April 17, 2023
Ahead of the official premiere, more photos and the first technical data of the new Mini Cooper have appeared on the internet. This model is being produced in cooperation with the Chinese company Great Wall and will be available in EV and ICE versions. The pictures show a blue Mini with a white painted roof, […]
April 14, 2023
Japanese carmaker Toyota takes a further step in its global multi-tech strategy for decarbonizing conventional drivelines. With oil giant Exxon Mobile, it has partnered to test so-called low-carbon fuels in some ICE models. According to the official statement, the potential is to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint by 75%. Even though Toyota is gradually adopting […]
April 14, 2023
Group Renault has made a deal with battery manufacturer Verkor from Grenoble to buy the bulk – the equivalent of 12 GWh of a total capacity of 16 GWh – of its Dunkirk gigafactory’s production from 2025. That will allow Renault to equip between 130 000 and 200 000 electric vehicles annually. Renault Group is […]
April 13, 2023
Ford is investing heavily in its Oakville, Ontario assembly plant to transform it into an EV production hub, including a battery pack assembly factory. The Canadian plant, which currently produces the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus, will become an important keystone in EV production for North America. The investment of 1,8 billion Canadian dollars (ca. […]
April 13, 2023
On Wednesday, we announced that at least one out of ten sales in Q1 for the BMW Group was electric. Competitor Mercedes-Benz now announced that it scored almost at the same level for its fully electric car sales in the first quarter of 2023. Sales of battery-electric passenger cars almost doubled to 51 600 units […]
April 13, 2023
Volkswagen has unveiled a new generation of drive units for its Modular Electric Building platform (MEB). The rear-axle drive APP550 comprises a newly developed power unit that is supposed to offer more power and improved efficiency simultaneously. We already talked recently about the APP550: this drive unit has been manufactured by VW Group Components in […]
April 12, 2023
Last year, wind and solar energy generated 12% of electricity worldwide – a new record. Still, the share of renewables remains smaller than that of coal. That is the conclusion of the global energy think tank Ember. The organization recently published its fourth ‘Global Electricity Review’ based on the open data of the electricity sector […]
April 12, 2023
While total sales for Q1 of 2023 were slightly lower at 588 138 units (-1,5%), there was (again) a significant growth of BEV sales. BMW Group delivered 64 647 fully electric BMW and Mini vehicles, an 83,2% increase compared to Q1 of 2022. This means 11% of the Group’s sales are fully electric. If plug-in […]
April 12, 2023
By the decade’s end, the Hyundai Group wants to be one of the top three global EV makers. So the Korean carmaker is piling up sales from its three house brands (Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis) to bolster that ambition. It targets an annual production of 3,64 million all-electric cars spread over 31 models. The road […]
April 12, 2023
Nine years after the closure of the Ford automobile factory, vehicles are being assembled again in Genk (Limburg). In November, Rhenus Automotive will start assembling John Deere agricultural vehicles: tractors, riding mowers, and off-road vehicles. In the coming months, several million will be invested in infrastructure and assembly lines. Precise figures are not mentioned yet, […]
April 11, 2023
Like Toyota, Kia has unveiled its electrification strategy for the near future with an updated version of its ‘Plan S’. That includes a growth strategy with a goal of 4,3 million vehicles sold yearly by 2030, with an EV market share of around 40%. In addition, the Korean manufacturer wants to make niche ‘Purpose-Built Vehicles’ […]
April 11, 2023
The gap between suppliers and car manufacturers in Germany grew last year. “While car manufacturers are currently earning splendidly despite the crisis, many suppliers have their backs to the wall,” said Constantin Gall, head of the mobility division for Western Europe at Ernst & Young (EY). Last year, the German automotive industry boosted sales by […]
April 11, 2023
In its home market, Tesla has once again lowered retail prices for the third time this year. The company wants to expand its output aggressively and tries to keep demand rising as competition is building up. The Model S and X each drop by 5 000 dollars, the Model 3 by 1 000 dollars, and […]
April 11, 2023
Man’s best friend is getting a promotion to a digital assistant. Mini debuts the English Bulldog Spike in its Concept Aceman for the Auto Shanghai show, starting next week on April 18th. It’s still a design concept for now, but Spike will make its way into Mini’s digital ecosystem in the future. Spike has been […]
April 11, 2023
Airbus Helicopters, the helicopter manufacturing division of the European aircraft giant Airbus, has signed a contract to supply 50 H160 helicopters to GDAT, one of China’s largest helicopter leasing and operating companies. The order is estimated to be worth between 750 million and 1 billion dollars. It is the most significant H160 order in the […]
April 11, 2023
