Ferrari sees the light, calling its first-born EV Luce

February 10, 2026

Ferrari’s decision to call its first fully electric production car Luce is more than a naming exercise. It is a statement of intent. Luce, Italian for ‘light’, deliberately evokes clarity, precision, and optimism rather than brute force or technological spectacle. For a brand whose mythology has long been built around sound, combustion, and mechanical drama, […]

ACC the pulls plug on EU’s battery ambitions in German and Italian plants

February 09, 2026

The European dream of a battery production powerhouse lies in smithereens after Automotive Cells Company (ACC), the joint venture between Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz, and TotalEnergies, confirmed it is abandoning two of its flagship factory projects in Italy and Germany. What was once hailed as the continent’s ‘Airbus of batteries’ now hinges on a single plant in […]

BMW and PreZero advance circular car recycling, a nod to Febelauto

February 09, 2026

BMW Group has entered into a strategic partnership with circular-economy specialist PreZero to develop a scalable approach to vehicle recycling across Europe. The cooperation aims to turn end-of-life vehicles from a regulatory obligation into a structural source of high-quality secondary raw materials. For Belgium, where end-of-life vehicle management is centrally organised through Febelauto, the initiative highlights […]

Forget NMC and LFP? China launches first production sodium-Ion EV

February 09, 2026

China’s Changan Automobile and battery giant CATL have unveiled what they claim is the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle powered by sodium-ion batteries. It’s a major step for a technology that has long been seen as a lower-cost, safer alternative to lithium-based systems. The car, a variant of Changan’s Nevo A06 sedan, contains a 45 […]

After 265,000 km in 18 months, this Xiaomi SU7 battery refuses to die

February 06, 2026

A Chinese man’s daily driving habit has unexpectedly turned into a peculiar experiment in electric vehicle durability. So put away your established assumptions about battery lifespan under scrutiny. Mr. Feng, the proud owner of a Xiaomi SU7 Pro, has driven over 265,000 kilometers in just 18 months, and his car’s battery still retains 94.5% of […]

Volvo’s losses deepen, more cuts are coming

February 06, 2026

Volvo Cars has reported one of the most bruising financial years in its modern history. The company has suffered a collapse in earnings, a stinging share price crash, and mounting doubts about its electric future. Navigating a worsening global auto market has been particularly difficult, according to its CEO, but the failing EX90 also took […]

Battery bottlenecks push Peugeot’s EV deliveries back eight months

February 06, 2026

Stellantis, the mother company to Peugeot, is facing severe production setbacks on several of its electric vehicle models after one of its key battery factories failed to scale up output. The crisis centers on Automotive Cells Company (ACC), the much-celebrated European venture from the group’s cooperation with Mercedes and Total. Cell production struggles have left […]

From rivals to roommates? Ford and Geely eye shared factories in Europe

February 05, 2026

Ford Motor and China’s Geely Group are said to be in early talks about sharing European manufacturing capacity, allowing Geely to assemble vehicles at under-utilized Ford plants in Europe, rather than on a full joint venture or merger of operations. While neither company has confirmed details publicly, several media outlets, including Reuters, have reported negotiations, […]

Waymo’s €16-Billion question for Europe: are robotaxis finally inevitable?

February 04, 2026

For Europe, robotaxis still mostly exist as pilots, policy papers, and cautious political debate. In the United States and China, they already carry paying passengers at scale. That contrast is what gives Waymo’s decision to raise a fresh 16 billion dollars at a valuation above 120 billion its real significance. The funding round is not […]

Renault’s product boss: ‘We’ve got a two-leg approach’

February 04, 2026

Renault could offer its next-generation electric cars with a new ‘super hybrid’ powertrain that uses a small petrol engine to boost range. Renault’s VP for Product Performance, Bruno Vanel, said the change in approach is a recognition that the company “has to remain flexible in the C- and D-segment” because, while it is working towards […]

Fast charging without guilt? CATL touts 1.8-million-km batteries

February 02, 2026

Chinese battery heavyweight CATL believes it has found a new way to take the edge off one of the electric car’s biggest anxieties: how long will my expensive EV battery last? In a short video released in January 2026, the world’s largest battery maker claims its latest 5C battery can withstand repeated ultra-fast charging while […]

Energy Minister Bihet under fire for nuclear standstill in Belgium

January 30, 2026

Belgian Energy Minister Mathieu Bihet (MR) has defended himself in parliament against criticism that he is not taking enough action on nuclear issues. Nothing concrete came of it, but according to Bihet, discussions are underway with operators and owners of nuclear power plants, and there are investors “interested in extending the maximum number of reactors, […]

