December 04, 2023
The deal between the French multinational and the Belgian government on the lifetime extension of Belgium’s two youngest nuclear power plants, Doel 4 and Tihange 3, has been fully finalized. According to federal Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten (Groen), the 1 500-page contract will be discussed at the various federal vice cabinets this week, […]
November 30, 2023
From December 1st, 2023, the Flemish government won’t allow a tolerance period of one year anymore for replacing defective diesel particle filters but will shorten that period to three months. The two other Belgian Regions – Brussels and Wallonia – that agreed to the same one-year tolerance will return to a limited 15-day tolerance period […]
November 27, 2023
Municipalities will soon be allowed to install fixed speed cameras and average speed checks in bicycle streets. The Flemish government has decided this, reports the newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, among others. It is already happening in some Flemish municipalities. In the Bodukap police zone in the Antwerp region, for example, 22-speed pedelec users were recently cautioned […]
November 27, 2023
The new fiscal rules for pickups, making them no longer exempt from registration taxes and losing the low annual road tax prerogative, have significantly affected their registrations this year. In Belgium, their popularity among private customers has dropped to a historically low level. In the first ten months of 2023, only 969 pickups were registered […]
November 23, 2023
The speed limit on the Paris Ring Road will drop from 70 to 50 km/hour. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced this during the presentation of the capital’s new 2024-2030 climate plan. Moreover, a lane on the ring road will be reserved only for taxis, public transport, and carpooling. The new speed limit on the périphérique […]
November 23, 2023
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced the full open-sourcing of its original Roadster design and engineering, making R&D documents accessible to the public. This move comes over a decade after discontinuing the original Roadster, which kickstarted the Tesla business and served as a mule for fund-raising. Insiders wonder whether this move is tied to the […]
November 23, 2023
The EU Parliament has voted on new CO2 standards for trucks and buses and is now ready for negotiations with the EU member states. The Parliament has largely adopted the positions of the EU Commission but added a loophole for e-fuels in trucks. The MEPs agree with the Commission’s proposal presented in February that only […]
November 22, 2023
“If leasing companies electrify their fleets earlier, 18 million more households in the EU will have earlier access to cheaper EVs and save on their car spending,” claims the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E). “At current electrification rates, 33 million households in the EU will have access to second-hand electric cars from today until 2035,” […]
November 21, 2023
A 70 km/hour speed limit will now apply on the middle or central lane on roads in Wallonia with markings for bicycle paths on both sides. So, reports Sudinfo and La Libre Belgique. The Walloon government’s decree, which sets the speed limit, was published in the Belgian Bulletin of Acts. The rule was already in […]
November 17, 2023
The Flemish government has released final details on the conditions for its planned EV subsidy scheme. One of the more remarkable rules is that discounted cars are eligible, which could affect the price cap of 40 000 euros for some models. Savvy dealers, granting targeted discounts, might shift more EVs than expected under the new […]
November 14, 2023
In 2022, 540 people died in Belgian traffic – one out of three fatalities was a cyclist or pedestrian. This score is far from the target of 320 road deaths by 2030. “Not enough has happened in road safety in the last ten years,” says Karin Genoe, CEO of Traffic Safety Institute Vias. “Many measures […]
November 10, 2023
The members of the European Parliament have voted on the proposed Euro 7 emission standards as foreseen. The original proposal had been watered down by fierce lobbying from all sides, and the final result was a compromise that left almost everybody unhappy. The EU Parliament will now enter trilogue negotiations with the EU Council and […]
November 09, 2023
Brussels’ nineteen municipalities want to introduce a tax on electric charging points on public roads, like fuel stations are currently taxed in most of them. This was discussed at the Conference of Brussels Mayors on Wednesday. The logic behind introducing the tax is that the municipalities would otherwise lose revenue from parking fees. An agreement […]
November 09, 2023
Switzerland is stepping on the brakes and will eliminate the tax exemption for imported electric vehicles. The move aims at bolstering tax revenue for its road infrastructure. The Swiss Automobile Importers Association reacts with disappointment and fears that it will undermine the uptake of electric mobility in the country. The exemption policy has been in […]
November 08, 2023
Cars that are highly ‘self-driving’ will not be allowed to drive on Belgian roads for now. Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) remains interested in self-driving cars, but there is still too much uncertainty regarding safety. Among others, his Flemish colleague Lydia Peeters, the French-speaking liberals MR, and the mobility organization Touring are unsatisfied with the […]
