May 13, 2025
Electrified cars have overtaken gasoline and diesel models in China’s vast passenger car market for the first time. In March, so-called new energy vehicles (NEVs), which include battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models, accounted for 51.1% of all retail car sales in the country. The milestone signals not just the rapid maturation of China’s electric vehicle […]
May 13, 2025
BYD’s latest all-electric saloon, the e7, has quietly begun arriving at dealerships across China after it was previously leaked. The e7 is expected to be priced very low, potentially starting at 70,000 yuan or under €10,000, making it one of the world’s most affordable full-sized EV sedans. The model offers a stripped-down but capable alternative […]
May 13, 2025
Chinese premier EV maker NIO has its flagship sedan, the ET9, certified for steer-by-wire (SWB), a first for Europe, after the regulator in its homeland did the same in December 2024. There is no longer a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the turning wheels. Still, NIO claims its system is fully redundant, making […]
May 13, 2025
Since last week, Belgian car owners have been able to receive their official invitation for the obligatory car inspection in their eBox, an official and secure electronic mailbox used by the government. Until now, invitations to present your car (older than four years) for official inspection in one of the agreed inspection centers were mainly […]
May 12, 2025
Car manufacturing group Stellantis has launched an online compensation platform for European clients with unforeseen reparation costs related to their 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech engines. Several generations of these engines (also known as EB) confronted their owners with excessive oil consumption or a premature degradation of the timing belt. This additional compensation scheme is meant […]
May 12, 2025
Kia’s first electric van, and its first commercial vehicle in any shape or form, will arrive on European roads by the end of 2025. The manufacturer has announced pricing for the PV5 in its regular panel van shape, which undercuts its main rival, the VW ID. Buzz Cargo, by more than €10,000. The Kia PV5 […]
May 12, 2025
Amsterdam has launched a six-month trial of a smart charging scheme that aims to relieve pressure on its electricity grid while helping electric vehicle (EV) drivers cut their charging costs. The programme began in March, as cities across Europe grapple with the twin challenges of electrification and ageing power infrastructure. The Dutch capital is working […]
May 12, 2025
MG has opened the order books for its newest electric SUV in Europe: the MGS5 EV. This succeeds the ZS EV, which kicked off the nameplate’s renaissance in Europe. The MGS5 EV is still an electric SUV, but boasts improvements in pretty much all areas without touching the affordable price tag. MG, the former British […]
May 12, 2025
IAG, the group behind British Airways and Iberia, is expanding its fleet with 71 new aircraft. The orders are neatly divided between Boeing, an American manufacturer, and its European rival, Airbus. The order involves more than 20 billion dollars. The planes would be delivered between 2028 and 2033. IAD did not release how much specifically […]
May 12, 2025
Tesla faces mounting internal unrest after a veteran employee was fired for publicly criticizing CEO Elon Musk. He urged the company to replace him amid falling sales and reputational concerns tied to Musk’s political activity. Tesla confirms its reputation for customizing free speech to its own rhetoric only. Matthew LaBrot, a staff program manager who […]
May 12, 2025
In the first quarter of 2025, the Chinese manufacturer MG realized substantial growth in Europe and the Belgian car market. In Europe, it sold 78,505 cars during Q1, a 33.5% increase in sales compared to 2024. In Belgium, MG registered 35% more registrations in the same period. With the noticeable progress of another Chinese brand, […]
May 09, 2025
Cadillac’s hand-built electric flagship, the Celestiq, was meant to mark the return of American automotive grandeur. Instead, it risks becoming an expensive ghost — rarer than a Bugatti, but not by the board’s initial plan. Nearly three years since its glitzy announcement, fewer than 25 buyers have committed to the €300,000 EV, and even that […]
May 09, 2025
According to the latest accident figures, 266 severe accidents with injuries occur annually in Flanders during road works on regional roads and highways–an average of five accidents at a construction site every week. Six of them are fatal. Most accidents happen in traffic jams before the construction sites or when driving past them. The ‘Rij […]
May 09, 2025
Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (N-VA) wants the public transport company De Lijn to work out a new framework agreement for a planned order of some 30 streetcars for Antwerp. The order is with Spanish rolling stock manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF). The price would suddenly be 1.5 times higher, and the […]
May 09, 2025
With more drama than some critics feel is appropriate, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump announced a deal that brings the 27% tariff on British cars imported into the US virtually back to 10% like before and slashes the 25% tariff on steel. The price: 13.000 tons of tax-free US beef […]
May 09, 2025
