December 08, 2025
Fines for traffic violations will soon increase by 10%; court fines will even increase by 25%. This was confirmed by the office of Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden (CD&V). In concrete terms, this means that a minor first-degree offense, such as forgetting to signal, will now cost €63.80 instead of €58. A second-degree offense will increase […]
December 08, 2025
According to a recent study by the Belgian road safety institute Vias, there really is an “affective polarization” in traffic ─ negative feelings and hostility ─ between different groups of road users. People clearly rate their own group more positively than others, with particularly negative feelings toward e-scooters and cyclists. In an urban context, these tensions […]
December 08, 2025
Smart has unveiled the first official images of its new #6 sedan via China’s MIIT filings, confirming a significant shift in direction for the brand — one that points to a different trajectory than the one Smart follows in Europe. The #6 mirrors the plug-in hybrid approach of the Smart #5, underscoring how Smart China […]
December 08, 2025
The new GLB with EQ technology aims to maintain its reputation as the most practical of Mercedes-Benz’s entry-level models in the electric age. Following the CLA and its Shooting Brake variant, Stuttgart has now unveiled the most versatile model based on the MMA platform. While the drivetrain options hold no surprises, the design certainly does. […]
December 05, 2025
A Dutch study has revealed interesting differences in brand loyalty between Asian and European, mainly premium, brands. The study was conducted by ikwilvanmijnautoaf.nl – translated as ‘I want to get rid of my car’ – a Dutch website that helps people sell their car quickly and hassle-free. Analysis of data from 250,000 vehicles registered in […]
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 […]
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 […]
December 05, 2025
For the 39th edition of the Family Car election by Flemish mobility club VAB, the participating journalists and VAB members could choose from two pricing categories. In the past, there was a third category for electric cars, but it has since been abolished as more affordable BEVs have entered the market. This year, (partial) electrification […]
December 05, 2025
There is an EU agreement for a system like the Belgian Car-Pass, at least if it is up to the European transport ministers. With this initiative, Europe aims to tackle odometer fraud in second-hand vehicles across the European Union. The mandatory registration system is primarily based on the operating principles of the Belgian Car-Pass, a […]
December 05, 2025
Despite the (mostly German) carmakers’ lobbying to hit the brakes and give ICE another chance, Europe’s electric-vehicle landscape is shifting fast, and a new analysis from TradingPedia offers an unusually detailed snapshot of which brands and models are winning the race in 2025. TradingPedia, a Bulgarian financial analysis platform that frequently works with industry datasets, […]
December 04, 2025
Jaguar Land Rover’s design chief, Gerry McGovern, has left the automaker amid a shakeup instigated by the new CEO, P.B. Balaji. McGovern was fired and “escorted out of the office,” Autocar India reported, citing sources with knowledge of the situation inside JLR’s Indian parent company, Tata Motors. JLR declined to comment when contacted. McGovern, 69, […]
December 04, 2025
Poppy, the D’Ieteren-owned mobility provider with its iconic red cars, is today launching Poppy Lease, a 100% digital, flexible offering for Belgian private individuals and the self-employed. The project actually started three years ago under the name MyPop as a test phase. Belgium lags far behind its neighbours in private leasing. A study by Renta, […]
December 04, 2025
The European Commission wants to make Europe less dependent on rare materials and other critical raw materials. It is allocating a budget of €3 billion for this purpose. Among other things, the program includes restricting the export of waste that can be recycled for valuable materials essential to the green transition, such as rare-earth metals […]
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 […]
December 04, 2025
You might know Piaggio from its scooters, including the iconic Vespa, but the company also makes small utility vehicles. The Piaggio Porter has been on sale for a few years with a combustion engine, but now, there’s also the all-electric Porter NPE. And it doesn’t compromise on capability… much. The Piaggio Porter is popular for […]
December 04, 2025
As already assumed earlier, the Board of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has re-elected Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz, for a second term as ACEA President in 2026. Källenius is also setting the tone for his second year at the helm of the association: Competitiveness and market-driven decarbonisation high on agenda,” states the headline […]
December 04, 2025
