairmanship of Jean-Dominique Senard, decided, following recommendation from the Governance and Remuneration Committee, […]
July 30, 2025
An analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) of CO2 fleet emissions for new cars in H1 of 2025 shows that the car industry currently exceeds the EU limit by nine percent. This breach should actually trigger fines payable to the European Union. Due to the recent flexibilisation, that will not happen. The […]
July 30, 2025
Every category of commercial vehicles has faced negative results in the first half of 2025 in Europe. Vans and trucks suffered the most, but buses have remained relatively stable, thanks to their large share of electrification. However, the sector warns that the conditions are still not suitable for the mass adoption of electrified heavy commercial […]
July 30, 2025
According to Bloomberg and Le Figaro, the Renault board will announce today that François Provost, Chief Purchasing Officer at Renault, will be appointed to a new position as CEO of the Renault Group, in succession to Luca de Meo, who left the group suddenly to lead the Kering luxury group. One could say that Provost […]
July 29, 2025
Global sales of electric cars are picking up speed again, driven by strong growth in China and renewed momentum in Europe, according to a new analysis by consulting firm PwC. In the first half of the year, more than 5.9 million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were registered worldwide, a 37% increase compared to the same […]
July 29, 2025
It was already known that the Flemish government provides compensation support to major CO2 emitters. But according to the newspaper De Standaard, that support has increased from 36 million euros in 2019 to almost 270 million euros today. The top 10 beneficiaries include large companies, such as ArcelorMittal, BASF, ExxonMobil, and TotalEnergies. The support concerns the […]
July 29, 2025
Stellantis has lured away Gilles Vidal, design chief at Renault, from its main French competitor. As head of design, Vidal will oversee the future design steps for all the European brands, including LCVs, at Stellantis. The move, announced last Friday, is a homecoming for Vidal, who spent 25 years as a designer at Citroën and […]
July 29, 2025
The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) has extended its partnership with the all-electric racing series Formula E by ten years. Formula E will thus remain the exclusive, fully electric, single-seater category with FIA World Championship status, at least until 2048. While manufacturers and fans are mainly looking ahead to the next season starting in December […]
July 28, 2025
The German parcel and postal group DHL has doubled its fleet of electric Ford vans with the addition of 2,400 units, bringing the total to 4,900 vehicles. In total, DHL has a fleet of 35,000 e-vans in Germany. Both the larger Ford E-Transit and the more compact E-Transit Custom are part of this new expansion. […]
July 28, 2025
Qatar is threatening to stop gas supplies to the European Union. The threat comes in response to the European duty of care law on forced labor and environmental damage. This is evident from a letter from Qatar to the Belgian government, which was seen by Reuters news agency. Qatar is the world’s third-largest exporter of […]
July 28, 2025
In the second quarter of 2025, Volkswagen Group recorded a profit of €2.3 billion, a 36.3% drop compared to April-June 2024. It has obliged the group to revise its forecasts, and Europe’s number one cr manufacturer now foresees a profit margin between 4 and 5% instead of the 5.5-6.5% margin previewed earlier. Turnover for 2025 […]
July 28, 2025
The long-awaited trade deal between the European Union and the U.S. was concluded yesterday. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. President Trump found an agreement when they met in Scotland. The general import tariff in the U.S. for the EU will be fixed at 15%. According to von der Leyen, the 15% […]
July 25, 2025
BMW is installing a new electrical steel strip from steel specialist Voestalpine in the electric motors of its ‘Neue Klasse’. A cooperation agreement for this important component has been established between Voestalpine in Linz, Austria, and BMW, with the assembly to take place at BMW’s Steyr plant. Steyr is home to the BMW Group’s largest […]
July 25, 2025
Car manufacturer Stellantis, with brands such as Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, Jeep, and Fiat, will cease production of combustion engines at its Douvrin facility in the northern French department of Pas-de-Calais. The approximately 350 employees at the site will be transferred to the nearby ACC gigafactory, a joint venture for battery production, or to other sites […]
July 25, 2025
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized plans, according to the German newspaper Bild, that the European Union is working on prohibiting car-rental firms and large corporations from buying non-electric vehicles for their fleets starting in 2030. The European plan is still a proposal and draws inspiration from Belgian regulations that stipulate that by 2026, all new […]
July 24, 2025
The Board of directors of the Belgian public railroad company NMBS/SNCB has finally chosen Spanish train builder CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) as the preferred bidder for the supply of new train carriages. It concerns a contract for up to 600 new train sets by 2034, for an estimated sum of between €1.7 billion […]
