Jaecoo 8: flagship plug-in hybrid SUV lands in Belgium (update)

May 20, 2026

Omoda & Jaecoo has officially confirmed that its seven-seater SUV, the 8 SHS-P, is now available in Belgium, starting at €54,900. The brand’s largest and most premium model brings a 134 km WLTP electric range, and a level of cabin technology that aims to put considerable pressure on established European rivals in the same price […]

EV adoption: emerging markets overtake established leaders

May 20, 2026

According to new data from the International Council on Clean Transportation ICCT, zero- and low-emission architectures accounted for a quarter of all global light-duty vehicle sales in 2025. While established markets show significant variation, emerging economies — particularly in Southeast Asia — are rapidly accelerating the e-mobility transition. The global electrification of light-duty vehicles, combining […]

Stellantis to build affordable E-Car in Naples from 2028

May 19, 2026

Stellantis is gearing up for its E-Car project and has officially announced a family of small, affordable, all-electric vehicles for multiple group brands. Production has been assigned to its Pomigliano d’Arco plant in Italy, near Naples, with a 2028 start date.  For nearly a year, the E-Car has circulated as a concept: after a joint […]

Stellantis taps into China to build Peugeots and Jeeps for Europe

May 18, 2026

Faced with contracting market share and overcapacity, Stellantis is reconfiguring its global strategy by leaning heavily on its historic Chinese partner, Dongfeng. The two automotive groups have announced a strategic agreement to produce new electrified vehicles in China for export. It shows how Western legacy automakers are increasingly relying on Chinese manufacturing efficiencies. When Peugeot-Citroën […]

Kia’s electric successor to the Stinger is entangled in a cost struggle

May 15, 2026

Kia is eager to revive the Stinger in electric guise. Not in the least to boost its emotional and design appeal, but also to diversify its electric portfolio beyond volume-selling SUVs. However, it seems that the high engineering costs for a dedicated performance EV are currently preventing a production greenlight. Kia is actively exploring a […]

Europe’s battery dream dies even more as Morrow capitulates

May 12, 2026

Battery cell maker Morrow has filed for bankruptcy. The collapse of another promising cell manufacturer exposes how Europe talks about industrial sovereignty but refuses to guarantee the conditions for it. Green mobility group Transport & Environment takes notice and warns that the continent could lose 34 companies the size of Northvolt if political action remains […]

Van Mossel is largest car sales group in Belgium

May 11, 2026

Last year, the car dealer group Van Mossel became the biggest car seller in Belgium. The group overtook importer D’Ieteren, which had been the most important car seller in this country for years. According to data from dealer data analyst Aumacon, requested by De Tijd, Van Mossel recorded 32,500 new-car registrations in 2025, while D’ieteren […]

EV retreat: Porsche shuts down battery, e-bike and software subsidiaries 

May 11, 2026

Porsche has decided to wind down three non-core divisions, resulting in the loss of over 500 jobs. The closures are part of a sweeping strategic reversal that is stripping Porsche of the electromobility ventures it spent years building. The way forward seems to be the backview mirror for the German sports car maker. Germany’s most […]

The VinFast trilogy (1): building a private imperium in communist Vietnam

May 11, 2026

Vietnam does not usually come to mind when discussing global industrial powerhouses. Yet on the eastern outskirts of Hanoi, an empire has emerged that increasingly shapes how modern Vietnam lives, moves, studies, shops, and dreams. VinFast, the new EV brand with a whole lineup of cars and its own electric buses, is now trying to […]

MG leads the trend of Chinese car makers to import their cars themselves

May 08, 2026

Chinese brand MG (part of SAIC Motor) and the Belgian importer Astara have reached an agreement under which MG Europe will import its cars itself as of the first of July. Meanwhile, the second-largest Chinese car brand in Belgium, BYD, is considering doing the same. The distribution of MG in Belgium and Luxembourg will be […]

Belgium hits milestone 500,000th electric car, just three years after 100,000

May 07, 2026

The half-millionth fully-electric passenger vehicle was registered in Belgium earlier this week. To celebrate this milestone, advocacy group EV Belgium held a small ceremony, handing over the keys to a new Polestar. It also reflected the positive market developments that enabled accelerated growth in EV adoption in Belgium. Three years ago, in early 2023, the […]

Ghent startup Optimile finds its next gear as DKV Mobility takes over 

May 06, 2026

The Ghent-based software builder for charging stations, Optimile, has found a new breath. To expand its operations at a European level, the company has been fully acquired by the German fuel card giant DKV Mobility. The takeover fits into a broader scenario, as the latter has been buying similar companies over the past few years […]