Only five of the fourteen planned wind turbines that would be built next to the E313 between Riemst and Tongeren-Borgloon have received a permit from Flemish Environment Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V). The five licensed turbines together will provide enough energy for the annual consumption of 25,000 households. “We are committed to renewable energy, but with respect for […]
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 […]
December 03, 2025
MAN Truck & Bus is rolling out a new delivery system that incorporates electric trucks and rail transport. After the initial rail route, two MAN eTGX battery-electric trucks handle the last-mile operations, operated by long-term logistics partner VEGA International. Most long-distance transport for MAN’s e-trucks now moves by rail. At a logistics terminal in Rheine, […]
December 03, 2025
The Dutch fast-charging company Fastned has won a tender to construct a ‘super charging plaza’ in France, a dedicated one with all services, similar to the one recently opened in Gentbrugge, Belgium. The location in Saint-Yvi, Bretagne, will offer six 400 kW fast chargers, one of which will be suitable for e-trucks, supplemented by a […]
December 03, 2025
On Tuesday, the German premium car manufacturer BMW set a new 2035 milestone to cut CO2-equivalent emissions on the road to net zero. By 2035, the Munich-based company wants to emit at least 60 million tons of CO2 equivalents less than in 2019 – CO2 equivalents (CO2e) account for not only carbon dioxide but also […]
December 03, 2025
A lot is going to happen for Nissan Belux in 2026. The recently launched Micra and Leaf are ready for sale; other BEVs are coming. Secondly, Nissan will again be present at the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) in January. Thirdly, Nissan Belux, part of Nissan eNEST (Benelux plus three Scandinavian countries), will be selling the […]
December 03, 2025
A new analysis of end-of-lease EVs by Belgian mobility organisation VAB confirms what international research has long indicated: battery reliability is far better than many early predictions, and the second-hand electric car market has matured much faster than most consumers realize. With high battery health, falling purchase prices, and ownership costs that increasingly rival or […]
December 02, 2025
According to data from the sector federation Febiac and the Federal Public Service Mobility & Transport, 28,071 new cars were registered in November, 11.8% fewer than in the same month last year. Looking at the first 11 months of this year, sales went down 9.2% compared to the previous year. We see the same trend […]
December 02, 2025
Where the brand is being chewed out in the rest of Europe, Tesla has seized a decisive lead in electric car walhalla, Norway. As the country witnesses one of its strongest electric-vehicle surges, the American EV maker broke a previous record held by Volkswagen. Norway’s electric-vehicle market has entered another explosive phase, and Tesla is […]
December 02, 2025
On Monday, the Brussels-based company Lizy, which specialises in the digital leasing of reconditioned used cars, received the ‘Scale-up of the Year 2025’ award, marking a milestone for a company that has reshaped one of Europe’s most traditional sectors. The award is granted by EY Belgium, in partnership with BNP Paribas Fortis, L’Echo, and De […]
December 02, 2025
Kia officially confirmed on Tuesday that its all-new EV2 will make its world debut at the 2026 Brussels Motor Show in January 2026, a decision that places Europe firmly at the center of the brand’s electric ambitions. The EV2 has been designed from the start as a European car. It will be the smallest member […]
December 02, 2025
When the Croatian repair network EV Clinic posted an unusually blunt warning on X about ‘catastrophic’ failure rates in Tesla Model 3 and Model Y NMC battery packs built by LG Energy Solution in Nanjing (China), the message rippled quickly across the EV community, picked up by sites like Electrek, ArenaEV, and others. But it […]
December 02, 2025
Germany’s federal coalition has agreed on a unified national position regarding the EU’s 2035 zero-emission requirement for new cars. The government wants scope for ‘highly efficient combustion engine models’ alongside electric vehicles as the EU reviews its regulation. A formal proposal from Brussels is expected in December. Germany’s coalition government has agreed on a joint […]
December 02, 2025
Geely took to the legendary Paris-Beijing route – or rather, vice versa – to make a point about the durability of its Galaxy M9 SUV. Tale to the story: the car not only reached its destination in good shape, but engineers also dismantled the model overtly to demonstrate its resilience. Automakers typically prefer their vehicles to […]
December 01, 2025
Large parts of Brussels North Station have been recognized as monuments. These include the clock tower, the facades in natural stone and beige brick, the large ticket hall “with its monumental U-shaped staircase,” the seven platforms, and the remaining wooden benches on those platforms. The North Station, located in the Brussels municipality of Schaerbeek, was […]
December 01, 2025
