July 29, 2024
In the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, Mercedes-Benz Group sold 496,700 vehicles, 3.7% less than in the same period last year. The company blames decreased demand for electric vehicles and reduced sales in China for this decrease. Mercedes’s revenue decreased from €38.24 billion to €36.74 billion (-3.9%) in the same period. Earnings before Interest and […]
July 29, 2024
German automotive supplier ZF Friedrichshafen AG will cut 11 to 14,000 jobs from its current domestic workforce of 54,000 by 2028 “to respond to the changes in the mobility sector, particularly in electromobility.” That will be “difficult but necessary,” ZF CEO Holger Klein said in a statement last week. In the future, its German locations […]
July 26, 2024
Toyota has engaged in a pilot program with Coca-Cola and Air Liquide to test its hydrogen fuel cells in a heavy-duty transport application. Toyota provides Coca-Cola with the converted truck for long-distance logistics operations, while Air Liquide provides the renewable hydrogen. Last year, Toyota showed the first of its hydrogen fuel cell-converted DAF trucks provided […]
July 26, 2024
As ACEA President Luca de Meo emitted the thought a few days ago, banning ICE cars as of 2035, a requirement imposed by the EU, is getting complicated. Now he says there has been a ‘misunderstanding’ and that he stays “hyper-confident that electric drive will be the dominant technology in Europe and is the best […]
July 25, 2024
Farizon, Geely’s commercial vehicle brand, has unveiled its ‘Black Tortoise Battery’. It’s a battery pack specially designed for light commercial vehicles, with a low pack height and, more importantly, a long-lasting service life of ten years, or the equivalent of 800,000 km. This new battery pack will be introduced to Farizon’s V7E and V6E models, […]
July 25, 2024
Ford’s energy transition has been challenging. Until now, America’s number two carmaker has lost money. Nevertheless, CEO Jim Farley says it will adapt its strategy and not change its vision on EVs. In Q2 2024, Ford lost $1.14 billion on its electric activities, which were compensated by good sales of all kinds of ICE vehicles […]
July 25, 2024
The Kia EV6 was updated in May and is available at the end of July. However, the Korean brand reserved the most powerful and sporty GT version for later this year. Unsurprisingly, the future revamped EV6 GT will get a new front fascia, rear bumper, and, more importantly, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N’s virtual transmission. […]
July 25, 2024
General Motors has once again postponed the start of production of the electric pickups Chevrolet Silverado EV and the GMC Sierra EV. They won’t roll off the production line until mid-2026, about one and a half years later than initially planned. The Cruise Origin robotaxi has been scrapped altogether. General Motors had already rescheduled production […]
July 25, 2024
Renault Group and the government of Slovenia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to produce the next all-electric Twingo in the automaker’s factory in Novo Mesto starting in 2026. Renault CEO Luca de Meo has said the new Twingo is expected to sell for less than €20,000. It will replace the current model, which […]
July 24, 2024
Kodiak, a US-based start-up specializing in autonomous driving tech for heavy trucks, has made its first real-world driverless delivery by hauling a load of sand for Atlas Energy Solutions on dirt roads in West Texas. By early next year, these driverless trucks should do these sand runs 24/7. Kodiak was founded in 2018 by Don […]
July 24, 2024
German carmaker Volkswagen and Chinese partner Xpeng are broadening their collaboration on an electric vehicle platform for China. Their development will be used on specific Chinese market cars as well as models based on VW’s MEB platform. In April, both partners announced that Xpeng’s in-house developed E/E Architecture (integrated software and hardware) would be integrated […]
July 24, 2024
In the first half of the year (H1), the market for new cars in Belgium and Luxembourg shrank by 0.4%, with 263,408 registered new cars compared to 264,475 in 2023. 24.5% of them, or 64,429 units, were BEVs. While EVs are losing momentum in the EU, primarily due to the German market’s aversion to battery […]
July 24, 2024
Cadillac has revealed the Sollei Concept, an exquisite two-door convertible that is, in fact, a Celestiq, Cadillac’s new high-luxury limousine, minus a roof and two doors. Once heralded as one of the premier luxury marques worldwide, Cadillac’s status faltered as its cars increasingly shared parts with other, more common General Motors vehicles. That is set […]
July 23, 2024
Boeing’s 777X, the biggest dual-engine commercial airplane in the world, is expected to fly through the skies starting in 2025. The American aircraft manufacturer also expects that the global fleet of commercial aircraft will grow to more than 50,000 aircraft in 20 years, about double its current fleet. Major competitor Airbus is not sitting idle […]
July 23, 2024
Ford of Europe initially wanted to sell only EVs in Europe by 2030. The US carmaker now says it will continue to offer combustion engine vehicles and hybrids, citing the slowing EV uptake in Europe as the main reason for this. Marin Gjaja, COO of Ford’s Model E electrification division, spoke to the British magazine […]
July 22, 2024