Renault’s UK boss sees ‘seismic shift’ in EV demand with rising oil prices

May 05, 2026

The sudden surge in oil prices following the Iran conflict is beginning to reshape Europe’s car market in real time, with Renault Group among the first to report a tangible shift in consumer behavior. In the UK, Renault company’s managing director, Adam Wood, described a “seismic shift upwards” in interest in electric vehicles, as drivers […]

Denso targets 2029 for inductive charging on public roads

May 05, 2026

Japan’s largest automotive supplier, Denso, is developing an inductive charging technology that could hit public roads by 2029. It could upend Japan’s charging infrastructure headache and make the charging cable and oversized battery packs relics of the past. With its highly urbanized profile, symbolized by highways on the eleventh floor of high-rise buildings, Japan is […]

Belux car registrations in April on par with last year

May 05, 2026

According to data from the sector federation Febiac and the Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport, 37,802 new cars were registered in April 2026, 10 units fewer than in 2025. According to Febiac, the results were influenced by the strike at BPost, with delays in number plate deliveries. Noticeable fact: Registrations of individually bought cars […]

Leapmotor eyes the premium segment, with a little help from Maserati?

May 04, 2026

Europe’s fastest-growing Chinese EV brand is planning a second, higher-priced label for 2027. Like BYD has Denza, Leapmotor wants its own luxury brand. More out of a necessity than a technical ambition. But can a budget brand pull it off? Leapmotor, the Stellantis-backed Chinese EV maker that last year posted its first annual profit, is […]

VW Group targets capacity reduction (Update)

May 04, 2026

At Volkswagen Group, underutilized and costly plants in Europe are under scrutiny. CEO Oliver Blume plans to reduce overcapacity in China and Europe while avoiding plant closures in Germany through ‘intelligent measures’. These measures can include selling plants to other industries or to (Chinese) competitors. Ex-Porsche boss and now VW Group CEO Oliver Blume describes […]

European auto industry back in the firing line as Trump reignites 25% tariff threat

May 04, 2026

The trade deal between the US and the EU, which was agreed just last summer, is already showing cracks. President Trump signals a return to the tariff playbook and proposes imposing a 25% duty on European cars and trucks. But this time the trigger is geopolitical as much as economic. Donald Trump’s tariff menace has […]

BYD profit slump highlights global EV pivot as China price war intensifies

April 29, 2026

BYD, the Shenzhen-based carmaker, reported a 55% year-on-year fall in net profit for the first quarter, confirming analyst expectations and underscoring the pressure created by an ongoing price war in China’s hypercompetitive electric vehicle market. Revenues also declined, even as sales volumes remain robust, highlighting a widening gap between growth and profitability. The sharp drop […]

Oil profits soar as OPEC fractures and consumers pick up the bill

April 29, 2026

The United Arab Emirates’ decision to leave OPEC, effective 1 May, comes at a moment when the global oil market is already under severe strain—and when oil majors are reporting a new wave of exceptional profits. Taken together, experts highlight the two developments as a deeper shift underway: a market increasingly shaped by geopolitical shocks […]

Freelander is reborn as an electric 4×4 built in China (update)

April 29, 2026

Once upon a time, the Land Rover Freelander was the best-selling four-wheel-drive vehicle in Europe. It held that title for five consecutive years. Now, nearly three decades after its 1997 debut, the name returns, reborn as an independent electric brand built in China but coming to Europe. Together with Chery Jaguar Land Rover and Chinese […]

CATL turns sodium-ion into a grid reality with a 60 GWh landmark deal

April 29, 2026

One week after unveiling its Naxtra sodium-ion battery for electric vehicles, CATL has signed the largest sodium-ion battery order in history: 60 GWh for grid-scale energy storage over three years. The technology has crossed the line from lab breakthrough to industrial product. The ink on CATL’s Tech Day announcements was barely dry. The world’s largest […]

BYD’s Sealion 08 an electric alternative to the BMW X7?