Ralf Herbrich is a German computer scientist at the Hasso Plattner Institute in Potsdam just outside Berlin. He previously investigated the role of artificial intelligence in the daily operations of big companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, and Zalando. Herbrich now wants to use his experience to increase battery pack life in electric cars – and […]
April 11, 2023
In his first speech as the new Toyota CEO, Koji Sato said on Friday that Toyota Motor Corporation would expand its electric vehicle line-up with ten new models and sharply increase its EV sales to 1,5 million units annually by 2026 and 3,5 million in 2030. The company sold 24 000 EVs out of 10,48 […]
April 07, 2023
The hydrogen dream car of the 32-year-old French racing driver Olivier Lombard, the Hopium Māchina, is one step further away from becoming a reality by 2025, as the start-up is forced to find new money first by focussing on selling its state-of-the-art fuel cell technology to third parties. Hopium is splitting up into two entities, […]
April 07, 2023
The all-new, all-electric 2025 Ram 1500 REV – the first battery-electric light-duty pickup truck from Ram Truck – made its world debut at the New York International Auto Show. With an optional 229 kWh battery pack, the pickup truck has a targeted range of 805 km. “The all-electric Ram 1500 REV is a monumental milestone […]
April 06, 2023
Just before the presentation of the new Ford E-Transit Courier, we got a chance to sit down with the CEO of Ford’s commercial vehicle operation Ted Cannis. He offered some insight on what’s next for Ford Pro, and how he would like to see some support from the Belgian government for electric commercial vehicles. “At […]
April 06, 2023
Dredging and marine engineering companies DEME and Jan De Nul, and Aertssen Group in JV Terranova, specialized in infrastructure works, join forces with energy providers Luminus and Nippon Gases to build and exploit a production unit for green hydrogen in Zelzate. The companies have established a new partnership Terranova Hydrogen NV. The three companies will […]
April 06, 2023
Ford has revealed a new generation of its most compact commercial vehicle, the Transit Courier. This new model improves its practicality with a larger cargo area and will also get an electric version. In contrast to its bigger brothers, Transit Connect and Transit Custom, this model was not built in collaboration with Volkswagen. The new […]
April 06, 2023
VW ID.7 testing is in its last weeks. Shortly before the world premiere of Volkswagen’s future ID. flagship on 17 April, VW provides pictures of the last test drives and delivers more details on the electric sedan’s drive, chassis, and comfort features. The VW ID.7 will have a new, specially developed electric drive when it […]
April 06, 2023
A year ago, we first mentioned the Taito, the first product of a young Ghent start-up. The three-wheeler e-scooter is now ready for sale and will cost €2 590, available through the Bike Republic sales network. That’s more than the initially suggested retail price of €1 750 back in 2022, but the company argues that […]
April 06, 2023
Rivian has published its official Q1 2023 production and delivery numbers, with 9 395 and 7 946 vehicles, respectively. That is slightly less still than the numbers achieved in Q4 2022, although the American EV start-up assures its customers and investors that Rivian is on track to produce 50 000 vehicles in 2023. Life is […]
April 06, 2023
After facing numerous delays and difficulty finding – and keeping – workers, Tesla’s Brandenburg Gigafactory near Berlin has finally ramped up to full speed with three shifts. And a fourth weekend shift could also be on the cards if the production rate keeps increasing, with a cheaper and more compact Tesla on the horizon. It’s […]
April 05, 2023
The new generation Mini Countryman, the largest Mini model, is in its final testing phase. The start of production at the BMW Group Plant Leipzig in November 2023 will be the first time a Mini is produced in Germany. With five doors and a variable-use interior, the largest model in the new Mini family of […]
April 05, 2023
Dutch solar carmaker Lightyear declared bankrupt by the court in January, has managed to find eight more million with mostly private investors, a group of 225 people around Amsterdam entrepreneur Arnoud Aalbersberg. Lightyear has announced the founding of a new company that will focus entirely on Lightyear 2. This might enable the company to reboot […]
April 04, 2023
The US Treasury Department has issued guidance for the electric vehicle (EV) tax credits under the famous Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Though the final draft doesn’t bring in surprise requirements, the declaration has been awaited as it outlines how the eligibility for the second half, applying to battery component sourcing and critical minerals, is calculated. […]
April 04, 2023
The Korean car manufacturer SsangYong Motor Company was saved from bankruptcy last year (September) by the Korean chemical-to-steel group KG. So today, the name of the new automotive KG daughter has changed to KG Mobility. KG Mobility showcases three new concepts and the new Torres EVX at the Seoul Motor Show, now taking place in […]
April 04, 2023
