January 23, 2024
Stellantis has fully unveiled its STLA Large platform. Designed for large electric vehicles, it forms the basis for future cars in the D and E segments for the global markets. However, it is not a purely electric platform, which has a reason. This will be a pivotal year for the strictness of emissions regulations with […]
January 23, 2024
Japanese Yamaha Motors, a big name in marine engines – outboard and inboard – has fully acquired German electric outboard motor pioneer and world leader Torqeedo from Deutz. German ‘historic’ combustion engine manufacturer Deutz AG is more into burning hydrogen now, focusing on construction equipment and agricultural machinery, among others. It says in a press […]
January 23, 2024
“The growing demand for key materials can increasingly be met by technological advances, battery recycling, and global cooperation,” said Chinese battery giant CATL’s CEO Robin Zeng, attending the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos. “At the end of the day, when we achieve 100% electric cars, there will be a very tiny amount of […]
January 19, 2024
The Afro-European start-up NamX has released more details about its first car, the HUV. It appears that the automaker is joining the league of combustion-engined hydrogen cars, as the driveline of HUV features a roaring V8. We didn’t see that one coming. All passenger cars on hydrogen today use a fuel cell to make the […]
January 18, 2024
The administrative court of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany has once again declared that the update for diesel engines Volkswagen proposed in the aftermath of dieselgate is also illegal. The homologation by the official German car agency Kraftfahrt Bundesamt (KBA) is invalid. The German NGO Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) has presented the update to the court and welcomes […]
January 15, 2024
Kia has shown its vision of the future of mobility at CES 2024 in Las Vegas, with a modular ‘Platform Beyond Vehicle’ (PBV) that takes another stab at creating a continuously customizable vehicle. But this is no simple fantasy: the first model, the Kia PV5, will enter mass production in 2025. Kia’s Platform Beyond Vehicle […]
January 15, 2024
After signing last year a contract with Qbuzz, a public transport operator in the Netherlands, to deliver 54 battery-electric buses of its latest type A battery-electric city bus, Belgian bus builder Van Hool may deliver another 112 before the end of this year. That’s a gift from the gods, as up to 65% of the […]
January 11, 2024
Honda has decided to start again from a blank sheet of paper for its next-generation electric vehicles. The 0-Series concept cars, the Saloon and Space-Hub, represent this new approach with a light and nimble design to bring back the joy of driving in the EV era. We should be able to discover the results in […]
January 11, 2024
Chinese BYD (Build Your Dreams) just unveiled on Weibo ‘out of the blue’ the new super sedan under its premium YangWang brand name, the U7, which is yet another challenger for German premium brands like Porsche, Mercedes, and BMW. Previously, only some European patent images of the sedan appeared, identified as ‘U6’. But apart from […]
January 10, 2024
South Korean carmaker Hyundai unveiled in Vegas, at the start of the Consumer Electronics Show 2024, the second S-A2 concept of its four-passenger ‘flying taxi,’ an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle. The real ‘take-off’ in the market will not be before 2028, as this one is on static display at the parking lot […]
January 09, 2024
Yanfeng, a Shanghai-based multinational automotive supplier specializing in interior components, has presented its vision of the EV interior of the future at CES 2024 in Las Vegas. The Smart Cabin Seat integrates most controls, entertainment, safety systems, and even climate control directly into the seat. Yanfeng claims this Smart Cabin Seat results from multiple studies […]
January 09, 2024
The in-car digital experience of both the present day and the future is the dominant theme of the BMW Group’s presence at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2024 in Las Vegas, U.S. New infotainment products for the current BMW model portfolio will be shown at the event. At the same time, the BMW Group is […]
January 08, 2024
China’s top-selling automaker has started constructing a factory for sodium-ion batteries in the Xuzhou region. The plant will be scaled up to produce 30 GWh annually, with packs primarily intended for use in scooters, motorcycles, and smaller vehicles. The factory collaborates with the Chinese tricycle brand HuaiHai through BYD’s subsidiary Findreams Battery. Both partners are […]
January 05, 2024
NanoFlowcell, a Swiss flow cell battery research company founded by Nunzio La Vecchia, promises 2 000 km of all-electric range for passenger vehicles thanks to flow batteries with an exceptionally high energy density. But a finished product still hasn’t come out, even after nearly ten years… NanoFlowcell was founded in 1996 and claims to have […]
January 04, 2024
Japanese two-wheeler specialist Yamaha Motor has created a new European daughter, Enyring GmbH, headquartered in Berlin (Germany), to offer swappable batteries for ‘compact urban electric vehicles’ via subscription-based services. With these vehicles ‘in the low-speed range,’ it means mainly e-bikes from ‘strategic partner companies’ using a compatible swappable battery. Enyring aims to start operations in […]