November 08, 2023
The NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) is furious. The European car manufacturers (ACEA) are fiercely contesting the future Euro 7 standard because it would cost too much. Still, they’ve hiked the prices of their cars substantially, especially of the smaller ones, says a new T&E analysis. “Europe’s five biggest carmakers have raised the prices of […]
October 30, 2023
Cruise, the robotaxi subsidiary of General Motors, has lost its permit to deploy its self-driving cars in California with immediate effect. The decision from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) follows after investigating a pedestrian accident. Waymo, the competitor to Cruises, can still operate paid driverless rides. To re-install public faith in self-driving technology, […]
October 27, 2023
Belgian courts may force people who commit serious traffic offenses to take a reintegration course from 2024. The aim is to reduce the risk of recidivism, which is currently very high. “It is necessary to take effective long-term measures to correct this dangerous behavior behind the wheel,” says federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo). He […]
October 25, 2023
Taxes on EVs should be reviewed soon. If not, the Belgian state will miss out on €1,5 billion yearly tax revenues by 2030. So argue economists Bruno De Borger and Stef Proost, attached to the universities of Antwerp and Leuven, respectively. After all, EVs also create congestion costs, and by taxing them less, they indirectly […]
October 17, 2023
The proposal of the EU to cut CO2 emissions of heavy trucks and buses by 90% from now until 2040 is getting a mixed response from the industry and environmentalists. European car manufacturers federation ACEA wants supporting targets for the infrastructure and transport companies, while Transport & Environment (T&E) feels the short-term targets are too […]
October 16, 2023
The Belgian driver still has a foot that is too heavy. For example, over half (55%) drive too fast in built-up areas at least once a month. One Belgian in four also uses his cell phone behind the wheel. E-step users are also indifferent. Half of Belgians (49%) say they have driven two on such […]
October 13, 2023
According to the highest European Court, an e-bike is not a motorized vehicle. Speed pedelecs and other electric bicycles are, therefore, not covered by compulsory insurance for motor vehicles because they are not driven exclusively by mechanical power. That is what the European Court of Justice states in a judgment in a Belgian case. The […]
October 12, 2023
It all started with one street three years ago. But by 2025, the low-emission zone in Stockholm that will ban all vehicles on gasoline and diesel will expand to twenty living zones and cover 180 000 square meters in the heart of the Swedish capital. The ruling parties call it one of the most ambitious […]
October 10, 2023
Nearly 10 major European cities, including Paris, Brussels, and Rome, have petitioned the European Parliament, demanding stricter standards for air quality and exhaust emissions. The 27 EU member states approved in September a watered-down regulation. This has yet to be negotiated with the European Parliament, which has not yet determined its position. The 27 do […]
October 09, 2023
The Federal Minister of Mobility, Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo), has a preliminary draft ready for a framework law to provide a legal basis for all decisions regarding the operation of Brussels Airport. According to the minister, the text is essential to avoid new legal proceedings over noise pollution, in which the State sometimes has to pay […]
October 03, 2023
Last week, under Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the UK government announced a pushback to 2035 from its earlier defined net-zero policies from 2024 to 2030, in line with most EU countries like France, Germany, or Sweden. This mandate regulates the number of ICE cars and vans that can still be sold yearly until the sales […]
October 02, 2023
Jochen De Smet is the current president of EV Belgium, a known facilitator of the energy transition. Being one of the speakers at Mobia’s Mobility Stakeholders Day, he stressed that the technology of this transition is not the problem, but the organization of it, especially the price transparency for the customer. “Europe has been working […]
October 02, 2023
Elia, the transmission system operator of Belgium’s high-voltage grid, has reached an agreement with Flemish Energy Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) on increased compensations for residents living near Ventilus. That is the future high-voltage line that will bring electricity from offshore wind farms to Belgium and beyond. West Flanders mayors of the villages involved are reacting […]
September 28, 2023
The German €300 million subsidy pot of the government, providing up to €10 200 for installing an EV wallbox in combination with solar panels and a backup battery, was exhausted in less than one day, the KfW Development Bank reported. The proposed subsidy was offered for private owners of an existing electric vehicle or those […]
September 28, 2023