April 28, 2026

At the Beijing Auto Show, BYD unveiled its Sealion 08, which has a good chance of arriving in Europe. The specs of its flagship SUV are a sample of where the technological evolution of the car manufacturer and battery maker stands today: 643 hp, 900 km of range, and nine-minute charging. But the story behind […]

Renault Group sees growth in Q1 2026

April 28, 2026

Renault Group’s revenue for Q1 2026 amounted to €12,530 million, up 7.3% compared to the same period last year. At constant exchange rates, Group revenue was up 8.8%. Automotive revenue reached €10,807 million, up 6.5% from Q1 2025. At constant exchange rates, it increased by 8.0%. “In the first quarter of 2026, despite a challenging […]

Hyundai hopes to reignite its China volumes with the Ioniq V

April 27, 2026

It looks like a concept car, but the Ioniq V, unveiled at the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, is definitely a production model. It looks like the lovechild of a Toyota Prius and a Tesla Cybertruck, but don’t let its appearance hide the real message: with its new subbrand Ioniq, Hyundai wants to start from scratch […]

Peugeot previews made in China strategy with two new concepts

April 27, 2026

At the 2026 Beijing Auto Show, Dongfeng’s two French joint ventures put four concept vehicles on the floor in a coordinated push that looks like more than a design exercise. Production starts in 2027, on Chinese platforms, in China, but export is on the agenda. Are these the successors to the famed Peugeot 508 and […]

Windrose’s electric truck just leveled with its diesel rivals

April 24, 2026

As oil prices push fleet operators to despair, Windrose has slashed the price of its long-haul electric truck from €250,000 to €198,000. This basically puts it in the range of classic diesel trucks. Clearly, Chinese manufacturers are trying to disrupt the transportation industry, just as they did in the passenger car category. Is it schadenfreude […]

EU car registrations up 12.5% in March; BEVs sign for almost one-fifth

April 24, 2026

According to data from the Association of European Car Manufacturers (ACEA), new EU car registrations increased by 4% in Q1 2026, driven largely by March’s strong performance (+12.5%). The market was supported by robust consumer activity, bolstered by new and revised tax benefits and incentive schemes across major European countries. Hybrid-electric vehicles lead as the […]

Who’s the leader? CATL fires four new game-changing batteries at once

April 23, 2026

On the eve of the Beijing Auto Show, CATL held its annual Tech Day and unveiled four new battery systems at the same time. An innovation stretch that reached from a record-breaking LFP cell for mass-market EVs to a sodium-ion battery heading for production later this year. The salvo is a direct response to BYD’s […]

Volkswagen arrives in Beijing with three concepts to fence off Chinese dominance

April 22, 2026

On the eve of the world’s largest motor show, Europe’s biggest carmaker pulled the covers off three electric vehicles spread across the widest possible price spectrum. That is either a master plan or a sign of desperation,… possibly both. At the Group’s Media Night in Beijing, the Volkswagen brand presented three cars on stage that […]

Renault Group unveils ‘futuREady India’

April 22, 2026

At the end of a one-week visit to India, François Provost, CEO of Renault Group, presented ‘futuREady India’, an Indian rollout of the Group’s futuREady strategic plan unveiled last March. Renault Group is launching ‘futuREady India’, the local rollout of its new strategic plan to drive growth both locally and globally, while strengthening engineering and […]

Sunwoda presents a full charge in nine minutes: yes, but where?

April 21, 2026

Chinese battery manufacturer Sunwoda has revealed a new LFP pack on par with the best BYD has to offer and nudges ahead of CATL in the fast-charging arms race. Nine minutes is all it takes. But the real question is what that number actually means, and whether the infrastructure to use it exists anywhere outside […]

BYD’s new Yuan Plus outdates the still fresh Atto 3 Evo

April 20, 2026

The next generation of BYD’s best-known compact SUV is preparing for launch in China. Important, as the Yuan Plus is sold in Europe under the Atto 3 moniker. The upgrades are substantial: a larger body, a rear-wheel-drive platform, second-generation Blade battery technology, and flash charging that delivers a near-full charge in under 10 minutes. Commercialization […]

Belgium’s car market: private buyers are back

April 17, 2026

Mobia’s analysis of the first quarter of car registrations in Belgium points to a structural shift that goes beyond monthly fluctuations: the private buyer – and Tesla – has found its way back to the car market. Electric cars are slowly gaining traction in the second-hand market, but an oil price spike effect has not […]

BMW delivers 20% fewer BEVs in Q1 2026 due to the Chinese and US markets

April 17, 2026

BMW Group delivered 87,458 BEVs globally in the first quarter of 2026. This represents a 20.1% drop compared to the same period last year. The main reason is the declining sales in China and the US. The order intake for electric vehicles in Europe looks significantly better, thanks to the new iX3. BMW’s battery-electric vehicle […]