The European Union and Serbia have signed an agreement to cooperate on lithium extraction and the production of batteries for electric cars. On Friday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic signed a partnership agreement with the EU to supply strategic raw materials. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was also present. Serbia wants to allow carmakers Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and […]
July 22, 2024
For years, EVs have been in a state of grace. For different reasons, this is over now. Electric vehicles, especially in the United States, are in for more challenging times. Even more so if a certain Mr. Trump gets elected again. There are multiple reasons for that. The rise of the electric vehicle may have […]
July 22, 2024
Almost two weeks ago, the management of the Audi Brussels plant called for an extraordinary works council and announced ‘the restructuring intention’ for the plant. The current production of the Q8 e-tron will be stopped before the end of 2026, and almost half of the workforce (1,410) will already lose their jobs this year, probably […]
July 22, 2024
Smart isn’t abandoning its city car roots. After concentrating on larger electric SUVs with the recent #1, #3, and #5, the Chinese-German company is considering a successor for the ForTwo and maybe even the roadster. In an interview, Smart Europe CEO says the brand is “working on it.” That being said, Smart isn’t willing to […]
July 19, 2024
Renault named former Ferrari executive Philippe Krief CTO, replacing Gilles Le Borgne. Meanwhile, the group sold 1.9% more vehicles worldwide in the first half of 2024 (H1) and 6.7% more in Europe. Krief, currently already CEO of Renault’s Alpine sports and racing brand, will take on the role on Sept. 1 and report to CEO […]
July 19, 2024
According to the European Car Manufacturers Association (ACEA) data, EU car registrations increased by 4.3% in June and 4.7% for the first half of this year. The share of battery-electric vehicles decreased from 15.1% last year to 14.4% last month. The June 2024 increase in car registrations was driven by gains in three out of […]
July 19, 2024
Volvo Cars has partnered with Hubject, a specialist in OEM and charging point interoperability, to enable Plug&Charge compatibility in its fully electric vehicles. The EX90 SUV will become the first Volvo to feature Plug&Charge, with other electric models to follow. Plug&Charge is the official standard that allows electric vehicles to recharge at a charging point […]
July 18, 2024
Renault Trucks’ prototype for a safer, fully electric low-entry delivery truck, Oxygen, is entering a new test phase. After starting trials in Lyon and Paris, the French truck manufacturer has signed a partnership with Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo and its transport supplier SVZ to test the Oxygen prototype in Amsterdam. The Renault Trucks Oxygen is […]
July 17, 2024
Two sources with knowledge of the matter said the European Commission has signaled to Volkswagen and BMW that it may consider lowering tariffs on their imports of China-made EVs. The sources said the Commission is willing to classify the two automakers as so-called cooperating companies, making them eligible for a 20.8 % additional tariff on […]
July 17, 2024
MG Motor, a brand of the Chinese manufacturer SAIC, is considering Galicia in northwest Spain as the location for its planned European factory. The decision is expected by the end of September, but other locations are also being considered. As the Spanish portal Europa Press reports, citing sources within the company, the region of Galicia […]
July 16, 2024
Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicles (PBV) are coming closer to fruition. From next year, the Korean manufacturer will launch its mid-size electric PV5 van on the European market, which targets a range of around 400 km and which will be available in both passenger and cargo versions. Eventually, a full range of 5 PBVs will be […]
July 16, 2024
Volkswagen subsidiary PowerCo wants to industrialize solid-state batteries and use the technology of US specialist QuantumScape. The companies have agreed to “industrialize QuantumScape’s next-generation solid-state lithium-metal battery technology.” The VW battery subsidiary and QuantumScape know each other well. They have had a joint venture since mid-2018, which will now be replaced by the new agreement. […]
July 15, 2024
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has decided to remove five’ zero-profit’ Jaguars from its lineup this year. The F-Pace SUV will be the only Jaguar to remain in production from the brand’s current lineup as the brand transitions to luxury EVs. CEO Adrian Mardell told investors that JLR will boost its margin after cutting five models […]
July 15, 2024
The launch of VW’s electric Golf successor, the ID. Golf will be postponed by 15 months to 2029. Large parts of the SSP vehicle architecture will be rolled out later than planned. According to the German publication Manager Magazin, this applies, in particular, to VW’s vehicle models and Audi in some cases. Therefore, the volume […]
July 12, 2024
Fresh Belgian ‘formateur’ Bart De Wever (N-VA) has informed Engie that he wants to put “maximum” effort into nuclear energy, writes the business newspaper De Tijd. The intention is to keep Doel 4 and Tihange 3 open longer than the 10-year extension negotiated by the previous Vivaldi government. Whether Engie will comply with the request […]
July 12, 2024