Last Monday, the 27 EU member states substantially softened the Commission’s proposition for new Euro 7 emissions regulations by 2025. Led by France and Italy (amongst others), the member states feared that this would cost the EU car industry too much and even retard investments in electrification. The member states are hereby responding to the […]
September 28, 2023
Dutch State Secretary for Infrastructure Viviane Heijnen has put some €125 million aside to subsidize the building of new hydrogen tank stations with an adjoining fleet of 10 to 15 hydrogen-driven trucks to ensure profitability. An attempt to solve the eternal chicken-and-egg problem by forcing the transport and energy sectors to shake hands. The new […]
September 27, 2023
The widely spread ANPR cameras along Flemish roads in Belgium have caught 10 714 car drivers in traffic who didn’t pay the yearly road tax in 2022. They got an invoice for immediate payment and an additional €116 fine. Another 384 vehicles were towed away. That filled the Flemish government’s kitty with 5,4 million euros. […]
September 27, 2023
The Flemish government has (re-)installed a premium of €5 000 to purchase a new battery electric vehicle (BEV). For a second-hand one, there’s a subsidy of €3 000. There’s a significant restriction, however: the purchasing price of the BEV has to be less than €40 000, severely reducing the choice of electric cars on offer. […]
September 26, 2023
Austrian Airlines, a subsidiary of Germany’s Lufthansa, can no longer advertise that flying can be “CO2 neutral”. An Austrian court has ruled that. In turn, Carsten Spohr, Lufthansa’s CEO, has hinted that his airline would have to consume half of Germany’s electricity production for its entire fleet to fly on e-fuels. According to the French […]
September 25, 2023
The number of average speed controls on Flemish roads is increasing rapidly. Newspaper De Tijd reports that, according to a survey by Het Laatste Nieuws and news channel VTM, 159 trajectory speed checks are operational today. By the end of the year, this number will more than double to 349. Average or trajectory speed checks […]
September 22, 2023
BMW Motorrad has issued a (temporary) sales ban on all its motorbikes with combustion engines throughout North America. This applies not only to new bikes but also to used ones at dealers. Only the electric model CE 04 is currently released for sale in the US and Canada. BMW emphasized that the sales stop is […]
September 21, 2023
The Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak (Conservatives), is attempting to water down the UK policy to ban the sale of new combustion vehicles in 2030. The British car industry doesn’t seem happy at all with this policy change. “To give us more time to prepare, I’m announcing that we’re going to ease the […]
September 19, 2023
In The Netherlands, considered one of Europe’s most advanced countries in EV adoption, the enthusiasm to switch to an electric car seems lower than expected. After nine months, the subsidy pot of 100 million euros still has 43 million left. In former years, that subsidy pot was generally plundered by the end of May. Only […]
September 18, 2023
Carmakers can sell small electric cars made in Europe for € 25 000 while making a profit, new research from Transport & Environment (T&E) shows. Falling production costs and battery prices would make mass-market B-segment vehicles feasible to electrify by 2025, according to the study by Transport & Environment (T&E) based on analysis by the […]
September 18, 2023
In January, there will be a central bicycle register in Belgium to fight bicycle theft. Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) confirmed this in Le Soir newspaper, among others. It is one of the showpieces of the ‘Be Cyclist’ program, which aims to promote the use of bicycles through a series of 52 measures. The […]
September 13, 2023
On Tuesday, the Members of the European Parliament (MEP) updated the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) to raise the share of renewables in the EU’s final energy consumption to 42,5% by 2030. Member states should strive to achieve 45%. The legislation will also speed up procedures to grant permits for new renewable energy power plants, such […]
September 12, 2023
Flemish Mobility Minister Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) will break up the monopoly of car inspection centers in Flanders. In the future, drivers will be allowed to have repairs for certain minor defects carried out by their own garages without having to present themselves again for the technical inspection afterward. In concrete terms, the current centers […]
September 11, 2023
A recent Mozilla Foundation study reveals some shocking facts, and 25 car manufacturers deserve the ‘Privacy Not Included’ warning label in the United States. According to the study, cars have become data-gobbling machines that watch, listen, and collect information about what you do and where you go. While we worry that our connected doorbells or […]
September 07, 2023
The European Commission calls for introducing a standardized disability card recognized throughout the European Union’s 27 member states. The card should simplify travel and free movement for people with disabilities across Europe, one of the core rights of the bloc. “The rights of people with disabilities must not stop at national borders,” says EU Commission […]
September 06, 2023