January 04, 2024
In the US, Hyundai has secured a patent for an all-solid-state EV battery system equipped with a ‘pressurizing device’ and significantly improved operating temperatures. The automaker describes the technology as enhancing stability and energy density while reducing production costs. Like most automakers, Hyundai considers solid-state packs as the next-generation battery technology. In October last year, […]
January 04, 2024
Volkswagen is betting on American solid-state pioneer QuantumScape in the race for the ‘Holy Grail’ of EV batteries, and its European PowerCo daughter just proved their claim that batteries can last for over 500 000 kilometers without substantial degradation. QuantumScape delivered the first samples of its latest solid-state cells to several partners for in-depth testing […]
January 02, 2024
How do you make hydrogen more appealing to petrolheads? Perhaps outfitting a 1976 Jeep Cherokee Chief with a 6.2-liter V8 hydrogen combustion engine and some tasty modifications will allow you to have all the fun without any pollution. This is the French energy technology group GCK’s approach, together with motor oil specialist Motul. Consolidated in […]
January 02, 2024
Honda and Isuzu have started on-road testing in Japan of their jointly-developed ‘Giga Fuel Cell’ truck, a 12-meter long, 25-ton truck equipped with four 103 kW fuel cells providing 320 kW (429 hp) of electric power and a range of 800 km with 56 kg hydrogen in its tanks. The potent fuel cell developed by […]
December 28, 2023
JAC, China’s partly state-owned EV maker, controlled by Volkswagen, has launched the world’s first mass-produced electric car, equipped with a sodium-ion (Na+ ) battery pack, a promising cheaper alternative to today’s lithium-ion batteries. The advantage of Na-ion batteries is the natural abundance and lower cost of sodium compared to lithium. In addition, Na-ion batteries are […]
December 28, 2023
The Flemish Traffic Center, the watchdog of traffic jams in the most populated Belgian Region, which has been counting traffic to calculate congestion severity since 2011, is looking for ten extra traffic controllers on top of the 20 people currently working there. With congestion figures climbing to unprecedented heights, the Center is running out of […]
December 28, 2023
E-bikes tend to weigh a lot – at least 22 to 25 kg on average – mainly due to their battery and motor, but this can be improved, as the French sports chain proves with its new electric road race bicycle, the Van Rysel E-EDR AF. This one, offered at €2 800, weighs only 14 […]
December 27, 2023
Japanese motorbike and marine engine manufacturer Yamaha will present at the next Miami Boat show in February 2024 a prototype of a 5.6 liter V8 outboard motor running on hydrogen. Specs are scarce, but Yamaha already developed a 5.0 liter V8 car engine on hydrogen for Toyota in 2021. Yamaha is also working on fuel […]
December 26, 2023
The Belgian oil tanker company Euronav, specializing in the transportation and storage of crude oil, is gearing up for a ‘greener’ future with the take-over of CMB.Tech. That Belgian cleantech maritime group builds, owns, operates, and designs large marine and industrial applications running on hydrogen, ammonia, or dual fuels. It’s a significant step to gradually […]
December 26, 2023
The day before Christmas, at Nio Day 2023, the Chinese premium EV maker took off the wraps of its new ‘executive flagship sedan’, the ET9, which has to play in the highest luxury car segment like the Mercedes-Maybach or EQS, or the BMW i7. It is something no Chinese brand has successfully done in their […]
December 22, 2023
From January 1st, car buyers in Belgium will pay an additional 10 euros environmental contribution when buying a new car or van. This contribution will pay for the future recycling of the vehicle, reports Febelauto, the Belgian management body for both end-of-life vehicles and batteries from hybrids and EVs. Febelauto has been managing the recycling […]
December 21, 2023
BMW Belux will be celebrating its 50th anniversary of presence in Belgium and Luxembourg with the third consecutive number-one place in the market in 2023. At a press meeting, Belux CEO Alexander Wehr and his colleagues looked forward to consolidating this success. The fact that three premium brands are in the top five of car […]
December 21, 2023
Swedish-Swiss multinational ABB will supply Volvo’s factories in Torslanda (Sweden) and Daqing (China) next year with 1 300 robots to build the carmaker’s next generation of electric cars. These robots will cover various production tasks, from spot-welding, riveting, and dispensing to flow drilling and ultrasonic weld inspection. ABB, a historic partner for its compatriot, claims […]
December 21, 2023
The harmonization organization SAE International (created by the Society of Automotive Engineers) published a corresponding document that turns Tesla’s de facto North American Charging Standard (NACS) into a harmonized connector standard. The development prompted the Department of Transportation (DoT) to look into infrastructure funding. Volkswagen is also joining the band for good. The ‘SAE J3400 […]
December 20, 2023