Chinese GAC’s AION UT enters Europe’s crowded affordable EV race

April 16, 2026

Little known to most European — and certainly Belgian — car buyers, Chinese carmaker GAC Group has officially launched its AION UT electric hatchback in Europe, marking a significant step in its long-planned entry into what it calls the “world’s most demanding automotive market.” Designed in Milan and assembled at Magna Steyr’s plant in Graz, […]

Traxio: ‘Motorcycle sector records its best season start since 2021’

April 16, 2026

The Belgian market for new motorcycles concludes the first quarter with distinctly positive momentum. With 6,990 registrations compared to 5,694 in 2025 (+22.8%), the sector records its best start to the season since 2021. In March 2026 alone, 3,169 motorcycles were registered. That is +10.2% compared to March 2025 and +5.5% above the average for […]

VW makes ID.3 Neo official: up to 630 km of range

April 16, 2026

Volkswagen has officially pulled the wraps off the ID.3 Neo at a world premiere in Hamburg, with pre-sales already kicking off across most European markets. The model – which we reported on in March when the name first surfaced – turns out to be considerably more than a mid-cycle refresh. It’s a fundamentally updated car, […]

Private lease rises in Belgium, but ownership myth remains (Renta)

April 16, 2026

Private lease is gaining traction in Belgium, but from a very low base. According to figures published by Renta, the Belgian federation of vehicle rental and leasing companies, the number of private lease contracts reached 16,074 vehicles by the end of March 2026, up 22% year-on-year from 13,201 a year earlier. While the growth is […]

VW sees global decline in BEV deliveries in Q1 2026

April 15, 2026

The Volkswagen Group delivered around 200,000 battery-electric vehicles in the first quarter of 2026, down eight per cent year-on-year. Strong double-digit growth in Europe was not enough to compensate for sharp declines in China and the United States. In the first quarter of 2026, the Volkswagen Group recorded a notable decline in global battery-electric vehicle […]

Oil price spike fuels rush on used EVs, with Belgium as bellwether

April 15, 2026

Rising fuel prices linked to tensions around Iran are beginning to ripple through Europe’s car market, and Belgium offers one of the clearest early signals. New data show that second-hand electric vehicles are gaining traction at an accelerating pace, even as the broader used-car market remains under pressure. In March, registrations of fully electric used […]

VW Group’s Q1 global sales down 4%; Europe up, China and U.S. slide

April 15, 2026

The VW Group continues to suffer from weak international sales (-4%), particularly in China and the United States, the German carmaker said in Wolfsburg on Monday. BEV deliveries were down 8% year on year. Globally, this pushed the number of deliveries across the VW Group in the time period between January and March down to […]

Geely outclasses Toyota’s hybrids with world record in thermal efficiency

April 14, 2026

When most people think of hybrid powertrains, they think Toyota. And when people think of Chinese brands, they think of fully electric drivelines. But if it depends on Geely, the parent company of Volvo, Polestar, Zeekr, and many more, those reflexes are becoming increasingly outdated.  That’s because the sprawling Chinese group has been quietly building […]

800V and 925 km range: Mercedes EQS reclaims EV-range crown

April 14, 2026

When Mercedes launched the EQS in 2021, the message was simple: going electric didn’t have to mean giving anything up. The panoramic Hyperscreen, the slippery Cd 0.20 body, and the class-leading range all made for a compelling package. But the EV landscape moves at blistering speed. So Mercedes responds with a ground-up technical overhaul that […]

Shock therapy for a bestseller: Nissan turns Juke fully electric

April 14, 2026

Nissan has officially unveiled the third generation of its compact crossover, the Nissan Juke, and, for the first time in its 15-year history, the model goes fully electric. The announcement marks a decisive step in the Japanese manufacturer’s European electrification strategy, with the Juke EV positioned as a cornerstone of its future line-up. While the […]

Kia puts Europe front and center in bold EV and SDV strategy

April 13, 2026

At its 2026 CEO Investor Day last week, Kia Corporation laid out an ambitious long-term roadmap built around electrification, software-defined vehicles, and new mobility services. While the strategy is global in scope, Europe stands out as a key pillar, with clear volume targets, a rapidly rising EV mix, and a product offensive tailored specifically to […]

Volkswagen delays rollout of additional EV models in the U.S. (Update)

April 13, 2026

Volkswagen plans to launch new electric models from its core VW brand in the U.S. only toward the end of the decade, keeping the focus on the ID.4 and ID. Buzz in the meantime. VW U.S. chief Kjell Gruner also sees no market potential for the upcoming compact ID. Every1 in the U.S., despite its […]