China mandates automatic emergency braking, four years after Europe

January 29, 2026

China has issued its first mandatory national standard for automatic emergency braking (AEB), making the system compulsory for all new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles from 2028 onwards. The move introduces a formal nationwide safety baseline in the world’s largest car market, but comes several years after comparable requirements were already enforced in Europe. […]

Tesla kills off Model S and X for robots after near -50% profit slump

January 29, 2026

A near-50% profit slump in 2025 forces Elon Musk to redraw the company’s future. He is using the end of Tesla’s two original flagships to underline a decisive strategic shift: away from low-volume luxury cars and toward autonomy, artificial intelligence, and humanoid robotics. Tesla’s decision to discontinue the Model S and Model X comes at […]

Mercedes-Benz NextGen hydrogen truck enters small-series production

January 28, 2026

Daimler has presented its second-generation hydrogen prototype truck, the Mercedes-Benz NextGenH2. It succeeds the previous iteration, unveiled in 2020, with components taken from the eActros 600 to improve efficiency, while keeping the same liquid hydrogen-based architecture. The Mercedes GenH2 was first unveiled in 2020, using liquid hydrogen rather than high-pressure gaseous H2 to increase energy […]

Ford’s F-Line E: late to electric trucks, but finally on the road

January 27, 2026

With the introduction of the F-Line E, Ford marks its long-awaited entry into Europe’s electric heavy-truck market. The F-Line E, first unveiled to the public at the Solutrans commercial vehicle show in Lyon in late 2025, is positioned as a regional and urban workhorse rather than a long-haul flagship. Scheduled for rollout in 2026, it […]

Ryanair suffers 80% drop in profits due to Italian fine

January 27, 2026

Irish budget airline Ryanair saw its profits fall by no less than 80% last quarter due to a fine of more than 255 million euros imposed by the Italian competition authority in December. Profit after tax amounted to 30 million euros in the three months to the end of December. A year earlier, profits stood […]

Geely moves solid-state batteries out of the lab, not yet into showrooms

January 26, 2026

Geely, the Chinese group behind brands such as Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, and Zeekr, just announced that it will complete its first in-house all-solid-state battery pack in 2026 and start testing it in cars. It reignites one of the electric car industry’s most persistent promises: a battery that charges faster, goes further, and is safer than […]

Europe’s first: De Lijn puts autonomous shuttle on regular city route

January 23, 2026

The Flemish public transport company De Lijn is deploying two autonomous shuttles in Leuven (Louvain). They will operate on line 16, the new line connecting the train station with the station and the borough of Heverlee. According to De Lijn, this is a European first for a public transport company. The Leuven-Heverlee route is approximately 4 […]

SC01: obscure Chinese electric sports car takes Italian road to Europe

January 22, 2026

A new ‘Italian-built’ and fully electric sports car is set to come to life. The SC01, a lightweight, two-seat electric sports car developed by a little-known Chinese start-up, is now preparing for a limited European launch and intends to do so by assembling the car in Italy. Production will be deliberately limited to around 1,000 […]

Mobi 2.0: the AI chatbot that finally understands train passengers

January 22, 2026

The Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB is launching Mobi 2.0, its updated AI chatbot. The virtual assistant is designed to help train passengers with questions about their journey 24/7. According to NMBS/SNCB, the revamped virtual assistant answers 90% of all questions correctly. The railway company says that it is one of the first large-scale GenAI […]

EX60 marks a turning point for Volvo’s electric strategy and for Ghent

January 22, 2026

With the world premiere of the Volvo EX60 in Sweden — its longest-range and fastest-charging model to date — Volvo Cars has launched far more than a new electric SUV. It marks a strategic turning point for the brand. The EX60 is designed as the cornerstone of Volvo’s next phase: a high-volume, fully electric model […]

Lamborghini’s electric water sled by Cayago

January 21, 2026

The new Seabob SE63 for Automobili Lamborghini is set to raise the bar for water toys on superyachts. It is the result of a brand collaboration between the VW Group sports car daughter and the German manufacturer Cayago AG. This new high-performance water toy is the result of a brand collaboration between Cayago AG, the […]

Musk and O’Leary at loggerheads as Tesla boss toys with buying Ryanair

January 21, 2026

There is currently a remarkable mudslinging match going on between Starlink and Tesla owner Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, and Michael O’Leary, the CEO of Ryanair. What began as a business discussion about Wi-Fi on board airplanes has escalated into personal insults and even a laconic threat from Musk to buy Ryanair. […]