Toyota has refreshed the styling of its five-year-old Corolla Cross, enhanced cabin comfort, and introduced a GR Sport variant for the first time in the European lineup. The updated model will arrive in summer 2025, with the GR Sport following in the fall. Positioned between the C-HR and RAV4, the Corolla Cross was initially seen […]
May 08, 2025
Belgian railroad network manager Infrabel is conducting tests using liquid nitrogen and electricity, among other things, to control weeds in and along the tracks. It does so with its Dutch counterpart, ProRail, and the international railroad organization UIC. Both rail network managers are looking for new methods to control weeds on the tracks, although the […]
May 08, 2025
Global methane emissions from fossil fuels remain extremely high, while a significant portion could be avoided. Measures to tackle methane emissions are often very cost-effective and could have brought an extra 100 billion cubic meters of gas to market in 2024, the IEA’s Global Tracker shows. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), one-third of […]
May 08, 2025
April 2025 was the second warmest April globally, with an average ERA5 surface air temperature of 14.96°C. Last month, global temperature was 1.51°C above the estimated 1850-1900 average used to define pre-industrial levels. These are some of the conclusions the Copernicus Climate Change Service published in its latest monthly climate bulletin. The average temperature over […]
May 08, 2025
Media House newspapers report that Flemish public transport operator De Lijn received a whopping 87,000 complaints last year, 24,000 more than in 2023. This is the most significant number of complaints De Lijn has ever received in one year. The record number of complaints is mainly due to the new transport plan Hoppin, which the […]
May 08, 2025
German carmaker BMW Group reported a 26.4% drop in first-quarter net profit to €2.2 billion, as weak demand in China weighed on earnings. Revenues fell 7.8% to €33.8 billion as global vehicle deliveries dropped 1.4% to 586,117 units, driven by a decline in China amid intense market competition. “Given the sustained demand for its attractive […]
May 08, 2025
Polestar is introducing official battery health certificates for used versions of its Polestar 2 electric car. The new offer must calm nerves across Europe’s struggling second-hand EV market. The Electric car maker says the new certificate will help ease fears over battery life and falling used EV prices. The certificate will become mandatory in the […]
May 08, 2025
Foxconn, best known as Apple’s iPhone assembler, is entering the global electric vehicle market with its first contract to supply an established automaker, Mitsubishi, with a full electric model. Mitsubishi announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Foxtron, the EV arm of Taiwan’s Hon Hai Precision Industry Corporation (or Foxconn), to develop […]
May 08, 2025
It was initially intended to be an all-electric version only, but now the new Audi A6 e-tron has an e-hybrid quattro PHEV flavor, too. That one has a 2.0 TFSI engine and a beefed-up battery of 25.9 kWh (net 20.7 kWh), a gain of roughly 45 percent compared to its predecessor, to offer an electric […]
May 08, 2025
The new Volvo XC70 mid-size SUV is Volvo Cars’ first extended-range plug-in hybrid. According to the Chinese CLTC standard, it provides a pure electric range of up to 200 kilometers, making it Volvo Cars’ longest-range plug-in hybrid. The new XC70 is designed to meet the demand for longer-range PHEVs in China, where it will be […]
May 07, 2025
Last year, the Dutch flew 100 billion km, or 2.5 million times around the world. This was calculated by the Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy (KiM). It’s as many kilometers as the Dutch drive by car annually, but with the difference that half of all the kilometers flown are traveled by 9% of the Dutch […]
May 07, 2025
In April, the number of registrations of new speed pedelecs increased slightly by +0.3% to 1,150 units, and more growth is emerging thanks to additional registrations by federal civil servants and education staff. “The wider access to bicycle leasing for government staff will have an even more positive impact on the figures in the coming […]
May 07, 2025
Ford presented its business figures for the first quarter and reported a 200% increase in sales for its electric car division. As a result, turnover is also higher, and the loss is lower than a year ago. However, the loss still totals $850 million, and the manufacturer seems to be struggling with its EV future. […]
May 07, 2025
Retail prices for electric vehicles in Belgium dropped nearly 12 percent year-over-year in Q1 2025. The numbers affirm the ongoing trend of low interest in zero-emission cars on the secondhand market. As the mismatch between supply and demand grows, leasing companies seek to reassess their residual value strategies. Will corporate vehicles become increasingly more expensive? […]
May 07, 2025
Italian sports carmaker Ferrari is in roaring good health. Net revenues in the first three months of 2025 topped 1.79 billion, up 13.0% versus the prior year, and total shipments of 3,593 cars were 33 more than in the same period last year. Ferrari will announce six new models, which include the newly launched 296 […]
May 06, 2025
