December 11, 2024
A year after the California DMV suspended Cruise’s robotaxi services in San Francisco following a series of incidents with pedestrians, General Motors is killing off its robotaxi daughter. It dispatches its engineering teams to the motherhouse to focus on more common driving aid systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving for passenger cars. “GM will no longer […]
December 11, 2024
Every year, around 239,000 deaths in the European Union can be attributed to exposure to fine particulate matter, a key air pollutant. Another 70,000 Europeans die from excessive ozone concentrations and 48,000 from nitrogen pollution. In Belgium alone, this concerns 4,100 deaths from particulate matter, 1,400 from ozone, and 1,200 from nitrogen. The figures come […]
December 11, 2024
French-Italian-American car group Stellantis is joining forces with the world’s biggest battery maker, Chinese CATL, to build a new factory at the Stellantis’ Zaragoza site in Spain to produce low-cost lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. For CATL, it will be its third battery factory in Europe. “Targeted to start production by the end of 2026, […]
December 11, 2024
The Brussels Motor Show (BMS) will be held from 10 to 19 January 2025 in the Brussels event halls at the Heysel. After skipping 2024, the 101st edition wants to return with a bang. At least 63 exhibitors have signed up to be present, and organizer Febiac hopes that more than 300,000 visitors will also […]
December 10, 2024
Chinese tech conglomerate-turned-auto manufacturer Xiaomi has unveiled its second all-electric model: the YU7, an SUV based on the popular SU7 saloon. The model was first leaked by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), after which Xiaomi CEO shared two official images of the YU7 alongside the SU7. Apart from the MIIT’s leaks and […]
December 10, 2024
The Doel 4 nuclear reactor is producing power again for the first time in months. Within two days, the reactor will be running at full power. Meanwhile, the Council of State warns of possible damage claims due to tampering with the nuclear shutdown. Doel 4 had been shut down since late August. As part of […]
December 10, 2024
Flemish public transport company De Lijn is now deploying two advanced simulators during basic training for tram drivers. “This way, our people learn in a safe environment how to deal with numerous obstacles they may encounter on the road,” says the transport company, which trains some 200 streetcar drivers annually. The simulator looks just like […]
December 10, 2024
After kicking off series production in November, Mercedes-Benz Trucks has delivered the first eActros 600 long-haul electric heavy trucks to customers. By the end of the year, around 50 units will be handed over to German customers, who have received a state subsidy from the German Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport for their […]
December 10, 2024
November 2024 was the second warmest November worldwide after November 2023. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, it confirms the expectation that 2024 will be the warmest year. The average surface air temperature was 14.10°C, 0.73°C above the November average from 1991-2020. November 2024 was 1.62°C above pre-industrial levels, the 16th month in a […]
December 10, 2024
Toyota’s GAC joint venture has officially opened orders in China for its highly anticipated “new force pure electric SUV,” the bZ3X. While Toyota is slowing down on its global EV plans, the bZ3X plays a pivotal role in the company’s success in the Chinese marketplace—and it might end up in Europe. Toyota has unveiled the […]
December 10, 2024
BYD aims to stay ahead in the fierce EV battery price war with a new generation of its Blade battery that promises higher energy density, faster charging, and reduced costs. As the world’s second-largest EV battery manufacturer, BYD is gearing up to launch its second-generation Blade battery in the first half of 2025. The new […]
December 10, 2024
Belgium’s 218-year-old and most significant ‘car importer,’ D’Ieteren, has officially checked and approved its net-zero greenhouse emission targets for 2030 and 2050. These targets align with the scientific criteria for achieving the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. The targets were ratified by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). That includes a 42% reduction by […]
December 10, 2024
BMW CEO Oliver Zipse has spoken out against delaying the EU’s CO2 targets for 2025. At the same time, he continues to argue in favor of remaining open to different technologies but sees electric cars as having the most significant growth potential. In an interview with the German specialized magazine Automobilwoche, Zipse advocates remaining open […]
December 09, 2024
Italian rail operator Trenitalia, Swiss operator SBB, and Czech carrier RegioJet top a new ranking of European railway companies. The study was conducted by the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), which advocates for more environmentally friendly transport. The Belgian railway company NMBS/SNCB ranks in the middle. France’s Ouigo, Greece’s Hellenic Trains, and Eurostar close the […]
December 09, 2024
In 2024, North and South America experienced intense wildfires, mainly affecting the Pantanal wetlands, the Amazon, Canada, and the western US. Eastern Eurasia, including within the Arctic Circle, also experienced above-average fire emissions. The regular monitoring of forest fires by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) in various regions around the world revealed this. Severe […]