Tesla quietly circles back to the entry model it publicly killed

April 10, 2026

Two years ago, Elon Musk told investors that building affordable electric cars for human drivers was, in his words, “pointless” and “silly.” Instead, his company would focus on the automated Cybercab and the profit model behind it. But Musk’s decision firmness isn’t his greatest quality. Reuters has reported that Tesla is backing off on that […]

Volkswagen reveals its first EV with lidar and XPeng software

April 09, 2026

At the VW Brand Night in China, the German car manufacturer has pulled the wraps off the ID. Aura T6. This mid-size electric SUV is built on an entirely new, China-specific architecture. Say goodbye to MEB and meet CEA: the platform co-developed with XPeng. When unveiled, the T6 was still tightly wrapped in camouflage film, […]

Ayvens aims to unlock trust in used EVs with battery health certificates

April 08, 2026

Ayvens Carmarket is introducing battery health certificates for used electric vehicles across Europe. This move may seem incremental at first glance, but it could mark a turning point in how the second-hand EV market operates. The initiative comes from Ayvens, one of the world’s largest mobility and leasing companies. Formed in 2023 through the merger […]

Toyota’s new RAV4 reinforces cautious path toward full electrification

April 08, 2026

Toyota has unveiled the sixth-generation RAV4. Toyota Motor Corporation is not just renewing one of its best-selling models; it is reaffirming a BEV-cautious strategy that continues to set it apart from much of the industry. Since its launch in 1994, the RAV4 has grown into one of the world’s most successful SUVs, with more than […]

Tesla makes a comeback in European sales charts

April 07, 2026

Registrations tripled in France, nearly doubled in Norway. After the worst year in recent memory, Tesla’s sales numbers are moving in the right direction again. The question is whether a cheaper Model Y and surpassing a stumbling BYD again are enough to call this a recovery. A year ago, Tesla was bleeding. Exactly one year […]

Vietnam’s VinFast drives battery-swapping scooters into mass markets

April 07, 2026

As its ambitions in Europe remain in flux, Vietnamese EV maker VinFast is sharpening its focus closer to home, accelerating a large-scale battery-swapping rollout for electric scooters in Vietnam while preparing to expand into major Asian markets such as India and Indonesia. The move underscores how central scooters remain to both the company’s strategy and […]

EVs are quietly gaining ground on Belgium’s used car market

April 06, 2026

After a sluggish start to the year, Belgium’s second-hand car market bounced back in March. The Brussels Motor Show is partly to thank. But the real story is what’s happening under the hood: an aging fleet, a cautious private buyer, and an electric share that is slowly, steadily climbing. The first quarter of 2026 was […]

Subaru Getaway: three-row family EV with off-road DNA

April 06, 2026

Subaru pulled the wraps off its largest and most powerful electric vehicle yet at the 2026 New York Auto Show. The Getaway is a seven-seat SUV that blends family needs with the brand’s trademark all-terrain credentials. It’s a strictly North-American affair that, despite the adversary context for electric mobility in the region, relies entirely on […]

Belux car sales up 8.8% in March, almost 54% of them electrified

April 02, 2026

According to data from the federal public service Mobility and the sector federation Febiac, 43,733 new cars were registered in Belgium and Luxembourg, an increase of 8.8% compared to last year. In the first three months (YTD), 113,805 new cars were sold, a 5.9% decrease from the same period last year. Most noticeable in March: […]

End of the road for Volvo’s go-it-alone strategy as Geely calls the shots

April 01, 2026

Volvo Cars is drawing closer to sister brand Polestar and its Chinese parent, Geely, through a pair of moves that signal the end of the Swedish carmaker’s long-running independence. Volvo has long benefitted from an exclusive position within the Geely group, lending the brand a strong independence to safeguard its Swedish roots. But that privilege […]

A full charge in nine minutes? BYD Song Ultra storms the market

March 31, 2026

BYD is fighting a downward trend in its home market. And the best remedy to counter such a dip is a fresh product. Enter the Song Ultra EV, a car that aims to set a benchmark for what a mid-size electric SUV can deliver for the money. Buyers didn’t fail to notice. The Ultra is […]

Geely puts Volvo in charge to fix Lynk & Co’s troubled European execution

March 31, 2026

Volvo Cars will take responsibility for the commercial and brand operations of its sister-brand Lynk & Co in Europe, marking a decisive step in Geely Holding Group’s accelerating strategy to integrate its brands and scale more efficiently on the continent. The move, announced on March 30, gives Volvo Cars control over Lynk & Co’s European […]

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