Another delay for new streetcar in Liège

March 26, 2025

Residents, commuters, and visitors to the city of Liège will have to be more patient if they want to use the new streetcar. The inauguration has been postponed again, this time to April 28th. The Walloon public transport company TEC indicates that several technical problems remain, so it has a new start date. Streetcars have […]

EU agrees on digital driver’s license

March 26, 2025

By the end of 2030, a uniform digital mobile driver’s license will be recognized in all Member States. Negotiators from the European Parliament and the EU Member States agreed on this during the night from Monday to Tuesday. Why a digital driver’s license? There are currently more than a hundred types of driver’s licenses in […]

BYD expands Ocean series in China with budget-friendly Sealion 05 EV

March 26, 2025

BYD has officially unveiled the Sealion 05 EV, a compact all-electric SUV aimed squarely at the mass market, strengthening its growing Ocean lineup and reinforcing its aggressive pricing strategy in the global EV race. Whether the model comes to Belgium remains a question mark. Officially launched in China yesterday, the Sealion 05 EV starts at […]

Josep Maria Recasens is new CEO of Ampere

March 26, 2025

Since the spin-off in 2023, Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo has managed the electric car division, Ampere, in a dual role. That will change now: Josep Maria Recasens will become the new CEO of Ampere on April 1st, 2025. There are also other new appointments in top management. Josep Maria Recasens is the current […]

Influencer films himself at 250 km/h in Brussels tunnels

March 26, 2025

The Brussels prosecutor’s office is prosecuting an influencer with more than 40,000 followers who filmed himself several times while driving at very high speeds through the capital. The man reached speeds as high as 250 km/hour in the Brussels tunnels. The public prosecutor has summoned the man to the police court, where he must answer […]

Pre-sales starts for Lynk & Co’s 009 six-seater PHEV SUV (update)

March 26, 2025

Geely brand and former Volvo sibling Lynk & Co, known in Europe for its monthly subscription model, is launching a new global flagship PHEV model: the six-seater SUV ‘009’. It’s opening for pre-sales now in China, with four trim levels offered and prices ranging from 330,000 to 435,000 yuan (42,105 – 55,500 euros). It is […]

Hyundai Motor Group to invest $21 billion in the US

March 26, 2025

Hyundai Motor Group has announced plans to invest $21 billion (±€ 19.5 billion) in the United States between 2025 and 2028. This investment aims to increase the company’s US production capacity to 1.2 million vehicles. Additionally, component manufacturing, including the production of battery packs, will be strengthened. Hyundai’s Executive President, Chung Eui-sun, announced the news […]

UK’s Gemini Trains also wants to compete with Eurostar

March 25, 2025

After Virgin Trains and Spain’s Evolyn, another candidate has come forward with plans to run passenger trains through the Channel Tunnel: British Gemini Trains. There is no timescale yet for when Eurostar’s new potential competitor plans to run services between London and continental Europe, particularly Paris and Brussels, although other media are talking about 2029. […]

Four percent of 1.4 million Parisians vote to make 500 streets car-free

March 25, 2025

Paris residents voted in a referendum on Sunday to make hundreds of streets car-free. With this measure, the left-wing city council wants to reduce car use further, improve air quality, and increase the quality of life in the French capital. However, turnout was low: barely 4% of the 1.4 million residents bothered to vote. Two-thirds […]

Belgium exempts heavy electric vans from tachograph obligation

March 25, 2025

As previously announced in 2023, the Belgian federal government has created an exemption for using a tachograph in electric vans of up to 4.25 tons. Professional drivers of these heavier vans will not have to adhere to mandatory rest times, but there are some conditions. In an attempt to boost the electrification of light commercial […]

Hugo Bollen, inventor of Belgian cycle node network gets honorary doctorate

March 25, 2025

On May 27th, Hasselt University will award an honorary doctorate to Hugo Bollen, the inventor of the walking and cycling node network. Hugo Bollen, a former engineer at the Kempen Coal Mines (Kempische Steenkoolmijnen), came up with the now widespread cycling and walking junction network years ago. The doctorate is a recognition of his essential […]

Stellantis faces mounting complaints over faulty onboard chargers

March 25, 2025

Stellantis is under increasing pressure as thousands of customers report persistent issues with the onboard chargers in its electric vehicles across Europe. Since 2019, owners of Peugeot, Opel, DS, and Citroën models have been dealing with a recurring defect that renders their vehicles unable to charge via standard AC stations, forcing them to rely exclusively […]