On Wednesday, Wallonia’s road tax reform was voted in the plenary session of the Walloon parliament. Pushed by Mobility Minister Philippe Henry (Ecolo), the reform has been modified. It aims at taxing cars at registration not only based on their engine size and CO2 emissions but also their weight, which also affects electric vehicles. Taxes […]
September 05, 2023
Rome has not gone as far as Paris, but instead of a total ban, the Eternal City, following the example of Brussels, is limiting the number of rental e-scooters from 14 500 to 9 000 from 1 September. At the same time, the city is also implementing new rules to regulate the use of the […]
September 01, 2023
Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) is to amend the existing breath test procedure. The possibility of requesting a 15-minute waiting period will be abolished, and the minimum volume of exhaled air will be reduced. Gilkinet has submitted the faster and more efficient measure to the regions and hopes it can come into effect by the […]
August 31, 2023
In Paris, one of 15 000 shared e-scooters can be ridden for the last time today. From September 1st, they will be banned from the French capital, a result of the outcome of a binding referendum held in April. The rental e-scooters were said to cause too much chaos on pavements and unsafe traffic situations. […]
August 30, 2023
Several Flemish companies are getting 6,3 million euros in subsidies to install charging points for their light and heavy commercial vehicles. This should add 1 200 new charging points in Flanders for e-trucks and e-vans. Earlier in the year, the Flemish government opened a call for subsidies for commercial vehicle charging points as part of […]
August 30, 2023
More and more experts warn that European countries struggle to persuade people to switch from ICE cars to EVs. Europe sells ten times more electric cars today than it did six years ago (source: IEA), but its fleet is cleaning up too slowly to meet the agreed climate goals. “What we have learned is that […]
August 25, 2023
The Walloon government has adopted a decree to regulate fleets of shared bicycles and e-scooters in cities and to ensure more sustainable management. The text provides for the Region to grant licenses only to operators who meet various technical requirements, such as vehicle characteristics, but also the sustainability of fleet management. The Walloon municipalities will […]
August 17, 2023
In an effort to further stimulate the adoption of electric vans for goods transport, Belgian Federal Minister for Mobility Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) has proposed to exempt e-vans with a maximum authorized mass of more than 3,5 tons of their tachograph obligation, the newspaper De Tijd writes. It means that their driving and rest times would […]
August 11, 2023
New global safety regulations that will soon come into effect reportedly force Ford to postpone its European-built all-electric Explorer SUV by about six months into 2024. Production of the new Explorer, unveiled in March 2023, was initially planned to start at the newly opened Electric Vehicle Center in Cologne (Germany) after the summer holidays. According […]
August 01, 2023
Buyers of used Volkswagens in the Netherlands may also be massively eligible for compensation for the carmaker’s cheating software linked to dieselgate. The Dutch Consumers Association (CA) says this is the first time ever in the Netherlands that a judge has awarded compensation to an individual owner of a used VW car with cheating software. […]
July 31, 2023
London intends to expand its ultra-low-emission zone again and, according to the Court, is allowed to do so. In this zone, polluting cars – even with a foreign license plate – must pay a daily surcharge of about 14,50 euros (£12,50). A fine of up to £180 ( more than 200 euros) is imposed if […]
July 28, 2023
A Brussels Court of First Instance has ordered Volkswagen to pay damages to those affected by the cheating software scandal in which it is embroiled. The German carmaker must reimburse them 5% of the purchase price of their car. Consumer organization Test Aankoop/Test Achat (TA) had filed a class action or group claim for this, […]
July 26, 2023
In Etterbeek, near the Shuman traffic circle, the first all-electric fuel station on Brussels territory has opened. Shell’s public charging station has both fast chargers (DC) and regular chargers (AC). It is a break in trend for Brussels, as with the announced era of the electric car and the reduced support for fossil energy exploitation […]
July 24, 2023
The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimatschutz, or BMWK in German) will increase the budget for the environmental bonus this year. It had initially earmarked €2,1 billion for this purpose in 2023. That will now be increased to at least €2,5 billion. The information comes from a report […]
July 19, 2023
The Flemish government decided to slack off the future ban on Euro 2 gasoline cars and Euro 5 diesel cars in the Low-Emission Zones of Antwerp and Gent, the sole cities in Flanders that actually have a LEZ besides Brussels. Initially due to be effective from January 1st, 2025, the ban will be postponed by […]
July 18, 2023
Belgian airline company Brussels Airlines has filed an official complaint with the European Commission against the “illegal state aid” it claims Charleroi Airport receives. The complaint relates to the terminal navigation charge, which the Belgian air traffic controller Skeyes receives per plane taking off at Brussels Airport. Airlines have to pay part of that amount […]