Nissan’s new NX8 for China bets on two horses: EV and EREV

January 16, 2026

Nissan’s newest SUV, developed and launched first in China, signals a clear break from the product playbook that has defined the brand’s global lineup for the past decade. The NX8, a car from the Dongfeng Nissan subsidiary, is a reminder that much of Nissan’s zero-emission innovation is now emerging from its Chinese joint venture rather than […]

Lufthansa Group tightens rules for fire-prone power banks on planes

January 15, 2026

The Lufthansa Group, including its subsidiary Brussels Airlines, is tightening the rules for power banks on board flights. For example, they may no longer be used to charge devices, and storing them in the overhead compartment above the seats is also prohibited. The tightening of the rules is due to an increase in fire incidents […]

BMW’s M Division goes fully electric

January 15, 2026

To be an electric leader over the long term, BMW also needs to electrify the emotional core of its brand: high-performance sports sedans like the M3 and M5. And it needs to do that with products that enthusiasts will accept as authentic. “BMW M’s high-performance vehicles will soon deliver the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ experience in […]

Lucid to arrive in Belgium: late to the party, but betting on its efficiency

January 15, 2026

While the Brussels Motor Show underlines how rapidly Europe’s car market is electrifying, one premium EV brand remains conspicuously absent from the exhibition halls: Lucid Motors. Yet behind the scenes, the American luxury electric carmaker is quietly preparing for its long-awaited entry into the Belgian market. After almost two years of delay, it’s working to […]

Renault courts premium buyers with new Filante crossover flagship

January 14, 2026

Renault has lifted the curtain on its new Filante crossover with an unmistakable message. The French carmaker is no longer satisfied with its role as a producer of sensible, mid-market vehicles. Instead, it is placing a costly bet on wealthier customers. But its ambition has no place on European roads. The Filante is Renault’s largest […]

Lufthansa Group partners with Starlink for Wi-Fi on all flights

January 14, 2026

The Lufthansa Group, which includes Brussels Airlines, will offer free, high-speed Wi-Fi on its approximately 850 aircraft starting in the second half of 2026. It will do so using the Starlink satellite network from SpaceX, the American space company owned by billionaire Elon Musk. The collaboration with Starlink applies to the entire Lufthansa Group, which also […]

Stromer recalls 6,500 speed pedelecs over suspension fork safety issue

January 13, 2026

Swiss company Stromer, which has been the market leader in speed pedelecs in the Netherlands and Belgium for many years, has recalled approximately 6,500 devices. The speed pedelecs are equipped with a WREN brand suspension fork, but they have a safety issue. A risk of metal fatigue has been identified in the steering tube of the […]

Kia debuts its affordable EV2 electric car in Brussels

January 12, 2026

Kia kicks off the new year with the unveiling of the EV2, its affordable electric car designed to drive adoption among the broadest audience. At the Brussels Motor Show, the world premiere was a key driver of its international appeal. Unveiled to the public in Brussels during the press day last Friday, the Kia EV2 […]

Brussels Motor Show rediscovers its role as EU’s automotive reality check

January 12, 2026

With +100,000 or more than 20% extra visitors during the opening weekend compared with last year, the 102nd edition of the Brussels Motor Show has made one thing immediately clear: Brussels has become a genuine barometer of confidence. It’s a reality check: it is still a ‘sales’ show, not just an exhibition. If private buyers […]

Impulse Belgium: Infrabel’s new start-up incubator

January 10, 2026

Belgian railway network operator Infrabel is launching Impulse Belgium, a start-up laboratory, according to the business newspaper De Tijd. Through this internal innovation unit, Infrabel aims to focus on projects that enhance the network’s efficiency and safety. Two projects are being put forward: opening their electricity grid to third parties and using AI for railway maintenance. […]

810 km on a charge: Volvo’s all-new EX60 aims to crush range anxiety

January 09, 2026

Volvo Cars is raising the stakes in the crowded compact electric SUV market with its upcoming EX60. The battery-powered successor to its bestselling XC60 will travel farther and charge faster than any electric Volvo before. The EX60, set for full disclosure on January 21, is positioned as a critical model for Volvo as it tries […]

The vacuum cleaner’s hypercar dream(e)s that come true in Vegas

January 08, 2026

Chinese appliance maker Dreame, stepping onto the CES 2026 stage in Las Vegas, clearly hadn’t come to talk about better suction power alone. Next to robot vacuums and cordless cleaners, the company unveiled three dramatic electric sports car concepts. An idea that it has been playing with for some time now, coming true in Vegas, […]