December 09, 2024
The Brussels Parliament has adopted an ordinance proposal to postpone the taxi sector’s obligation to purchase zero-emission vehicles by two years until January 2027. Green parties denounced the fact that since June, there has been no majority in the Brussels Parliament except for specific files, such as for the two-year postponement of the tightening of […]
December 09, 2024
In Belgium, employers must reimburse their employees with an electric company car for the actual cost of EV charging at home. So far, determining this ‘real cost’ has proved daunting, as electricity prices are ‘blurry’ and vary between employees and among regions, and digital meters aren’t widespread yet. To prevent confusion, the resigning Belgian Minister […]
December 09, 2024
Lucid Motors has announced another vital leadership change with the departure of Alexander Lutz, its Managing Director for Europe. His departure adds to a growing list of executive exits from Lucid, marking the ninth senior departure in just 14 months. Lutz took on the role only in December last year after leading Polestar’s operations in Italy. He […]
December 09, 2024
Carlos Tavares has hardly closed the door after leaving Stellantis and the French-Italian-American car manufacturing group is eager to rejoin ACEA, the European carmaker lobbying federation based in Brussels, to which Tavares waved goodbye at the end of 2022. It looks like Stellantis wants to make the best of a bad job now and join […]
December 06, 2024
Safety Institute Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) recently assessed 14 new cars on safety issues. Eleven of them got the highest 5-star ranking, and three of them only got four. One is the MG ZS Hybrid +, and two are from the same stable: the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric and its sporty nephew, the […]
December 06, 2024
The company that wants to take over the financially troubled airline Air Belgium is known. It is a consortium of two companies: Dutch company PESO Aviation Management and British company Air One Holding International. That consortium also wants to keep only 197 of Air Belgium’s 401 current employees. This was announced before the Nivelles enterprise […]
December 06, 2024
There are no longer any fully electric winners in VAB’s ‘Family Car of the Year’ election this year. The gold medal goes to a hybrid (HEV) from the Chinese brand that sells the most EVs in Europe: the MG3. The other gold winner in the more expensive category is a mild-hybrid Hyundai i30. It perfectly […]
December 06, 2024
The Roads and Traffic Agency (Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, AWV) recently published the latest list of unsafe traffic locations where accidents can be linked to the infrastructure – not to individual drivers’ behavior. The list for 2024 mentions 264 locations, which is less than in 2021 (301) and 2022 (300) but slightly more than in […]
December 06, 2024
Almost half of Belgians, 47%, never take the train, according to the survey ‘Accessibility of transport in Belgium 2024’ by the Federal Public Service Mobility. The same goes for the bus: 44% of Belgians never take the bus. Although more than eight in 10 respondents regularly use the car every week (82%), only one in […]
December 06, 2024
Recaro Automotive GmbH, the renowned German manufacturer of car seats, has been acquired by Italy’s Proma Group, signaling a major shake-up for the company. As part of the acquisition, production will cease in Germany and move to the Turin region, permanently closing the current site and leaving more than 170 employees without jobs. Proma Group […]
December 06, 2024
For the second time in four years, Subaru ranked first in Consumer Reports’ annual brand report card, which measures vehicle performance, safety, and reliability. The 2025 report card is part of an updated data set released by Consumer Reports that packages all its automotive rankings in one spot. Consumer Reports also found that Subaru was […]
December 05, 2024
Brussels energy regulator Brugel has approved Sibelga’s new network tariffs for electricity and natural gas in 2025 and 2029. This will initially result in a higher bill for Brussels households of around 67 euros. At the same time, Brugel is also introducing a specific tariff for reinforcing electricity connection points. The aim is, among other […]
December 05, 2024
Dutch fast-charging chain Fastned is partnering with Transport for London (TfL), the local government body responsible for most of the London transport network, to establish 25 fast-charging plazas in and around the British capital by 2030. Fastned is setting up a joint venture with Places for London, TfL’s real estate daughter, to invest £16 million […]
December 05, 2024
According to Filip Rylant, spokesman of the mobility federation Traxio, November confirms the trend of recent months on the bicycle market. Sales of new speed pedelecs dropped by as much as -15.1% (864 units) while second-hand sales continued to grow, with an increase of +7.6% (524 units). Consumers are increasingly opting for the second-hand market. […]
December 05, 2024
Opel has launched the new Frontera, a compact SUV borrowing the name of the classic terrain vehicle from the 90s. It is based on the same Smart Car platform as the Citroën ë-C3 Aircross, offering the choice between mild hybrid or fully-electric drive. The final specifications for the latter have been confirmed, with over 300 […]