The registrations of new cars in Belgium and Luxembourg increased for the eighth consecutive month. With 51 754 cars registered, it is an increase of 39,9% compared to 2022 and the best month of March since pre-corona 2019, when almost 55 000 cars got registered. The increase is noticeable in the professional (fleet) and individual […]
April 03, 2023
The German car manufacturer BMW Group is betting on efficient design and recycling to bring down battery costs and is steering clear of investing in mines, its finance chief said on Friday, according to Reuters press agency, setting it apart from some competitors digging deep into the supply chain. “We don’t think it is right […]
April 03, 2023
It looks like, besides Zeekr, there is no end coming to Chinese EV brands that are targeting to land in Europe. HiPhi, the brand of the Human Horizons Group founded in 2018, will launch in some European markets later this year, a company executive told Reuters press agency. Today it sells the HiPhi X SUV […]
April 03, 2023
Tesla has beaten analysts’ forecasts with 422 875 cars delivered in the first quarter of 2023. However, with this achievement, the EV maker also slashes its previous record of 405 000 vehicles, achieved during the fourth quarter of 2022. The price cuts, which started in China and then spread globally, are the main contributor to […]
April 03, 2023
General Motors has revealed its plan to scrap Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connectivity from its electric vehicles. However, Google will be providing its Android Automotive infotainment system to GM. The General wants to gather more data from its users and also aims to sell them subscription services to use some apps or connectivity […]
April 03, 2023
According to Volkswagen brand boss Thomas Schäfer, it is now clear that there will be no ninth generation of the current VW Golf, despite being still a best-seller. Schäfer uttered similar thoughts in the German newspaper Die Welt in August last year. Now he has reiterated them in an interview with the specialized magazine Automobilwoche. […]
April 03, 2023
The Chinese luxury brand Zeekr, daughter of Geely Holding Group and sister brand to Volvo and Lynk & Co, among others, is having a crack at the European premium electric car market, starting in Q4 of this year. The latter was confirmed by the CEO An Conghui – also President of Geely – at the […]
March 31, 2023
Carmakers and suppliers are looking into several innovations to meet the growing demand for convenient and more accessible charging infrastructure. For example, Chinese charging service provider NaaS is joining the likes of Volkswagen and announcing the development – and launch – of a self-developed automatic mobile charging robot. The compact robot on wheels, looking for […]
March 30, 2023
BMW has rounded off a year-long winter testing program with the i5, the first all-electric 5 Series. This testing validated the powertrain’s and heating system’s ability to perform at extremely low temperatures and provided valuable data for fine-tuning the torque delivery and unique stability control systems. The electric BMW 5 Series has had to prove […]
March 30, 2023
Lucid Motors is joining the growing list of EV makers forced to trim down on their operations. With the ambition of challenging Tesla, the American electric carmaker is to cut about 1 300 jobs or nearly one-fifth (18 percent) of its workforce. Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson calls it “a painful but necessary decision”. He expects […]
March 29, 2023
Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing has placed a large order of 200 electric Freightliner trucks, which will mainly be used in Southern California. The Freightliner eM2 medium duty and eCascadia heavy-duty e-trucks have a driving range of up to 230 miles and will be offered to Velocity’s fleet customers, including a charging service. Daimler Truck’s […]
March 29, 2023
Kia already gave us a look at the design of its EV9, with its boxy shape and three-row seating, but now the Korean manufacturer has revealed all of the relevant technical data of the flagship SUV. And that includes the 541 km driving range of the most efficient version, thanks to a new-gen battery used […]
March 29, 2023
Rupert Stadler, the former top executive of Audi, may receive a suspended prison sentence for his part in late-scale cheat software with the brand’s diesel cars. To qualify, Stadler must admit guilt, says the Munich court. For the past two and a half years, the 60-year-old Stadler and three co-defendants have been facing charges relating […]
March 28, 2023
The United States and Japan have signed an agreement to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and electric vehicle batteries. The agreement also envisages strengthening trade between the two countries in these products, which are essential for the energy transition and have been dominated by China. The agreement marks the first […]
March 28, 2023
With the final life cycle of internal combustion engines (ICE) in sight, Audi has decided to change its model naming structure to differentiate its fuel-powered models from its electric vehicles. As a result, new EVs will have an even number (A4, A6, A8), while ICE-powered models will be odd-numbered (A3, A5, A7). But the e-tron […]
March 28, 2023