Owning an ultra-rare wide-bodied competition 1993 Porsche 964 RSR 3.8, of which only 51 were built, might be a distant dream for a classic car lover. A ‘Strassenversion’ with only 10 km on the odometer was sold by Bonhams in Abu Dhabi in November 2023 for $2 127 500. But what about an even faster […]
December 19, 2023
William Li, founder, chairman, and CEO of Chinese premium EV brand NIO, has personally proven the capacities of the earlier announced semi-colid-state battery of 150 kWh in a real-life driving test. After some 12 hours of actual driving, the ET7 had 1 044 km on the odometer on a single charge, with 36 km left, […]
December 18, 2023
After creating a foiling glass lounge boat with BMW and presenting it in June at the Cannes Film Festival, German electric boat start-up Tyde is launching a second project with the premium carmaker’s design daughter Designworks. The ‘Tyde Open’ is a 49-foot foiling electric yacht, the world’s largest to be seen (in autumn 2024). BMW’s […]
December 15, 2023
Swedish-Chinese Geely daughter Zeekr has presented a newly in-house developed 800 V lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery to be used in its new 007 sedan. This so-called ‘Golden Battery’ can be charged at up to 500 kW from 10-80% in merely 15 minutes. That provides the Zeekr 007 with an extra 500 km range. Zeekr claims it […]
December 14, 2023
Following Stellantis’ Commercial Vehicles Ambition Day, showcasing its overhauled and regrouped LCV portfolio last October, the different brands have commenced releasing their new models. Next in line is Opel, which has unveiled some further details – but no price – on the face-lifts of the Combo Electric and Zafira Electric. These models, offering room for […]
December 14, 2023
Tesla faces a setback in North America. The electric car manufacturer must initiate a recall of approximately two million vehicles in the US and Canada due to an increased risk of collision associated with its controversial ‘Autopilot’ driver assistance system. Following a two-year investigation, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that, under […]
December 14, 2023
Jaguar Land Rover has opened the waiting list for people who want to have one of the first fully electric Range Rovers, due in 2024. Meanwhile, the extensive testing phase for the prototypes has started, and JLR gives a glimpse of what we can expect. “With more patents anticipated to be filed for New Range […]
December 13, 2023
Three years after the initial announcement, the world’s first hydrogen-powered tugboat, baptized appositely ‘Hydrotug 1’, has arrived at its workstation in the Antwerp Port to start its real-world testing from mid-January. It features BeHydro V12 dual fuel medium speed engines, each providing 2 megawatts, that can run on hydrogen or diesel fuel. The idea is […]
December 12, 2023
German carmaker Volkswagen announced that bi-directional charging is finally available with the ID. Software 3.5 version or higher to all new electric models with the 77 kWh battery (net). With the ‘Vehicle to Home’ (V2H) function, people can store excess solar power in the car’s battery or use it to power the home over several […]
December 12, 2023
German sportscar manufacturer Porsche has revealed the first image of the new Macan EV’s interior. The newcomer takes a page from the recently updated Cayenne and Panamera, with three screens and a dash-mounted gear selector. Porsche also takes the opportunity to delve further into the technical specifications. The new Macan EV sits on the PPE […]
December 12, 2023
More details about the fake manual transmission for electric cars developed by Toyota have emerged from a recently published patent application. Toyota’s alibi gearbox could have up to 14 simulated gears. In a recent article about Toyota’s financial forecasts and EV strategy, we mentioned the plans for a ‘manual transmission’ Toyota has been experimenting with […]
December 12, 2023
The German automotive supplier Bosch is considering significant job cuts in its powertrain division. Bosch is considering cutting up to 1 500 jobs in development, administration, and sales, said a spokeswoman on Monday. A report in the specialized German magazine Automobilwoche triggered the announcement. The shift of the automotive industry away from combustion engines and […]
December 11, 2023
Belgian industrial entrepreneur Guido Dumarey has finished his third acquisition this year, with the take-over of the British Woodall Nicholson group. That group comprises six specialist vehicle brands, from accessible transport and electric buses, over police cars and ambulances to ceremonial limos and hearses. Dumarey will continue the business with 367 employees. The six companies, […]
December 08, 2023
The four-year-old German LaneCharge project on inductive charging, has presented the results of its practical tests of this ‘pioneering inductive charging system. The proved to be successful. Launched back in 2019, together with industry partners, researchers at Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts wanted to develop a fully functional inductive charging system, which was […]
December 08, 2023
Italo-French-US carmaker Stellantis embraces battery-swapping technology from Californian start-up Ample to equip a Free2Move car-sharing fleet of a hundred Fiat 500e cars in Madrid next year. The Fiat 500e is Stellantis’ highest-selling electric vehicle sold globally. Ample’s fully automated battery swapping stations allow EV drivers with a compatible Ample battery pack to replace the OEM […]