Today, the all-new Jeep Compass debuted in Italy and will be manufactured at the Melfi plant, a key hub for Stellantis’ electrification strategy. The new Compass evolves with an expanded engine range, which includes three powertrain options: e-Hybrid, e-Hybrid plug-in, and full electric with up to 650 km range. The latter also offers four-wheel drive. […]
May 06, 2025
South Korean management reads Julius Caesar. As attack is the best defense, the Hyundai group plans to launch a major product push to combat the economic cooldown and Trump tariffs. Most particularly in the lower regions of the electric category. What’s coming, as the fifth largest carmaker retools its strategy to stay competitive in a […]
May 06, 2025
Aviation’s future is at risk if it does not undergo a fundamental transition, says ‘Call Aviation to Action,’ a group of more than 50 aviation executives urging the sector to become more sustainable. The Dutch initiative, which includes various people, including directors, pilots, and technicians, believes that aviation cannot possibly continue on its current course […]
May 06, 2025
The popular self-driving shuttles at the Terhills tourist site in Dilsen-Stokkem and Maasmechelen will disappear from May 26th. The reason? The French technology supplier Easymile, responsible for vehicle production, maintenance, and safety, is stopping its shuttle projects for financial reasons. The ‘Limburgse Reconversie Maatschappij’ (LRM) and its partners, responsible for operating the shuttles, will investigate […]
May 06, 2025
Stellantis President John Elkann and Renault CEO Luca De Meo said in an interview with Le Figaro on Monday that the fate of the European automotive industry is being played out this year. Both are pleading for Europe to rediscover its origins: the popular and affordable car. They say that a radical and fast simplification […]
May 06, 2025
The used car market continues to grow, with 63,710 registrations in April (+1.8%, and +18.7% compared with April 2023). This steady growth underlines the market’s resilience, which is supported by continued demand from private individuals. The used car market represents 90.4% registrations by private individuals, who often do not have the means to purchase an expensive […]
May 06, 2025
According to a newly published patent, Mazda seems to be laying the groundwork for an electric future for its beloved MX-5 roadster. The details uncover an unconventional battery layout designed to preserve the iconic roadster’s nimble character. The patent, filed at the US Patent and Trademark Office in late 2024, surfaced only recently under the […]
May 06, 2025
KU Leuven Solar Team, the university student team that grabbed the world title twice in 2019 and 2023 in the toughest solar race on earth, the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia, has presented in Antwerp its trump card to prolong its title: the Infinite Apollo. The new weapons of the solar car are a […]
May 05, 2025
Uber Technologies has announced a strategic partnership with Chinese autonomous driving start-up Momenta to launch self-driving taxi services in Europe. The project is planned to start in early 2026. The collaboration marks Uber’s first venture with a Chinese developer of robotaxis, and beyond its home markets in the US and China. While Waymo already offers […]
May 05, 2025
Belgium will not be able to submit its National Energy and Climate Plan (NEKP) to the European Commission on May 12th, even though the Commission’s new deadline expires then. According to the cabinet of federal Climate Minister Jean-Luc Crucke (Les Engagés), the delay is due to Flanders. Belgium is now committed to submitting the plan […]
May 05, 2025
Mercedes has officially opened the online configurator for its groundbreaking all-new CLA. As for now, only the 250+ and 350 4Matic can be ordered in Belgium, with a starting price of 56.870 euros. Entry-level versions – set to lower the price considerably thanks to the integration of a cheaper LFP battery -, will be added by […]
May 05, 2025
Belgian public railroad company NMBS/SNCB may soon collect a bonus for last year’s performance. According to its publication, ‘Realizations and Key Figures 2024,’ this is because it performed better than agreed upon in several areas. Built into the public service contract between the federal government and NMBS/SNCB is a bonus-malus system of up to 5 […]
May 05, 2025
Flemish Environment Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V) is introducing stricter distance rules for large wind turbines. This is reported by the newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws. For windmills higher than 200 meters, the distance to the first residence must from now on be at least three times the tip height. “Flanders is too small to place such […]
May 05, 2025
Should Elon Musk stay or should he go? Many have lately asked this question for Tesla, as the car company suffers a massive sales and revenue drop due to the CEO’s political endeavors. According to American media, the board has actively been scouting for a replacement. A month after reporting a staggering 71 percent drop […]
May 05, 2025
The federal service Mobility & Transport and the sector federation Febiac have shared their data about the number of vehicle registrations in April 2025. In the same period, 37,812 cars were registered, 4.7% less than a year ago. Noticeable: the market of individual car buyers rose (again) by 7.7%, the professional market of company cars […]
May 05, 2025