December 05, 2024
Pope Francis has introduced a fully electric ‘Popemobile’, a pristine white, battery-powered, and unique G-Class created in close partnership with Mercedes-Benz. This exceptional vehicle is the first emission-free Popemobile and must reflect the Vatican’s dedication to sustainability and efforts in climate change. The new Popemobile, based on the electric Mercedes-Benz G580 with EG Technology, is […]
December 05, 2024
The Stellantis brand DS plans to unveil its first all-electric sedan soon and is gradually releasing the first details. The new electric car will not be called the DS 8 E-Tense but the DS N°8, a sort of crossover coupé style sedan positioned in the luxury segment. A few weeks ago, DS published a teaser […]
December 05, 2024
To reduce the number of drunk train passengers getting into accidents during the festive season, UK train operator Avanti West Coast will serve a new low-alcohol beer on trains running in the West Coast Mainline between London Euston and Scotland. According to the rail company, the ‘Safety Thirst Beer’, which contains 0.5% alcohol by volume […]
December 04, 2024
California-based start-up Aptera Motors is once again turning to crowdfunding in its mission to bring its solar-powered, three-wheeled electric vehicle to the assembly halls. This renewed effort aims to secure the additional $60 million necessary to transition its prototype to a production-ready car. The new crowdfunding campaign follows Aptera’s previous one, which concluded in May […]
December 04, 2024
The new UK government is putting its money where its mouth is: the private rail company Southern Western Railways will become a public transport company again. After all, before the election, Labour had indicated that if the party would be again in government, it would nationalize the entire UK train network within five years. “Our […]
December 04, 2024
Hyundai and Kia achieved record US sales in November, fueled by surging demand for electrified vehicles and strong performance in the crossover segment. Hyundai’s sales rose 8% year-over-year to 76,008 units, while Kia’s deliveries soared 20% to 70,107, marking a standout month for both automakers. The momentum is expected to continue as Hyundai launches its […]
December 04, 2024
Ford has unveiled the electric version of its best-selling model in Europe. The Cologne-based manufacturer emphasizes its dynamic acceleration and efficiency. However, the battery and its price make it unclear whether the Puma Gen-E will be well received and also sell well. One thing is clear: Like many other manufacturers, Ford is not in an […]
December 04, 2024
In November 2024, 31,824 new cars were registered, or 15.3% less than in November 2023. Regarding second-hand car registrations, Traxio sees continued growth in the first eleven months of 2024 compared to previous years. In 2024, the figure for the year’s first eleven months went up to 672.625 registrations. In 2023, it was 637.950 units; […]
December 04, 2024
It was already an option in China, but now it’s also available in Europe, in the countries where NIO is already present: temporarily swapping your ‘daily’ standard battery for a bigger, longer-range one, like for going on a holiday trip. The Chinese premium EV maker lets you buy an EV without the battery, offering the […]
December 04, 2024
The BMW plant in Steyr has started pre-series production of the new electric motor for the ‘Neue Klasse’. This phase should lead to series production in around a year. The debut model of BMW’s next generation of electric cars, probably the iX3 successor, has been announced for 2025. The BMW plant in Steyr has now […]
December 03, 2024
Ampere, Renault’s subsidiary for intelligent electric vehicles, has opened a software research and development center in Sophia Antipolis near Nice, France. The goal is to drive the development of Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs). With almost 200 software engineers, Ampere intends to tackle R&D topics such as AI, connectivity, Over The Air (OTA) functionalities, driving aids, […]
December 03, 2024
According to a new ranking by Transport & Environment (T&E), only 10 out of 77 airlines are making noteworthy efforts to switch to sustainable alternatives to fossil kerosene. The remaining 67 are either buying too few sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), the wrong kind of SAFs, or are not considering SAFs at all in their decarbonization […]
December 03, 2024
On New Year’s Eve, Flemish public transport company De Lijn is offering a 2,5 euros ticket that is valid all night. With the so-called party buses and trams, De Lijn aims to take travelers to their destinations in complete safety all night long. Some lines follow their familiar route, while others have been specially adapted. […]
December 03, 2024
Jaguar unveiled at Miami Design Week 2024 the Type 00, a design study meant to visualize the British car manufacturer’s totally new direction to become a super-luxury electric brand. The Type 00 prefigures a fully-electric four-door GT coming in late 2025 with a new design language and upmarket positioning. But has the brand damaged its […]
December 03, 2024
On Sunday, the multinational automotive group Stellantis said that its chief executive officer, Carlos Tavares, has resigned, forcing the company to expedite its leadership transition amid a turbulent market environment. Stellantis Group, like other European players, is severely suffering from the dire market conditions in the automotive industry. Not so long ago, CEO Carlos Tavares […]