BYD blasts past Tesla with record sales surge

March 25, 2025

BYD has surpassed Tesla in annual revenue for the first time, cementing its status as the new driving force in the global EV industry. The Chinese automaker reported a record revenue for 2024, up nearly 30 percent from the last year. Windfall was particularly advantageous in its home market. Where Tesla posted revenue of €90.5 […]

EU car registrations 3,4% down in February, EVs 15.2% market share

March 25, 2025

According to the European Car Manufacturers Association (ACEA) date, new EU car registrations declined by 3% in February compared to the same period in 2024. Notably, the bloc’s significant markets saw declines, with Italy (-6%), Germany (-4.6%), and France (-3.3%). Spain conversely recorded an 8.4% increase. In February 2025, the year-on-year (YOY) decline was 3.4%, […]

Flanders: 35 percent less nitrogen emissions than ten years ago

March 24, 2025

According to the Progress Report on the Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen, nitrogen oxide emissions in Flanders have fallen by 35 percent between 2015 and 2022, and ammonia emissions have fallen by 9 percent in those seven years. Environment Minister Jo Brouns presented the report on Friday, March 21st. Nitrogen oxides (80%) mainly come from the […]

Six new summer destinations from Brussels Airport

March 24, 2025

Brussels Airport is adding six new destinations to its network this summer, starting on March 30th. These destinations are both within Europe and intercontinental. Passengers will be able to fly directly from Brussels Airport to 180 destinations offered by 68 airlines. Some new summer destinations, such as Curaçao (TUI fly) and Bangkok (Thai Airways International), […]

VDL to supply Trandsdev 42 e-Citeas while last Van Hool buses are auctioned

March 24, 2025

Transdev Nederland, one of the Netherlands’ public transport operators, runs buses nationwide. It has chosen Dutch bus manufacturer VDL to deliver 42 Citea e-buses for the Hoeksche Waard/Goeree-Overflakkee (HWGO) concession. Meanwhile, the last Van Hool buses after the bankruptcy are auctioned. Transdev is a French multinational public transport and ambulance company operating in 19 countries. […]

Brussels Parliament postpones tighter LEZ to 2027 after ‘legal error’

March 24, 2025

The Brussels Parliament has approved the proposal for an ordinance clarifying specific provisions postponing the tightening of the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) until January 1, 2027. The vote was 67 to 14, with the Greens and DéFI voting against and Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) abstaining. Whether this definitively eliminates the problems remains to be seen. Touring, […]

Ailing European car factories pivoting to defense for revival

March 24, 2025

Once a symbol of Europe’s proud automotive tradition, several closed or downsized car factories across Western Europe are now being repurposed for defense manufacturing. Not only Audi Brussels but also VDL Nedcar and Volkswagen Osnabrück are trading in automotive parts for military components. This reminds us of how the automotive assembly sector was transformed for […]

Why BMW sells more EVs than Mercedes and Audi combined?

March 24, 2025

In January, BMW Group announced it continued its growth path in 2024, delivering 426,594 fully electric vehicles to customers and achieving BEV-sales growth of +13.5 %. Now that more figures are available of its all-time competitors at the premium home front, Mercedes and Audi, it’s clear that they sold more EVs than those two combined. […]

Smart #5: breaking out its city limits

March 22, 2025

With the next one—the #5—hitting the market in a few weeks, Smart has grown up. With its 4,695 mm length, width of 1,920 mm, height of 1,705 mm, and wheelbase of 2,900 mm, it is almost double the size of the original Smart ForTwo, which saw the light of day in 1998. Mercedes’ little brother, […]

Traxio Velo: ‘Bicycle sales declining, but industry remains optimistic’

March 22, 2025

With 540,356 bikes sold, bicycle sales in Belgium have declined for the second consecutive year. Mobility federation Traxio Velo announced this at the Bike Brussels trade fair opening at Tour & Taxis, which runs until Sunday. However, this slight 4.75% drop isn’t necessarily a cause for concern, says Frank Glorieux, General Secretary of Traxio Velo. […]

BYD may not build its planned Mexican factory

March 21, 2025

China has apparently delayed the approval for the construction of BYD’s Mexican plant. Chinese authorities fear that Mexico could gain unrestricted access to BYD’s advanced technology and know-how and potentially share it with the US. The Financial Times reports, citing two people familiar with the matter, that there are other reasons why Beijing could oppose […]