July 24, 2025
After launching the Rally version, Opel has now unveiled the production Mokka GSE. It features the same 280-hp electric drivetrain from its Peugeot, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, and Abarth cousins, with a sporty appearance and the bright yellow flashes that are typical for the brand. Stellantis initially offered its punchy 280-hp electric motor only on the […]
July 23, 2025
Energy and petrochemical company Shell has left the Science-Based Targets Initiative. This non-profit organization assists companies worldwide in developing strategies to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 and combat the dangers of global warming. “Science-based targets show businesses how much and how quickly they need to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to prevent the worst effects […]
July 23, 2025
Following a second quarter that met analysts’ expectations, General Motors has confirmed its 2025 forecast, including the impact of the Trump administration’s import tariffs. In the second quarter of this year, turnover was $47.1 billion (-1.8%), while the net profit decreased by 35.4% to $1.89 billion. The manufacturer has estimated the impact of the import […]
July 23, 2025
Renault Group’s global sales increased by 1.3% in the first half of 2025, with passenger car sales in Europe up 5.4% in a flat market, the automaker announced on Tuesday. In Europe, Renault’s sales increased by 8.4% to 394,278 units, Dacia’s sales rose by 1.1% to 308,957, and Alpine’s sales jumped 89% to 4,871 units. […]
July 22, 2025
The Belgian government is proposing a 61 million euro rescue package for Lineas, Europe’s largest private rail freight operator. Without that convertible loan, a loan that can be converted into shares of the company, bankruptcy is looming for the Belgian company. The loan will be made through SFPIM, the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Belgium. That […]
July 22, 2025
With domestic sales already declining after the initial surge, Hyundai is targeting Europe and North America as the primary markets for its new flagship three-row electric SUV, the Ioniq 9. The first models have now arrived on European shores. Hyundai first unveiled its Ioniq 9 in November 2024, while the full-size electric SUV made its […]
July 22, 2025
Jaguar Land Rover is postponing the launch of its upcoming all-electric models, including the Range Rover Electric. According to The Guardian, an English newspaper, deliveries originally planned for the end of 2025 will now not commence until 2026, with Jaguar also experiencing delays. JLR will launch its first fully electric models from its own production […]
July 22, 2025
Stellantis reported a preliminary net loss of €2.3 billion for the first six months. The company expects a greater impact from the US tariffs on vehicle and auto parts imports in the second half of the year. Stellantis also explained that President Donald Trump’s tariffs had cost it €300 million so far, as the company […]
July 18, 2025
Yesterday, Volvo Cars reported a group operating profit (EBIT) of SEK -10.0 billion for the second quarter of 2025. This is due to the challenging automotive market and the Trump administration’s import tariffs. That’s why Volvo will also build its XC60 best-seller in the U.S. “The result reflects a continued challenging environment for the automotive […]
July 17, 2025
A recent long-term test by Germany’s largest automobile club, ADAC, provides a reassuring answer on the long-term health of a popular fully electric car, the Volkswagen ID.3. After putting the electric hatchback through a four-year, 160,000 km endurance test, the results look very promising. The key finding was remarkable: the high-voltage battery still had a […]
July 17, 2025
France is heading towards a fourth lawsuit in the Dieselgate saga. After Volkswagen, Peugeot-Citroën, and Renault, it’s Fiat-Chrysler’s turn to be investigated for fraudulent software in some of their diesel cars. The manufacturer contests “the entire jurisdictional argumentation”. Fiat-Chrysler is suspected of having commercialised between 2014 and 2017 diesel vehicles of the brands Fiat, Alfa […]
July 17, 2025
Renault Group has named its recently appointed CFO, Duncan Minto, as interim CEO to replace Luca de Meo, who is leaving the automaker to run the luxury group Kering. Minto will run the company alongside Renault Group Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard, Renault said in a news release on July 15. It said the search for a […]
July 15, 2025
System operator Elia has put the finishing touches to the high-voltage BRABO III grid. The new grid is almost complete with the completion of mast number 58. It should be effectively powered by early 2026, which will support industry in the Port of Antwerp. “This reinforcement is necessary because demand for electricity in the port […]
July 15, 2025
According to the analysis of sector federations Febiac and Traxio, the Belgian car market saw 608,426 cars sold in the first half of 2025. 234,616 of them were new ones (-10.9%), 373,810 were second-hand (+0.9%). In both markets, electrification evolves further. BMW and Dacia are the winners when looking at the specific models. With the […]