The Flemish government has definitively abolished the tightening of the low-emission zones (LEZ). Initially, the plan was to ban diesel cars with the Euro 5 standard and gasoline cars with the Euro 2 standard from Antwerp and Ghent starting in 2026. Still, in September, the Flemish government decided to suspend this tightening. This suspension has […]
December 01, 2025
After operating for 50 years, the nuclear power plant Doel 2, on the banks of the river Scheldt, was finally shut down on Sunday evening. It is the fifth Belgian reactor to be disconnected, after Doel 1 and 3, and Tihange 1 and 2. Doel 3 was disconnected in 2022, Tihange 2 was shut down […]
December 01, 2025
When the Swedish-Chinese brand Lynk & Co was launched in Europe by its Belgian CEO, Alain Visser, it presented itself not simply as a new car brand, but as a corrective to everything outdated in the automotive world. Its message was evangelical: the age of car ownership was over, the future belonged to mobility, and […]
December 01, 2025
The British start-up Morris Commercial will manufacture its electric revival of the Morris J-Type, a small van produced in the 1950s, in Wales. The market launch of the retro electric vehicle is now planned for late 2026, after initially being scheduled for 2021. Morris Commercial is now targeting a start of production at its St […]
November 28, 2025
In the province of Flemish Brabant, driving licences will now be revoked at a blood alcohol level of 0.35 mg/l, down from 0.50 mg/l. With this measure, the public prosecutor’s office of Leuven and Halle-Vilvoorde aims to further increase road safety in the province. The measure to lower the blood alcohol threshold comes on the […]
November 28, 2025
While micromobility in Belgium usually slows down from the end of September – due to the weather and shorter days – the Bolt shared e-scooter platform in Antwerp is seeing continued growth, with a record month in October. Since the launch of the fleet of about 1,000 e-scooters in Antwerp in March of this year, usage […]
November 28, 2025
Omoda is expanding its European range with a hybrid version of the Omoda 5. The new HEV aims for the likes of the hybrid Kia Niro and the oddball Nissan Qashqai e-Power. It comes with a facelift and the hope of gaining more traction in the Belgian marketplace through a more classic take on electrification. […]
November 28, 2025
When Leapmotor first unveiled the B05 at the IAA Mobility show in Munich last September, it was clear that the compact electric hatchback was conceived with Europe in mind. What was less clear then was how aggressively the Chinese newcomer, backed by Stellantis, intended to position itself. Now, following the official launch of the model […]
November 28, 2025
A survey commissioned by Belgian service chain Auto5 found that half of young drivers postpone essential car maintenance, even when it compromises safety or shortens the life of their vehicle. At first glance, the claim raises the question of whether it reveals a genuine societal trend or serves the interests of a company built on […]
November 27, 2025
CATL, the world’s largest manufacturer of automotive batteries, and automotive giant Stellantis have started construction of a battery factory in Figueruelas, near Zaragoza. The expected capacity of the LFP battery factory is up to 50 kWh, enough to supply tens of thousands of EVs with batteries each year. For CATL, this is the third battery […]
November 27, 2025
According to Ryanair, Belgium is pricing itself out of the market now that the De Wever government has decided that the flight tax will be €10 for all flights from 2027, while other countries are reducing or completely scrapping their taxes. However, the Irish low-cost airline’s comment should be taken with a grain of salt. […]
November 27, 2025
Inserting a biofuels loophole in the EU 2035 cars law could see a huge spike in demand for biofuels from waste feedstocks like animal fats, used cooking oil, and palm oil by-products, a new T&E analysis finds. A car running on animal fats, for example, would require the equivalent of 120 pigs a year. This […]
November 27, 2025
Horse Powertrain, the Renault-Geely joint venture backed by Saudi Aramco, has unveiled the production-bound version of its ‘Future Hybrid System,’ signalling a decisive shift from an intriguing idea shown earlier this year to a fully industrialised technology aimed at mass-market deployment by 2027. It’s more than yet another powertrain technology. It signals a shift in […]
November 27, 2025
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Belgium has placed an order with the BMW Group Belux for 723 full electric vehicles. With this order, PwC will add 300 new Mini Aceman models to its fleet, along with 423 BMW iX1 eDrive20 models. This brings the total composition of PwC Belgium’s fleet to 90% electric and/or hybrid vehicles, of which […]
November 27, 2025
Students at the Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TU/e) have developed a sustainable electric city car called Aria, which users can repair themselves in some cases. The goal of the study is “to inspire the automotive industry and challenge European policymakers”, as the university team states. The Technical University in Eindhoven (southern Netherlands) is renowned for its […]