One of the big stars of Fiat’s 125th birthday event was the new Grande Panda. It’s a small hatchback with rugged crossover styling that will be the first of a new generation of models for the Stellantis brand. Fiat CEO Olivier François said it will debut as a sub-€25,000 EV. The Grande Panda was recently […]
July 12, 2024
The new MG Cyber GTS charged up the show at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed on Thursday. MG unveiled its new two-door electric sports car, a hardtop variant of its Cyberster EV. In China, the new EV is already being compared to Porsche’s iconic 911. After the Goodwood Festival of Speed officially kicked off […]
July 12, 2024
The US Department of Energy announced $1.7 billion in grant awards today to help automakers keep eleven troubled manufacturing plants open and start building EVs there. The 11 selected plants are located in eight different states and have been designated as “shuttered or at-risk” facilities. These plants were either recently shut down by car manufacturers […]
July 11, 2024
Chinese car manufacturing group Geely’s Polestar daughter will again be very present at the coming Goodwood Festival of Speed. It’s not only showing its expanded model line-up with the new Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 joining the Polestar 2. The star of the show is the Polestar 6 Concept BST, making its global debut at […]
July 11, 2024
With 179,557 fully electric vehicles delivered, the BMW brand achieved a +34.1% increase in BEV sales in the first half of 2024 compared to the previous year. Overall, the BMW brand grew by +2.3% compared to the previous year’s period, with 1,096,486 units sold in the year’s first half. The brand thereby gained market share […]
July 11, 2024
French rail group Alstom has signed a €2,8 billion framework contract with German public transport company Hamburger Hochbahn. The contract includes the supply of 374 new metro trains for fully automated or semi-automated operation for Hamburg’s city metro. The DT6 metros will be produced at Alstom’s Salzgitter site in Germany starting in 2026. The first […]
July 11, 2024
Ford has revived the Capri name for a sportier coupé-style version of its new Explorer full-electric SUV based on the Volkswagen-sourced MEB platform. The new Capri, unveiled on July 10th, will be built in Ford’s factory in Cologne, Germany. Prices in Belgium start at €47,750 for the basic 125 kW RWD version with a 52 […]
July 11, 2024
Electra, the European specialist in fast chargers for electric vehicles, and Uber, the largest ride-hailing platform in Belgium, have entered into a partnership on fast chargers. Together, they want to accelerate the transition to electric driving. Throughout Belgium, drivers who use the Uber platform will be able to charge faster and cheaper with Electra. They […]
July 10, 2024
According to the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), if lawmakers set content requirements, the auto industry can become a leading market for low-carbon steel production in Europe. Steel made with green hydrogen and electric arc furnaces, or produced from scrap, can reduce the CO2 emissions of producing cars in Europe by 6.9 Mt in 2030, […]
July 09, 2024
ArcelorMittal has started a pilot project at its Ghent plant to convert captured carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide (CO) for reuse in the production process. For this, the steel giant is teaming up with D-CRBN, an Antwerp-based climate technology company that developed a plasma reactor that breaks down CO2 into CO and oxygen (02). […]
July 09, 2024
Mercedes-Benz has opened the eCampus at its headquarters in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim, Germany. The manufacturer will pool battery research to develop innovative high-performance cells and new manufacturing processes. By doing so, Mercedes wants to reduce battery costs by more than 30%. Ola Källenius, the Mercedes CEO himself, kicked things off at the opening of the eCampus, evoking […]
July 09, 2024
Less than six months after the latest update with the Glory Edition, Chinese EV maker BYD beefs up its popular Dolphin hatchback in its homeland with a bigger 48 kWh or 60.48 kWh battery for more range without raising prices. Meanwhile, the 700,000th Dolphin has rolled off production lines. Like the Glory Edition, the Dolphin […]
July 08, 2024
The insolvent electric car manufacturer Fisker wants to sell off the stock of its Ocean e-SUV for just 2,500 to 16,500 dollars per vehicle. Meanwhile, existing Ocean owners are seeking legal advice to keep their cars running. Fisker hopes to sell off its entire inventory of remaining Oceans in a deal that would bring the […]
July 08, 2024
Chinese premium EV maker NIO has set up a joint lab with Belgian Solvay-split-off Syensqo to explore more advanced materials for electric vehicles. The lab was established at the Nio Nanxiang delivery center in Jiading, Shanghai, and announced on the occasion of Syenqo’s CEO Ilham Kadri’s visit. Syensqo is a Belgian multinational materials company established […]
July 08, 2024
Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD once again achieved record sales of vehicles with alternative drive systems in June. However, while fewer all-electric vehicles were sold than in May, BYD’s plug-in hybrids achieved a new record. Meanwhile, the world’s biggest producer of electrified vehicles keeps expanding its production network. It opened plants in Thailand and Uzbekistan, […]
July 05, 2024