December 07, 2023
Belgian start-up Solhyd, a spin-off of KU Leuven University, announced securing six million euros of seed capital from ‘a group of experienced entrepreneurs’ to optimize further the basic technology of ‘distilling’ pure hydrogen directly from the air using a particular solar-H2 panel and deploy it in pilot applications. After assembling earlier prototypes of their Gen1 […]
December 07, 2023
Renault Group is launching a plan to transform its industrial base fundamentally. Between now and 2027, it is seeking to cut production costs per vehicle by 30% for internal combustion vehicles (ICE) and 50% for electric vehicles (BEV). Renault Group’s Industrial Metaverse will play a vital role in the transformation, enabling the Group to accelerate […]
December 06, 2023
US-based battery start-up Our Next Energy (ONE) announces that a BMW iX prototype with its proprietary Gemini dual-chemistry battery managed an impressive 608,1 miles (978,6 km) range. Despite the higher range, ONE’s battery pack occupies the same space as the iX original battery pack. Furthermore, the company’s innovative technology reduces lithium use by up to […]
December 05, 2023
Toyota wants to expand its range of electric cars in Europe to six models by 2026. That’s what we wrote on Monday, talking about the brand’s two concepts unveiled at its annual Kenshiki event in Brussels. But the Japanese company is also providing more details on its battery roadmap and hydrogen plans. With the presentation […]
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, […]
December 04, 2023
The world’s biggest battery maker today, Chinese CATL, just announced it has finished testing its own EV skateboard platform to be used by third-party carmakers, achieving an amazingly low 10.5 kWh/100 km energy consumption. That’s good for a range of 1 000 km for EVs built on it. The first car to use CIIC, a […]
December 04, 2023
The stalling pickup market in the EU doesn’t refrain Toyota from introducing new powertrains in its famous workhorse. Slated for launch in 2024 is an electrified version of the 2.8-diesel engine. Though Toyota is a pioneer in hybrid drivetrains, the proposed solution in the Hilux remains modest. The Hilux Hybrid brings a 48-volt system to […]
December 04, 2023
Volkswagen plans to take back the reins for the electrification of its commercial vehicle fleet. Whereas the ID. Buzz and shared models with Ford are the main focus for now; from 2028, a new and entirely VW-developed electric van platform will electrify the entire range, from Caddy to Crafter. VW is falling behind slightly in […]
December 01, 2023
Hyundai and Kia have presented a new wheel drive system called the Universal Wheel Drive System (‘Uni Wheel’ for short), designed for taxis, shuttle buses, and other special purpose vehicles of all sizes. The Uni Wheel creates extra space in electric vehicles by moving the reduction gear to the wheel hub. The Uni Wheel relocates […]
December 01, 2023
Geely, one of China’s top four-passenger car manufacturers and parent company to Volvo, is joining forces with Chinese NIO to co-develop swappable battery standards. That was unveiled by the two partners just a week after NIO signed a similar deal with another giant, Changan Automobile. In China, battery swapping is quite hot compared to the […]
December 01, 2023
After two years of delays and anticipation, Tesla’s digital showroom offers the highly controversial Cybertruck. CEO Elon Musk handed over the first customers’ vehicles during a special event on Thursday at the company’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. Though the looks and specs are spectacular, the Cybertruck also puts dark accolades around its promised range and […]
November 30, 2023
Orders for the Honda e have stalled in Europe. Due to slow sales and a strong customer preference for all-electric SUVs, the Japanese carmaker is readdressing its strategy for battery-powered mobility. In the lower categories, it is prioritizing zero-emission scooters and motorbikes. In 2020, Honda boldly entered the electric vehicle market with a small but […]
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 30, 2023
Introducing the next generation Duster, Dacia is venturing into new territory with the third generation of its popular SUV that has dominated European sales since 2010. For the first time in its lineage, the driveline features assistance from a battery pack in the form of a hybrid version (HEV). The cladding on the bodywork is […]
November 30, 2023
On the eve of the COP 28 climate conference, and in the run-up to EU elections next year, the President of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), Luca de Meo, unveiled a manifesto and roadmap for a competitive mobility ecosystem, co-signed by the CEOs of Europe’s major vehicle manufacturers. “Our sector is in the midst […]
November 29, 2023
The 37th edition of Belgian mobility organization VAB’s ‘Family Car of the Year’ was dominated this year by the Chinese, with two out of three titles for the full-electric BYD Dolphin and the LPG-fueled BAIC X55. The Romanian Dacia Jogger 1.0 ECOG seven-seater grabbed gold in the ICE category below €25 000, again proving budget […]