Magna Steyr likely to build EVs for Xpeng and GAC in Austria

March 21, 2025

Contract builder Magna Steyr, which today still builds cars like the Mercedes G-Class, Toyota GR Supra, and BMW Z4 that share the same platform at its plant in Graz, Austria, is, according to a new report, closing a deal with Chinese Xpeng and GAC to build EVs for the European market. It would work on […]

‘Belgium must invest €25 billion annually to be climate neutral by 2050’

March 21, 2025

The European Union and Belgium have made a clear commitment to climate neutrality to achieve the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement. However, achieving this objective will require significant investments, leading to a profound transformation of our society. According to a new report from the Federal Climate Change Service in collaboration with the Study Committee […]

VP Stella Li: ‘BYD will leap forward in 2025 in Europe’

March 21, 2025

“Our sales in Europe will make a big jump starting in March and April,” says Stella Li, Vice-President of the Chinese car manufacturer BYD. The carmaker still wants to expand its offer of PHEVs and BEVs, including a very affordable entry-level model. Meanwhile, Europe is investigating the financial aid the company got to build its […]

North Sea Port opens new jetty with shore power for river cruises

March 21, 2025

North Sea Port, the cross-border port area between Vlissingen (the Netherlands) and Ghent (Belgium), has installed a new jetty with shore power. Ships arriving in Ghent must now dock here. With this investment, North Sea Port strengthens its position as a European sustainable port. The sustainable jetty, located at the head of the Grootdok, is […]

Tesla recalls entire Cybertruck fleet over panels flying off 

March 21, 2025

Tesla has met its recall, which an over-the-air update can’t fix. The company must reserve all 46,096 Cybertrucks built to date after reports that stainless-steel body panels could detach while driving due to faulty adhesive. This raised safety concerns and further complicated the electric pickup’s rocky launch. The American National Highway Traffic Safety Administration disclosed […]

NIO’s top-level ET9 ready to take on premium German automakers

March 21, 2025

A few days before first deliveries on March 29th, Chinese premium EV maker NIO started  customers tests in China with its new flagship ET9 sedan that is to take on the ‘crème de la crème’ of the German premium competition. With a starting price of 788,000 yuan (€100,340), including the battery pack, it is Nio’s […]

Belgian public transport operators turn their backs on X

March 20, 2025

Advertisers may have returned, and the value may be valued again at 44 billion dollars, but individuals and companies continue to abandon social media platform X. For example, De Lijn, NMBS/SNCB, TEC, and MIVB/STIB, each with a separate message on the same platform, have stated that they are leaving X. The main reason seems to […]

IKEA Belgium adds seven electric trucks for home deliveries

March 20, 2025

IKEA Belgium is ramping up its sustainability efforts by introducing seven new electric trucks for home deliveries. The move aims to modernize its logistics operations. Built by Volvo Trucks in Ghent, these vehicles will handle large orders, such as kitchens and wardrobes, reinforcing the retailer’s commitment to eco-friendly transportation. The purchase of the electric trucks […]

French container giant CMA CGM also submits take-over bid for Air Belgium

March 20, 2025

French logistics group CMA CGM, best known for its container ships, has also submitted a bid to take over cargo operations with airline Air Belgium. The cargo operations of the judicially reorganized Air Belgium were first to be taken over by Air One Belgium. But about two weeks ago, the Nivelles business court reversed that […]

Choosing train instead of plane to emit less CO2 has no effect

March 20, 2025

Four scientists from KU Leuven, the University of Ghent, and Transport and Mobility Leuven have concluded that it makes no sense to choose the train instead of the plane for trips within the European Union to emit less CO2. Due to the European emission ceilings, someone else will emit the saved CO2 anyway. The Emission […]

MG ready to launch a completely new MG4

March 20, 2025

Surprisingly, SAIC Motor’s daughter MG will launch a completely new version of its MG4 EV. This car sells well overseas but has very low sales in China. The new version is larger than the previous one and has a brand-new design. This might signal that the company decided to start all over again with its […]

Project Stapscore wins Flemish Road Safety Award 2025

March 19, 2025

  “Working on better sidewalks with Stapscore,” a project to improve the quality of sidewalks in Flanders, has won the Flemish Road Safety Award 2025. The winner was announced on Tuesday at the annual road safety conference organized by the Flemish Foundation for Road Safety (Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde, VSV). The award is presented to projects […]

The burden of being a Tesla owner: lower resale value, higher insurance rates

March 19, 2025

Tesla’s turbulent start to 2025, fueled by CEO Elon Musk’s political narrative, is lashing back at its owners. These face not only repercussions from activists throwing eggs and dog excrement at their cars but also higher running costs. For a brand that once set the pace for the global electric vehicle market, Tesla’s past few […]