November 27, 2025
In the hypercar world, the sky is the limit, yet even in this rarified space, the debut of the Aspark Owl Roadster lands with unusual force as one of the world’s fastest EV roadsters on sale. The Japanese company Aspark has unveiled a convertible version of its extreme electric hypercar, already famed for its 1,900-plus […]
November 27, 2025
BMW is reportedly considering equipping some electric models with range extenders, primarily for the Chinese market. The larger model series are the main candidates, as they are more likely to have the space for an additional powertrain. News agency Bloomberg broke the news on BMW’s plans, citing sources familiar with the company’s strategy. Apparently, the […]
November 26, 2025
In mid-September, Alstom completed the world’s first journey with a shunting locomotive converted from diesel to hydrogen drive in Salzgitter, Germany. But barely two months later, the French multinational, a global leader in rail transport, is pausing further development of hydrogen trains. According to Alstom, the main reasons for discontinuing or pausing the projects are the […]
November 26, 2025
The US government is trying to roll back the particulate matter limits set by former President Joe Biden. The 2024 rule had cut the allowable ambient concentration of PM2.5 from 12 µg/m³ to 9 µg/m³ — a move aimed at significantly reducing air pollution and protecting public health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), now headed by a director appointed by […]
November 26, 2025
On the Belgian car market, where company cars account for more than 60% of registrations, no electric model has made a louder entrance this year than the Kia EV3. With 39% of its cars sold being purely EVs, Kia scores higher than the Belgian market average of 33%. And by launching a new EV4, EV5, […]
November 26, 2025
In the Netherlands, air passenger numbers, road traffic, and the use of electric bicycles increased in 2024. And, according to research by the Dutch Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy (KiM), this trend is expected to continue. In aviation, the number of passengers travelling to, via, or from Dutch airports increased by 7% (from 71.3 million […]
November 26, 2025
The trial in the case brought by Hugues Falys, a farmer from Hainaut, against oil giant TotalEnergies has only just begun, but has already taken a surprising turn. The judges who were to preside over the case will be replaced. The reason for this reshuffle? One of the three judges on the court has withdrawn […]
November 26, 2025
The Volkswagen Group has completed the final expansion stage of its Technology and Innovation Center (VCTC) in Hefei. This will enable Volkswagen to independently develop complete vehicle projects and technologies for the Chinese market. The new operational facilities of the Volkswagen Group China Technology Company (VCTC) expand local research and development capabilities by combining software […]
November 26, 2025
When Renault unveiled its new Twingo E-Tech, the surprise wasn’t just the cute, legendary car itself. It was also the story behind it: how the French carmaker had to rewrite European car design rules to fight back and develop a strong alternative to the Chinese competition. A really affordable car in a segment that other […]
November 26, 2025
Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius is apparently seeking a second term as president of the European Car Manufacturer Association ACEA. The ACEA president is elected annually, and an extension is possible, which Källenius now appears to intend. The rumors were reported by the German business publication Handelsblatt, citing industry sources. Typically, the ACEA president serves a […]
November 26, 2025
According to the data of the European Car Manufacturers Association ACEA, there were 5.8% more cars registered in October compared to the same month in 2024. Year-to-date, there’s a slight progress of 1.4%, mainly due to the positive last four months. The battery-electric car market share reached 16.4% YTD, yet it is still below the […]
November 26, 2025
At last week’s Solutrans trade show in Lyon, Renault Trucks finally pulled the wraps off what it had promised earlier as its spearhead for long-distance electric freight. The new E-Tech T 780 and its payload-focused sibling, the E-Tech T 585, build upon the architecture developed by Volvo Trucks. The new trucks aim at convincing logistics […]
November 25, 2025
From 2027, the air passenger tax in Belgium will increase for flights over 500 kilometers from €5 to €10 per departing passenger. This is the second time in this legislative period that the federal government will increase the tax on airline tickets. Brussels Airlines points out that it cannot pay the additional tax out of its […]
November 25, 2025
Hyundai’s Luxury Genesis division now has its own performance sub-brand: Magma. Somewhere, sometime in 2026, you’ll be able to buy the first production car from Genesis’ Magma division, the GV60 Magma you see here. Everything started in 2023 with the GV80 Coupé Concept, where we first saw the flaming-Cheeto orange/red that is Magma’s signature color. […]