Xiaomi updates its SU7 in China and Europe should pay attention

January 08, 2026

Smartphone maker Xiaomi has given its SU7 electric sedan a significant mid-cycle update in China, underscoring that its ambitions in the automotive sector extend beyond a one-off debut. And Europe should pay attention. The refreshed model, now open for pre-orders ahead of an April 2026 launch, brings higher-end hardware, longer range, and more advanced driver-assistance […]

BMW and Mercedes compete on AI assistance at CES

January 07, 2026

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the German premium car manufacturers BMW and Mercedes-Benz are taking their intense rivalry to the technology show, showcasing digital AI innovations in their latest-generation vehicles. On the one hand, there’s the BMW Group with AI assistant technology via a collaboration with Amazon Alexa; on the other […]

Volkswagen ID. Polo hails the return of physical buttons

January 05, 2026

Volkswagen has unveiled the interior of the all-new ID. Polo, its future entry-level electric model, is priced from €25,000—the ID. Polo reintroduces physical switchgear on board, complemented by retro-inspired graphics to enhance its appeal. Volkswagen started a new interior design philosophy with the advent of its electric ID model range, beginning with the ID.3 in […]

The need for speed: EV motors breaking the 30,000 rpm barrier

December 29, 2025

2025 has seen a slew of announcements for high-speed electric vehicle (EV) motors, with several exceeding 30,000 rpm. What is behind this sudden need for speed? A report from IDTechEx discusses the benefits, challenges, and solutions for taking this approach. In an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, a higher maximum rpm has been associated with […]

Half the energy at highway speed: what Renault’s Filante says about EVs

December 23, 2025

Renault quietly delivered a revealing electric-car demonstration at the UTAC test track in Morocco. It’s an experimental aerodynamic EV test car, the Filante Record 2025, which completed more than 1,000 kilometers on a single charge with a standard 87 kWh EV battery while maintaining an average speed of just over 100 km/h. The distance is […]

San Francisco blackout freezes self-driving Waymo fleet

December 23, 2025

A widespread power outage in San Francisco over the weekend halted dozens of driverless Waymo vehicles at busy intersections. The utility failure was turned into a stress test for autonomous ride services, re-opening the debate about how prepared the technology is for large-scale urban disruptions. Tesla’s Elon Musk was quick to respond to how unaffected […]

BMW Munich warms up for Neue Klasse, locking in its electric future

December 19, 2025

BMW has crossed a crucial industrial threshold at its Munich home plant. The carmaker has completed what it calls the ‘functional checks’ or ‘warm up’ of newly installed production equipment for the Neue Klasse, effectively dry-running the entire production process without vehicles or components. For Munich, this milestone carries symbolic and strategic weight. The Bavarian […]

Solid-state batteries are moving steadily from lab to production line

December 19, 2025

The promise of solid-state batteries is not waning, even as electric-vehicle adoption faces more headwinds now that the EU has revised its 2035 ban. In both China and the US, progress is tangible, as evidenced by the latest results from companies like QuantumScape and WeLion. Hongqi, a car manufacturer, has committed to bringing the technology […]

Zaventem police have been unable to use Tesla for six years

December 18, 2025

It sounds like something out of Kafka, but the Tesla that the Zaventem police purchased six years ago is still standing in the garage and has hardly been driven at all. The reason? There is no registration certificate for Belgium because the documents are stuck with a Dutch leasing company. The car will soon be delivered […]

China’s new safety rules force global rethink of flush door handles

December 18, 2025

China is moving one step closer to a full ban on automatic flush door handles, which have become a commodity on so many electric cars. Following a series of fatal incidents, in which rescuers were unable to access burning vehicles, Beijing has launched a public consultation on a new set of safety rules. These would […]

Tesla explores built-in satellite link to eliminate mobile dead zones

December 18, 2025

Elon Musk oversees Tesla and Starlink, the company that provides internet access through its satellite system. What if the two were combined to provide Tesla cars with connectivity everywhere they roam? A new patent points exactly in that direction. Tesla has filed a patent application for a vehicle roof assembly constructed from radio-frequency-permeable materials. This […]

Smart #2 starts road testing: turning a provocation into a rational choice

December 16, 2025

According to a newly released statement from Smart Europe, the fully electric #2, to be launched at the end of 2026, has entered an intensive real-world validation phase on its entirely new Electric Compact Architecture (ECA). The #2, expected to become the spiritual successor to the original Smart Fortwo, arrives at a moment when the […]