Ferrari has introduced a new warranty scheme for owners of its plug-in hybrid models to preserve battery performance. Customers can opt-in for a yearly fee, which not only extends the warranty of the entire vehicle but also gives them a ‘free’ battery replacement at 8 and 16 years, with future upgrades also on the cards. […]
July 05, 2024
The EU Commission has imposed the announced special tariffs on imported electric vehicles from China, effective 5 July, but these are still provisional. Talks with the Chinese government are still ongoing. There have also been slight changes to the tariff rates for individual manufacturers. With the provisional special duties that have now been imposed, the […]
July 04, 2024
Ineos Automotive, part of the chemical industry giant Ineos Group, is delaying its Fusilier battery-electric SUV. It cites waning consumer demand for EVs and uncertainty around tariffs as the leading causes. Production of the Fusilier, a smaller vehicle than the Grenadier 4×4, which the company started selling last year, had been expected to begin in […]
July 03, 2024
Belgian industrial group John Cockerill has completed the acquisition of Arquus, a French manufacturer of armored vehicles. Arquus, formerly Renault Trucks Defense, previously belonged to Swedish bus and truck maker Volvo Group. The deal reportedly involves about 300 million euros. Arquus has 1,200 employees who make armored vehicles for the armies of some 60 countries […]
July 03, 2024
The US-based hydrogen truck manufacturer Hyzon is narrowing its focus further on North America. After shutting down its European production facility in the Netherlands, the company plans to leave the Australian market, one of the most significant contributors to its revenue, to focus on the North American waste truck business instead. The road ahead continues […]
July 02, 2024
Ampere, Renault Group’s electric vehicle department, has secured the supply of lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries from LG Energy Solution and CATL. These cheaper batteries will be used from 2026 in a cell-to-pack configuration to lower the purchase price of the group’s electric models and sell sub-€20,000 EVs. Until now, Renault has only used nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries […]
July 01, 2024
In 2030, one in three cars sold worldwide will be Chinese, compared to one in five today. Chinese brands are well underway to catch 33% of the global car market by then, according to a study by financial advisory and international consulting firm AlixPartners. “The 21st edition of the AlixPartners Global Automotive Outlook finds Chinese […]
July 01, 2024
As a ‘lifelong petrolhead’ (his words), Ford CEO Jim Farley has just recently posted an insightful ode to electric vehicles. In an opinion piece on social media, he shared a fresh and inspiring perspective about his newfound love for electric cars. As a self-described ‘lifelong petrolhead’ with a career in the automotive business (mainly Toyota […]
July 01, 2024
Mercedes-Benz will once again invest more in combustion technology, Group CEO Ola Källenius told a German newspaper. The drivetrain of the hybridized combustion engines is to be “properly” reworked so that “it will last well into the 2030s.” Mercedes-Benz is far behind schedule in terms of EV sales. As the general economic and regulatory conditions […]
July 01, 2024
German premium car manufacturer BMW is the world’s most innovative carmaker, but the Chinese are breathing down its neck. Geely and SAIC are closing in as second and third. Toyota ranks fourth – ahead of Mercedes-Benz and VW Group. However, five Chinese manufacturers show a clear lead when looking at innovations in electric mobility (BEVs). […]
June 28, 2024
As Polestar delivers its first three models to customers, it also introduces a more affordable version of its electric SUV. This new variant, the Long Range Single Motor, aims to intensify the model’s chances against the Tesla Model X or Porsche Macan EV. It’s been a long time coming, but Polestar has finally commenced deliveries […]
June 28, 2024
It’s official now: due to the 100% import taxes the Biden Administration imposes on EVs built in China, America will have to wait for the Volvo EX30 ‘made in Belgium’ to arrive. And that will be no sooner than 2025. People who had already paid a $500 deposit to make a reservation got a message […]
June 27, 2024
Volkswagen is set to introduce a new variant of the electric ID. Buzz, featuring a smaller battery. The move must make the model’s price point more accessible to a larger customer pool. Projected to be a genuine hit number, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is scaling up its production volume. In an interview with Automobilwoche, Lars Krause, a board member […]
June 27, 2024
According to the business newspaper De Tijd, Chinese electric truck builder Windrose is to establish its European headquarters and first workshop in Zele. Zele is considered the gateway for constructing an assembly plant for e-trucks in Antwerp port, potentially creating 3,000 jobs. An “operational base” consisting of an office and a workshop will be set […]
June 27, 2024
Auto giant Stellantis warns of a potential production withdrawal in the UK due to concerns over the government’s electrification policies. Maria Grazia Davino, the automaker’s UK Managing Director, pointed to the existential threat posed by the zero-emission vehicle mandate and the proposed bans on new combustion-engined car sales. Speaking at the Society of Motor Manufacturers […]