Lynk & Co, the Geely-Volvo-founded brand now operating under Zeekr, has officially launched its most ambitious product: the Lynk & Co 900. It’s a full-size plug-in hybrid SUV positioned to take on China’s fiercely competitive upper market. The 900, which was already unveiled at the beginning of the year, marks a bold step for the […]
May 04, 2025
US President Donald Trump softened some of his automotive tariffs on Tuesday, following industry complaints. Trump signed off on orders that will stop separate levies “stacking” on top of each other, thereby reducing the overall tariff level on vehicle imports. The orders state that vehicles assembled in the US will qualify for partial reimbursements on […]
May 03, 2025
Trade tensions between the United States and Europe may cloud the important summer airline season. So says Lufthansa, pointing to changed consumer behavior due to economic uncertainty. Brussels Airlines, a subsidiary of the German airline group, suffered an adjusted operating loss (EBIT) of 53 million euros during the first quarter of this year. However, because […]
April 30, 2025
Citroën has presented the second generation of the C5 Aircross, which is based on the new Stellantis platform STLA-Medium and will also be available as a BEV version ë-C5 Aircross. The second-generation ë-C5 Aircross will launch in two versions: The ‘Standard Range’ variant runs on 157 kW drive power and 73 kWh usable battery for […]
April 30, 2025
Belgian startup energy provider EnergyVision launches a new campaign to attract new clients by offering a free wallbox installation at home, worth 2,000 to 2,500 euros, for a minimal subscription price of €10 monthly. In addition, the energy company also launches a ‘happy hour’ at its public charging points on sunny days with overproduction, with […]
April 30, 2025
Volvo Cars reports a group operating income (EBIT) of SEK 1.9 billion (€173 million) for the first quarter of 2025, following a drop in wholesales (-6%) and adverse currency effects. The result also reflects the current turbulence in the world and a challenging external environment for the automotive industry. To protect profitability, drive structural efficiencies […]
April 29, 2025
CO2 emissions from planes taking off from a European airport last year are back almost at the same level as in 2019, before the Covid-19 crisis. So, Transport & Environment (T&E) reports. The NGO that fights for more environmentally friendly transportation calls the airlines’ promise to return greener after the coronavirus pandemic “a joke.” Last […]
April 29, 2025
Flemish public transport operator De Lijn has presented its first electric articulated bus in Leuven. By July this year, 109 articulated e-buses will be in service in Flanders. The buses are part of a framework agreement under which De Lijn can order up to 500 such vehicles from the Italian industrial vehicle manufacturing company Iveco. […]
April 29, 2025
The Flemish highway network experienced its most congested year on record in 2024. Traffic jams, accident rates, and incident response demands reached unprecedented levels, according to the annual report by the Vlaams Verkeerscentrum (Flemish Traffic Center). As the body marks its 25th anniversary, it faces the challenge of managing a traffic system increasingly pushed beyond […]
April 29, 2025
Daimler Truck, the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, has thought of an original idea to promote the new eActros 600 long-haul electric heavy truck. On June 4th, the company will attempt to break the Guinness World Record of driving in reverse in an articulated truck at the Oschersleben racetrack. Mercedes-Benz Trucks unveiled the eActros 600 in […]
April 29, 2025
Chery’s Omoda grabs spotlights while the Shanghai Auto Show runs full steam. The brand took veils of one further model that is bound to be exported to Europe and Belgium. The Omoda 3 is a sharply styled compact crossover that targets younger buyers and competitors like the Kia EV3 and MG4. The Omoda 3 wasn’t […]
April 29, 2025
Flemish mobility organization VAB has again put 45 electric bicycles on the rack to nominate the ‘2025 eBike of the Year’. In this eleventh edition, a professional jury of mobility journalists and a family jury crowned four laureates in distinct categories. Winners are the Giant Expressio E+0 (€2,899) in the ‘Economy’ category with a price […]
April 29, 2025
After much deliberation over different platforms and product strategies to enter India’s EV market over the last two years, Skoda appears to have come to a decision. The company has allegedly begun working on its first locally manufactured EV for this important emerging market. According to a recent report from the Indian newspaper Business Standard, […]
April 29, 2025
Stellantis claims it has taken a significant step forward in electric vehicle battery technology. It has cleared internal validation tests for its next-generation solid-state cells and is now paving the way for a demonstration fleet by 2026. But the revolution might be a bit less victorious than the press clippings suggest. The 77 Ah cells, […]
April 29, 2025
The new 2025 Range Rover Electric has completed its second round of winter tests, ahead of its planned release later this year. Technical details have now been confirmed, and the 800-volt SUV runs on a 117-kWh battery with cell-to-pack architecture. The launch of the long-awaited newcomer is planned later this year. The first technical data […]