July 14, 2025
The Traton Group, Volkswagen Group’s heavy commercial vehicle subsidiary, has reported a slightly positive sales result for Q2 2025. A total of 80,000 vehicles were sold, compared to 79,000 units in Q2 2024, but the first half of 2025 stays in the red, and the market remains uncertain, not just in the US. Traton Group […]
July 14, 2025
Volkswagen and SAIC close their joint plant in Nanjing, China. Production has already come to a standstill. In Nanjing, the partners had mainly built combustion models such as the VW Passat and Skoda Superb. Production is now moving to a nearby plant. There had already been rumors last year about the closure of the plant […]
July 14, 2025
The Paris prosecutor’s office has asked for a third lawsuit in the so-called dieselgate scandal. After Volkswagen and Peugeot-Citroën (part of Stellantis now), it’s Renault’s turn. The French manufacturer denies any infringement. Renault has supposedly “specially calibrated” Euro 5 and Euro 6 vehicles sold between 2009 and 2017 to pass the legal tests, but they […]
July 11, 2025
There’s a scientific consensus that electric vehicles are the cleanest form of propulsion. A new study by the International Council on Clean Transportation now shows that their climate advantage is growing faster than previously assumed. Today’s EVs sold in Europe emit 73% fewer greenhouse gases over their lifetime compared to petrol cars. The reason is […]
July 11, 2025
Hyundai presented the new Ioniq 6 N at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex, England. This marks Hyundai’s second high-performance EV following the Ioniq 5. In terms of technical specifications, the performance offshoot of the Ioniq 6 offers an output of 478 kW and 770 Nm of torque (with N Grin Boost), 175 […]
July 11, 2025
German car manufacturer BMW Group reported a 0.5% decline in sales for the first half of the year, marking a positive sign amid the country’s ongoing automotive sector crisis, which is being intensified by competition from China. The group clearly increased EV sales, but the growth in this area is slowing. The premium carmaker, which […]
July 10, 2025
The Mazda 6 was briefly absent from the European market. At the beginning of the year, the fully electric successor made its European debut at the Brussels Motor Show. This second half of the year, it comes into the market, and we were able to drive it. The newcomer is based on the Chinese Chang’an […]
July 10, 2025
The Volkswagen Group recorded 465,500 BEV deliveries worldwide in the first half of 2025, 47% more than in the same period of last year. The VW Group’s electric cars were in demand in the USA and especially in Europe; however, there was a sharp decline in China. The 465,500 electric cars delivered in the first […]
July 09, 2025
Kia has confirmed plans for a sub-€25,000 electric city car as part of its upcoming EV line-up, alongside a next-generation SDV platform and range-extender technology for larger models. The brand continues to balance EVs, hybrids, and combustion engines to meet global demand. Kia is preparing an entry-level electric city car to launch before the end […]
July 09, 2025
Walloon industrial group John Cockerill has received approval from the Belfort Commercial Court for its acquisition of McPhy. That French company produces electrolyzers to produce green hydrogen, which can be used, among other things, as fuel for various modes of transportation. With the acquisition, John Cockerill Hydrogen aims to create a world champion in hydrogen […]
July 08, 2025
According to a new study by the clean transport and energy lobbying group Transport & Environment (T&E), the European car industry, which is responsible for €330 billion of the EU’s GDP and employs three million people directly or indirectly, faces an agonizing choice. It can boost and ramp up EV production with proper EU support, […]
July 07, 2025
On Saturday, tech billionaire and Tesla-boss Elon Musk announced the creation of a new political party in the United States on X: the America Party. President Trump touts Musk’s move as “ridiculous” and says her former best ‘buddy’ has gone “completely off the rails”. Musk says he wants to wipe out the Republicans and Democrats […]
July 04, 2025
BMW is gearing up to launch production of its ‘Neue Klasse’ series of vehicles. In September, at the IAA, the iX3 will be launched as the first vehicle of this class. To meet nearly the entire global demand for electric drives, BMW’s factory in Steyr was upgraded to produce both combustion engines and electric drives. […]
July 04, 2025
Changan Automobile, one of China’s largest state-owned automakers, is accelerating its push into Europe. The carmaker has confirmed its intention to build its first manufacturing facility on the continent as part of a broader strategy to grow its electric vehicle footprint. The mounting trade barriers have persuaded the carmaker to localize operations. “We are committed […]
July 04, 2025
The recall problems at Stellantis don’t stop. Following issues with the PureTech gasoline engines and Takata airbags, the manufacturer is forced to recall nearly a million cars equipped with the 1.5 BlueHDi diesel engine. The timing chain has flaws and is prone to failure, which can potentially lead to an engine breakdown. Some 930,700 vehicles […]
July 03, 2025