Chinese scientists discover they can ‘cure’ degraded EV batteries

March 19, 2025

Scientists in China claim to have found a way to breathe new life into worn-out lithium-ion batteries. Researchers at Fudan University have developed a revolutionary lithium injection method that could restore degraded batteries to near-factory conditions. They say this breakthrough could dramatically extend battery lifespan and stabilize EV resale values. The findings, published in the […]

277 reports of incidents on flights in Belgium

March 19, 2025

The Belgian FPS Mobility registered 277 reports on unruly airline passengers in 2024, according to the newspaper Le Soir. Although FPS Mobility does not have precise statistics on in-flight aggression, crew testimony shows that alcohol and nicotine addiction often play a role in incidents. Indeed, according to the figures on the in-flight incident count of […]

Longbow Speedster is an electric sports car weighing only 895 kg

March 19, 2025

British start-up Longbow Motors wants to electrify the sports car segment with its Roadster and Speedster models. Both weigh under 1,000 kg, cost €100,000 or less, and will be available for sale as early as 2026. So where’s the catch? British industrial estates and car graveyards are lined with failed sports car projects from hopeful […]

Belgian government considers trains without attendants

March 19, 2025

The new federal government wants to explore the idea of driverless trains and see if trains without a train attendant, the so-called ‘one-man car,’ can be done. This is according to the policy statement of federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés). The proposal is remarkable. On the one hand, it may help bring down […]

De Lijn: record 23 accidents per day involving buses and streetcars

March 18, 2025

De Lijn’s buses and streetcars were involved in a combined 23 accidents per day last year, a record average. Overall, in 2024, buses were involved in 7,207 accidents, and streetcars in 1,191. So, the numbers are on the rise, as are the number of victims. The figures also show that De Lijn is often not […]

Stellantis teams up with Ikea-style Luvly to fight Chinese low-cost

March 18, 2025

Stellantis is partnering with Swedish startup Luvly to explore its innovative flat-pack vehicle production method. This method could dramatically reduce manufacturing and transportation costs and prove a worthwhile Western alternative to Chinese low-cost production.  With the Citroën Ami and its siblings at Opel (Rock-e) and Fiat (Topolino), Stellantis has already explored the market for microcars. […]

Audi scraps 7,500 jobs in Germany in cost-cutting strategy

March 18, 2025

The crisis at Audi deepens. Just weeks after the full closure of its Brussels plant, the luxury carmaker announced that it will slash 7,500 jobs in Germany by 2029 as part of a broad cost-cutting strategy. The Volkswagen-owned luxury automaker announced the move after lengthy negotiations with the company’s works council. The job cuts, which […]

NIO joins forces with CATL for world largest battery swapping network

March 18, 2025

Chinese EV maker NIO, known for its pioneering role in battery swapping, is joining forces with CATL, its major supplier, to set up a worldwide car-swapping network. CATL, the world’s biggest battery maker, puts its money where its mouth is by investing 2.5 billion yuan (€316 million) in Nio Power. Both parties signed an agreement […]

Musk dreams to land his Starship on Mars as early as next year

March 17, 2025

Space X boss Elon Musk wants Starship to make its first trip to Mars by the end of 2026, with the humanoid robot Tesla Optimus aboard. He said three to five years later, he could follow flights with humans. “The Starship will leave for Mars late next year, with Optimus on board. If landings go […]

‘London’s Ultra-LEZ improved air quality significantly’

March 17, 2025

A recent report indicates that London’s air quality has significantly improved since the introduction of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone, an area where polluting vehicles are banned or must pay a congestion charge to enter. Annual roadside NO2 concentrations across the capital have been nearly halved (49%) between 2016 and 2023, while preliminary figures indicate London […]

More on Renault’s 5 Turbo 3E ‘mini-supercar’ coming in 2027

March 17, 2025

Renault has unveiled most of the technical data of its “mini-supercar,” the 5 Turbo 3E, which evokes the spirit of the classic R5 Turbo models. This new model is all-electric, with over 500 hp, an 800 V battery, and supercar performance in a city car package. Renault surprised friend and foe at the end of […]

BMW Neue Klasse iX3: start of a flood of 40 new models

March 17, 2025

BMW is preparing for an aggressive product rollout. As part of its annual earnings call, the carmaker unveiled plans for more than 40 new and updated models by 2027, starting with the highly anticipated Neue Klasse iX3. The German automaker is betting on this next-generation EV technology to reverse a 4% drop in global sales […]