Belgian rail network fully equipped with cruise control

December 15, 2025

All main lines of the Belgian rail network, covering 6,399 km, are equipped with the ETCS safety system. This train-speed control system continuously monitors speed and intervenes when a train exceeds the speed limit. The rollout by rail network operator Infrabel, which involved installing more than 48,000 beacons in the tracks and equipping more than […]

Volvo helps Geely to build world’s largest safety center

December 15, 2025

Geely has unveiled a vast new safety complex in eastern China, a flagship project shaped by the engineering competence of its Swedish subsidiary, Volvo. The Chinese car group wants to leverage its competitive edge and plans to make safety, alongside reliability, a sales argument in an increasingly crowded market. The new facility carries a price […]

BMW makes its battery bet clear with NMC recycling push

December 15, 2025

BMW has quietly drawn a strategic line in the fast-evolving battle over electric-vehicle batteries. With the commissioning of its new battery cell recycling facility in Bavaria, operated with circular-economy specialist Encory, the German carmaker is not only closing the loop on its electric drivetrains but also making a clear statement about which battery chemistry it […]

Oslo picks Volkswagen for autonomous ride-hailing service

December 11, 2025

Oslo’s ambition to reshape its transport system around cleaner, more flexible mobility has taken a new step through a partnership with Volkswagen that will bring an autonomous ID.Buzz fleet to the city’s streets from 2026. Once again, the Norwegian capital is positioning itself as an early adopter of technologies that many European cities embrace far […]

Mercedes takes on rivals with Abu Dhabi luxury robotaxi fleet

December 10, 2025

German luxury carmaker Mercedes has partnered with Chinese software firm Momenta to deploy autonomous S-Class limousines, aiming to differentiate itself from Waymo and Tesla with a premium offering. Mercedes is to enter the commercial robotaxi market with a fleet of autonomous S-Class limousines in Abu Dhabi, as the German manufacturer attempts to carve out a […]

CATL says battery-powered ocean ships are just three years away

December 09, 2025

When Chinese battery giant CATL announced last week that fully electric vessels capable of open-ocean voyages could be commercially viable within three years, the claim sent a jolt through the maritime world. Batteries have already reshaped personal mobility and are rapidly gaining ground in Europe’s leisure boating market, but scaling them to the demands of […]

Brussels begins test-drilling in Maximilian Park for heating network

December 08, 2025

In the future, Brussels’ Maximilian Park will also serve as a source of heating and cooling for the surrounding buildings. Test drilling will begin today as part of the park’s energy transition in the North District. Be.SHARE, a project for a low-temperature network, aims to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in the district by replacing fossil […]

Lexus confirms LFA return as electric halo, but no solid-state pack?

December 05, 2025

Lexus is officially resurrecting its most hallowed nameplate, but it is compliant with modern times. The screaming V10 engine that defined the original icon is swapped for a battery pack. While expectations are that this model will crown Toyota as one of the first legacy manufacturers to turn to solid-state battery packs, that part of […]

One-piece alu frame too tough a nut to crack for a 2-ton palm tree?

December 05, 2025

It begins with a thud that shouldn’t be survivable. In a video ricocheting across Chinese social media and picked up by YouTube channel Planet Car News, a two-ton palm tree with a trunk thicker than a man’s torso is dropped on a gleaming BYD Yangwang U8L luxury SUV. The impact is violent, the shockwave rippling […]

Tesla Model Y records worst reliability score in a decade 

December 04, 2025

The Tesla Model Y has finished dead last in Germany’s TÜV Report 2026. The world’s best-selling EV recorded a defect rate of 17.3 percent for vehicles aged two to three years. The figure is nearly triple the segment average of 6.5 percent and represents the poorest performance among cars in this age group over the […]

Ford to replace Focus in European lineup with Bronco nameplate

December 04, 2025

To stabilize its shrinking European market share, Ford plans to leverage its most rugged American model. The carmaker is preparing to launch a Europe-exclusive version of the Bronco in 2027, but it will not feature a purely electric driveline. And don’t expect a rival for the upcoming small G-Class and baby Defender. Ford doesn’t shy […]

China introduces stricter battery certification for e-bikes

December 02, 2025

Since December 1st, China has introduced new, stricter regulations to improve the safety and quality of e-bikes, particularly their batteries. With more than 350 million e-bikes, the country has the world’s largest fleet. The stricter safety requirements govern battery safety and are intended to prevent illegal modifications that could reduce the risk of fire. The […]

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