Polestar is staking its European future on a new production strategy that focuses on local manufacturing for regional markets. The Swedish electric performance brand, owned by China’s Geely, confirmed this week that its upcoming Polestar 7 will roll off the lines at Volvo Cars’ under-construction factory in Košice, Slovakia. The 7 marks the premium brand’s […]
July 03, 2025
More than three years after the car carrier Felicity Ace vanished beneath the Atlantic with nearly 4,000 luxury vehicles on board, a German court has begun hearing what could become a landmark test of who’s responsible for the risks of electric vehicle logistics. The trial, which opened this week in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, pits the […]
July 03, 2025
Stellantis is warning of potential factory closures across Europe as the automaker struggles to align with the European Union’s increasingly stringent CO₂ emissions targets. The alarm was sounded this week by Jean-Philippe Imparato, the group’s Europe chief, who described the situation as “just months away from a drama” if no regulatory adjustments are made before […]
July 03, 2025
On Wednesday, 2 July, the Belgian Federal Minister of Mobility, Climate, and Ecological Transition, Jean-Luc Crucke, and the Mayor of Bornem, Greet De Bruyn, accompanied BMW Group Belux CEO Alexander Wehr to leave an ‘imprint’ at the launch of the rebuild of BMW’s headquarters in Bornem. The plans were announced at the end of 2023 […]
July 02, 2025
In June 2025, the figures of the federal service Mobility & Transport and Febiac show a 16.4% decrease in registrations in Belgium and Luxembourg, with 41,527 newly registered cars. Cumulatively, 234,616 cars were newly registered during the first six months of 2025, representing a 10.9% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. Noticeable is […]
July 01, 2025
Mitsubishi Motors aims to sell 75,000 to 80,000 vehicles annually in Europe, a gain of 20 to 30 percent over last year, with the help of two new Renault-sourced models that arrive in 2025, regional CEO Frank Krol told the specialized magazine Automotive News Europe. It’s also thinking of (re)introducing some of its own Japanese […]
July 01, 2025
Volkswagen has increased its stake in US partner Rivian. A second payment of one billion US dollars (approximately €850 million) became due on June 30, following Rivian’s achievement of the targets agreed upon in the contract. Meanwhile, the group also thinks about a new ‘Nova’ platform for its ICE/PHEV luxury and supercars. VW had invested […]
June 30, 2025
Frédéric Dunon, the CEO of the high-voltage grid operator Elia, warns that if the government does not intervene, the electricity supply will be compromised by 2035. “A clear energy strategy is urgently needed,” he says. “We need to know which energy mix we want: do we want more offshore wind energy, more nuclear energy, and […]
June 30, 2025
BMW has to recall more than 70,000 electric vehicles in the U.S. due to a software issue with the electric motor. It could lead to a sudden loss of propulsion while driving, increasing the risk of an accident. The i4, i5, i7, and iX model series are affected. As is customary in the United States, […]
June 27, 2025
Tesla has dismissed one of its most senior executives amid its sales debacle and growing unease over CEO Elon Musk’s polarizing public profile. Omead Afshar, a long-time confidant of Musk and head of operations for North America and Europe, was quietly let go, according to Forbes. The departure reflects deepening turbulence within the electric vehicle […]
June 27, 2025
Mercedes-AMG has presented the CONCEPT AMG GT XX, a technology platform featuring axial flux motors and a newly developed high-voltage battery. Delivering over 1,000 kW of system output, the concept previews a fully electric four-door performance model scheduled for series production in 2026, based on the AMG.EA platform. “The CONCEPT AMG GT XX is the […]
June 26, 2025
Walloon industrial group John Cockerill has completed a 166 million euros capital increase. With that much-needed money, it intends to pursue its strategic development plan around hydrogen, and thus the production of its electrolyzers. Among others, the semi-public investment company SFPIM and gas grid operator Fluxys are stepping into the project. John Cockerill Hydrogen had […]
June 26, 2025
According to the data of the European car manufacturers’ association, ACEA, new car registrations increased by 1.6% in May, compared to the same month last year. EV sales rose 25% last month. For the first five months, there was a slight decrease of 0.6% due to fewer sales in the first three months of this […]
June 25, 2025
The French government has ordered the immediate immobilization of 800,000 additional vehicles because of the presence of possibly lethal Takata airbags. All car brands are involved in the massive and urgent recall that is now needed. Last week, French car manufacturer Citroën initiated a ‘stop drive’ for all its C3 and DS3 models produced between […]
June 25, 2025
Renault is gathering its collection of historic vehicles, artworks, and archival documents in a new exhibition center outside Paris, at the landmark Flins site, set to open in 2027. The public will be able to explore the brand’s unique heritage through tours and themed exhibitions. This ambitious project aims to showcase the brand’s 125-year history […]