Engie leaves door open for expanding Belgium’s nuclear energy

March 17, 2025

Engie, the French energy giant that owns several nuclear power plants in Belgium, announced that it is “open to talks on Belgium’s nuclear energy policy.” Engie repeatedly emphasized earlier it was a cool lover of the idea and indicated that it wanted to end its nuclear activities. While Belgian Luminus CEO Grégoire Dallemagnes hinted in […]

Motorist collects more than 60 speeding tickets with fake license plates

March 17, 2025

Local police teams from the Belgian Borinage region in Henegouwen have caught a motorist who was repeatedly flashed with fake license plates. By analyzing the plates, the police were able to trace the real license plate. They discovered three different license plates at the driver’s home, two of which were fake. It later turned out that […]

Sluggish China sales and trade tariffs increase headwind for BMW

March 17, 2025

Releasing its 2024 financial results, BMW’s net profit plummeted by over a third last year. The German automaker warns of continued headwinds from trade tariffs and sluggish demand in China.  The Bavarian company reported a 36.9% drop in net profit to €7.68 billion ($8.32 billion), in line with market expectations and German competitors. However, geopolitical […]

Lee Zeldin rolls back EPA standards strangling US green transition

March 14, 2025

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a dramatic rollback of vehicle emissions regulations. The changes, led by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin under the Trump administration, will relax emissions targets for cars, trucks, and power plants. Critics say it marks a fundamental shift away from the agency’s historic mission of environmental protection. Trump’s oil […]

Toyota’s new micro-mobility concept for Europe is the FT-Me

March 14, 2025

At its yearly Kenshiki event in Brussels, Toyota also unveiled the FT-Me. This microcar concept represents Toyota’s vision for all-electric micro-mobility that “combines premium design with affordability.” Inspired by the success of Toyota’s mobility solutions developed for the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the FT-Me aims to address the evolving needs […]

Brussels Airport streetcar works to start at the end of this year

March 14, 2025

The works for the first phase of the streetcar connection between Brussels Airport and the NATO headquarters in Haren will start at the end of this year. So reports De Werkvennootschap, which is coordinating the project. It involves the construction of the streetcar and bicycle viaduct over the Brussels Ring in Machelen. The works should […]

‘Belgian families still spend less on mobility than before covid’

March 14, 2025

Since the Covid-19 crisis, there has been a “permanent change in household mobility behavior.” In particular, expenditures on car use have fallen significantly. That is the conclusion of a recent report by the Federal Planning Bureau and the Federal Public Service Mobility. However, there is a big difference between the regions. Households living in Wallonia […]

No more Nightjet train between Brussels and Berlin

March 14, 2025

Bad luck to those who would like to book city trips on the Nightjet trains: The Nightjet will stop running between Brussels and Berlin. From March 27th, the offer will disappear, according to the NMBS/SNCB international train travel website. The reason for the discontinuation of the services is not given, but the competition has probably […]

Joachim Post becomes BMW board member for development

March 14, 2025

The BMW Supervisory Board has made several new appointments to the Board of Management. Joachim Post, the current Chief Purchasing Officer, will take over as CTO from Frank Weber, who has to leave the company. Nicolai Martin will succeed Post as Chief Purchasing Officer. The change within the Management Board could be an essential test […]

Chinese Wanfeng wants to acquire German Volocopter

March 13, 2025

According to communications from Wanfeng to investors, Chinese concern Wanfeng wants to acquire Volocopter, the German maker of flying cabs that take off vertically. Volocopter initiated bankruptcy proceedings late last year and hoped for a relaunch with new investors. Wanfeng wants to acquire the start-up for 10 million euros. Pioneer Volocopter makes vertically rising electric […]

Squeezed profit forces Porsche to cut almost 4,000 jobs

March 13, 2025

Porsche is embarking on a significant restructuring effort, cutting 3,900 jobs as it faces declining sales in China, rising trade tensions, and a potential tariff battle with the United States. The German sports carmaker is adjusting its financial outlook and product strategy to maintain profitability. The company announced the job reductions to boost efficiency and […]

Acerta: ‘Most are satisfied with teleworking, youngsters ask for more’

March 13, 2025

Five years after the coronavirus pandemic, more than eight out of ten companies still allow teleworking. However, more than a third of young employees (33.8%) prefer to work from home more often. In Belgium, half of employers require a physical presence only twice a week or less. The conclusions come from a study by HR […]

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