Toyota and component supplier Denso have signed an agreement with Israeli wireless EV charging specialist Electreon to develop a wireless charging solution for the electric vehicles of the Japanese car manufacturer. This includes integrating wireless charging in new vehicles, an aftermarket solution for existing cars, and a plan to standardize the technology. Electreon specializes in […]
March 27, 2023
German drivetrain parts specialist Schaeffler has developed a compact electric hub motor suited for municipal utility vehicles, with manufacturers of street sweepers, snowplows, and garbage collectors already showing interest. This innovation represents a new step in eliminating air and noise pollution from cities and other densely-populated areas. Schaeffler has been innovating in the electric drivetrain […]
March 27, 2023
The EU Commission and the German government have agreed on a compromise on how new cars with combustion engines can be registered after 2035 as long as they run on climate-neutral fuel. The original regulation on the phasing out of internal combustion engines is not to be touched again, and the exceptions will now be […]
March 27, 2023
For foreign carmakers, Germany must be the toughest market to conquer. Not only because domestic carmakers carry a reputation for high standards and sophisticated technology but also because the patriotic feelings of the population tend to favor the local brands. That circle has been broken in the corporate garage for electric vehicles. Among employees, the […]
March 24, 2023
The Dutch owner of a VW Golf TDI bought in 2010 has to be paid a compensation fee of €3 000 because his car contained fraudulent software. It’s the first judgment in court out of four cases introduced by the Stichting Volkswagen Group Diesel Efficiency (VGDES) and the consumer organization Consumentenbond. Meanwhile, European law has […]
March 24, 2023
Belgian bus builder Van Hool has signed a contract with Qbuzz, public transport operator in the Netherlands, for the delivery of 54 battery-electric buses. Earlier, news broke that Qbuzz also ordered 63 e-buses from Ebusco. The buses will be used for regional passenger transport in the Dutch provinces of Groningen and Drenthe. Qbuzz has decided […]
March 24, 2023
Volkswagen plans to produce a total of three million fully electric small cars at its Spanish (Seat) plants in Martorell and Pamplona between 2025 and 2030. The total number can be even higher with the sub-20-000 euro entry-level model announced for 2027. But, probably, the latter won’t be built in Spain. This was announced by […]
March 23, 2023
Colruyt Group is selling Parkwind, a company that builds offshore wind turbines, to Japanese energy company JERA. The Japanese will pay around 1,55 billion euros for the company. Parkwind currently participates in, among others, four of the nine wind farms off the Belgian coast in the North Sea. Those four – Belwind, Northwind, Nobelwind, and […]
March 23, 2023
Dutch electric bus manufacturer Ebusco has secured a new deal with Dutch public transport company Qbuzz, providing up to 63 Ebusco 3.0 electric buses for the Groningen and Drenthe provinces. The new-gen buses are equipped with a large battery pack, allowing them to perform their daily duties without recharging. Qbuzz is a regional public transport […]
March 23, 2023
The new Ford is all about electric vehicles and American roots. And with the latter come thrilling gimmicks like a burnout mode. A patent filing reveals that the brand wants a performance mode for its electric models that enables intentional wheel spin to heat or smoke the tires. The patent includes images of the Mustang Mach-E, suggesting […]
March 23, 2023
The German support for e-fuels in new cars could leave the average German driver paying €210 to fill up their tank, a new analysis by NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is in a stand-off with the EU over his insistence that cars powered by e-fuel can be sold after […]
March 23, 2023
The Opel Grandland, a compact SUV from Opel also available as PHEV, will be succeeded by a fully electric model next year. Parent company Stellantis is investing € 130 million in the German plant in Eisenach to prepare it for the production of the e-SUV based on the new STLA Medium EV platform of the […]
March 22, 2023
BMW’s venture capital unit i Ventures has co-led a series A investment round for DeepDrive, a German start-up producing dual-rotor electric motors, which promise more range, less material use, and a lower production cost than current state-of-the-art motors. With the investment, DeepDrive wants to start a recruitment drive leading to mass production in 2026. Other […]
March 22, 2023
Are affordable electric cars finally making their way into the market? A few days ago, we reported the wish of VW CEO Thomas Schäfer to have a sub € 20 000 BEV, the ID.1. In an interview with the British car magazine Autocar, car manufacturer Citroën’s chief designer Pierre Leclercq claims to be readying a […]
March 22, 2023
Kia has unveiled a new concept car, the Concept EV5, which resembles the recently introduced electric SUV EV9. This more compact model previews a production model later this year, initially destined for the Chinese market. Kia seems to have found some confidence in its bold styling, first introduced with the EV6 and most recently with […]