December 03, 2024
Chinese manufacturer Maxus has launched the eDeliver 5 in Europe. This compact electric van, with a bubbly shape, aims to seduce customers with more than just its performance. The eDeliver 5 slots below the traditional one-tonne eDeliver 7, but still manages a payload of over 1.1 ton and a WLTP range of over 300 km. […]
December 03, 2024
From March, Brussels Airlines will start flying direct to Kinshasa daily. Currently, there are five direct flights a week and two flights a week with a stopover in Luanda (Angola). By broadening its offer to the Congolese capital, Brussels Airlines confirms its reputation as the Lufthansa Group’s Africa specialist. Non-stop “The history of aviation in […]
December 03, 2024
According to the sector federation Febiac and the Federal Government service Mobility and Transport, the car registrations for November were 15.2% down compared to last year in the same month. For the first eleven months of 2024, this results in -5.8% compared to 2023: 424,840 registrations instead of 450,960. Light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations also […]
December 03, 2024
Chinese battery maker and electric carmaker BYD is heading for Europe with a brand new ro-ro carrier and 5,000 EVs on board. It’s the third giant car carrier and the second one it owns and operates itself, as the first one, the Explorer One, is leased from international shipping company Zodiac Maritime. The BYD Changzhou […]
December 02, 2024
Is there a slowdown in EV sales? Should we go back to the classic gasoline car? This is not the case in the Netherlands, Europe’s country with the most outspoken EV acceptance rate after Norway. The latest RAI-Bovag figures from November confirm its steady growth rate of 11.6% (114,765 registrations), compared to 102,849 registrations in […]
December 02, 2024
Antwerp will launch the option to charge your electric car on location in the summer of 2025. The City of Antwerp granted the Belgian start-up Uze Energy permission to operate mobile charging installations—a large battery in a pink cargo bike. This means that from the summer of 2025, electric car drivers will be able to […]
December 02, 2024
Nissan has announced plans to launch affordable vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology on select electric vehicles in Europe starting in 2026. Developed in collaboration with Belgian technology firm Enovates, the carmaker promises a price not higher than current charging systems. The rollout will commence in the United Kingdom, followed by other European markets at a later stage. […]
December 02, 2024
Stockholm’s ambition to establish the world’s first urban zero-emission vehicle zone in its upscale shopping district has hit a roadblock. Originally slated to take effect by the end of the year, the initiative is now on hold as Sweden’s County Administrative Board examines appeals filed by five companies opposing the measure. In a surprise move, […]
November 29, 2024
Belgium has a bad reputation regarding the quality of its road network, but now the country seems to have reached a new low. According to a recent study by the World Economic Forum, Belgium ranks 61st for road quality out of 119 countries surveyed. That is even lower than countries such as Uzbekistan and Rwanda. […]
November 29, 2024
What was first feared is now confirmed: the only take-over bid for Air Belgium only concerns the cargo operations. In other words, passenger operations will disappear. The ailing airline will know on December 5th whether the sale proposal receives court approval. But it looks like an end to Air Belgium anyway. Candidate is a European […]
November 29, 2024
Nissan is navigating turbulent waters as it faces a strong revenue drop and has switched to ‘emergency mode,’ according to its boss, Makoto Uchida. The Japanese car maker seeks a critical anchor investor to ensure its survival and readies for 2025, a “make-or-break” year. Honda is rumored to step in as a savior and supply […]
November 29, 2024
Finally, instead of complaining about low EV acceptance and the general public’s reluctance to give up combustion engines, a major carmaker, Volkswagen, is ready to address the ‘common customers concerns’ about the affordability and usability of an electric car. And that includes salespeople, too, who are often reluctant to sell EVs instead of the ICE […]
November 29, 2024
Toyota’s production plans for next-generation electric cars appear to be further delayed in the EU and the US. The new Lexus brand battery-electric model, for example, scheduled for 2026, will not go into production until mid-2027. As the Japanese broadcaster NHK writes, Toyota seeks a longer development period to “incorporate the latest technologies” in the […]
November 28, 2024
The Chinese car manufacturer Chery has kicked off car production in the old Nissan site in Barcelona’s Zona Franca. The first model to roll off the line is the Ebro S700, a plug-in hybrid SUV, which is part of the joint venture between Chery and Spain’s Ebro-EV Motors. Chery’s Omoda 5 will also be produced […]
November 28, 2024
The BMW Group is building a competence center for battery cell recycling (CRCC) in Kirchroth, Lower Bavaria. There, the company will implement the so-called direct recycling process. The German automobile manufacturer has announced plans to open a new battery cell recycling center in Kirchroth, a town in the Straubing-Bogen district of Lower Bavaria. There, the […]
