August 26, 2024
The planned connection between the Belgian and Danish energy islands will be postponed or canceled. The Danish Minister of Energy, Lars Aagaard, thinks the prestigious project to bring power from Danish offshore wind farms to our country via a submarine cable is too expensive. Denmark plans to create two ‘energy islands’, one in the North […]
August 26, 2024
Belgian public railroad company NMBS/SNCB aims to increase the number of passengers by 30% by 2032 compared to 2022. Back then, 227 million passengers were transported, so the number of passengers should reach 300 million by 2032. According to the newspaper Le Soir, NMBS/SNCB has launched an investigation into the suburban S-nets of Brussels, Antwerp, […]
August 26, 2024
Neta has officially launched the S Kombi, an all-electric estate made in China. It is offered in both range extender and full-electric versions. In the wake of the launch, the company announced that the 800-volt version would be built around the platform by battery manufacturer CATL. Despite its practical estate style, Neta has no plans […]
August 26, 2024
Chinese Build Your Dreams (BYD) jumped over Japanese carmakers Honda and Nissan in Q2 2024 to the seventh spot in the top ten of the world’s biggest car manufacturers. According to data from the automotive industry portal Marklines, it sold 980,000 units, a 40% growth, partly thanks to overseas sales. It tripled this year to […]
August 26, 2024
The global automotive industry is weakening, with German carmakers experiencing a continued decline in earnings during the first half of the year, according to a study by auditing and consulting firm EY released on Friday. German car giants Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz collectively earned €25.9 billion in operating profit (EBIT) from January to June, marking […]
August 23, 2024
It seems that Opel’s UK department, Vauxhall, doesn’t agree with John Cleese’s opinion that wordplay is the lowest form of humor. Because by presenting the Mokka Cofe-e, the brand has taken the name of its car model very literally. Carmakers like to fool around once in a while. When some clever marketeer found out that […]
August 23, 2024
Brian Niccol, Starbucks’ new top executive, will be provided a jet by the American coffeehouse chain group to fly from his home in California to its headquarters in Seattle. That’s about 1,600 km. Niccol takes office on Monday, September 9th, but so is already under fire, while others accuse the firm of hypocrisy, with some […]
August 23, 2024
A Honda executive has confirmed that the NSX supercar will soon get an electric successor. It will be built on Honda’s 0 Series EV platform, which aims to be as low-profile and light as possible, two essential characteristics for a sports car. Honda global executive vice president Shinji Aoyama told a round table of journalists […]
August 23, 2024
China’s automotive sector overcapacity is the root of its current trade tensions with the West. Though Beijing denies beefing up its production stock, a new German study has sized the capacity, highlighting the souped-up growth. And contrary to what one might think, the leading brand in production isn’t BYD. China’s automotive industry has rapidly expanded […]
August 23, 2024
The Antwerp Waasland tunnel, the oldest vehicle tunnel under the river Scheldt that connects the city with the river’s left bank, will only be available for local traffic from September 23rd. The city of Antwerp decided this on the advice of the Roads and Traffic Agency (Agentschap Wegen en Verkeer, AWV). Soon, through traffic will […]
August 23, 2024
For the first time, Tesla was challenged as the autocratic ruler of BEV sales in Europe by BMW, which sold more fully electric cars than the American electric brand in July 2024. BMW registered 14,869 BEVs that month, with the iX1, i4, and i5 as the driving forces, while the new iX2 registered more than […]
August 22, 2024
Philipp Römers, former Head of Exterior Design at Audi, who led the team designing the E-tron and E-tron GT, among others, is hopping over to Polestar, where he will succeed Maximilian Missoni, Polestar’s styling boss for the last six years. Römers is German, a native of Cologne, and worked as an exterior designer for VW […]
August 22, 2024
The Volkswagen ID. Buzz was introduced to the U.S. market last year, and there is already a proposition for a camper conversion. At the same time, VW itself is hesitating to launch an ID. Buzz California camper version in Europe for fear of lack of demand. On the contrary, an American converter, Peace Vans, already […]
August 22, 2024
DSV, one of the largest transport companies in the world, based in Denmark, has ordered 300 electric trucks and 500 diesel and gas trucks from Volvo Trucks. This marks one of the largest orders of Volvo e-trucks to date, and the trucks will be delivered between 2024 and 2026. DSV is a Danish multinational specializing […]
August 22, 2024
Chinese-owned MG is teasing the launch of a new model. The future ZS compact SUV will be officially announced on August 28th. However, we already know it’ll be hybrid only. The popular crossover is said to gain the powertrain from the recently launched MG3 Hybrid+. With just a teaser published on social media, MG Motors […]
August 22, 2024
Brussels has 13,175 people on the waiting list to park their bikes in a secure bike park or box, 701 more than in February of this year, reports the Brussels news site BRUZZ. Parking.brussels has installed new bike boxes here and there over the past months, but the demand for bike parking continues to grow. […]
August 22, 2024
Zeekr, Geely’s luxury electric car spin-off, has announced it will introduce a hybrid flagship to its line-up starting next year. Zeekr CEO Andy An confirmed the shift to combustion engine technology. It’s a watershed decision as the brand’s focus has been exclusively on battery electric vehicles until now. The trend of hybridized drivelines gaining more […]
August 22, 2024
On Wednesday, Lantis reported that the Oosterweel project in Antwerp will not be completed until the end of 2033, three years later than expected. According to the builder, one of the main reasons for the delay is the PFAS pollution. Not only the works in Linkeroever and Zwijndrecht were confronted with this, similar pollution was […]
August 22, 2024
Ford is recalibrating its electrification strategy yet again, canceling plans for a fully electric sport utility vehicle in a shift that may cost the carmaker around $1.9 billion. In addition to scrapping an all-electric three-row SUV that had already been delayed, Ford will postpone a next-generation electric pickup and reduce spending on EVs to 30% of […]
August 22, 2024
The EU Commission has presented the draft for the final additional tariffs on imported electric vehicles from China. The logic of the planned tariffs remains basically the same, but the respective tariff rates have been lowered slightly, and regulation is now also known for Tesla. Meanwhile, China has already reacted by opening an inquiry on […]
August 21, 2024
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has significantly expanded the ID. Buzz’s model range. Five new variants are available: the sporty ID, two new base models with a smaller battery and a lower price, the Buzz GTX in short—and long-wheelbase versions, and a four-wheel drive variant of the ID. Buzz Cargo. The rear motor of the ‘regular’ ID. […]
August 21, 2024
Japan’s Ministry of Transport wants to introduce a new in-car system to tackle wrong-way driving on highways, targeting zero fatalities and injuries by 2029. As Japan faces an ever-increasing number of elderly drivers, authorities have called on Japan’s automotive and technology industries to create and implement new safety systems to prevent accidents caused by cars […]
August 21, 2024
Chinese luxury car brand Denza, a joint venture between BYD and Mercedes-Benz, has officially launched its new Z9 GT. The flagship model, which takes the shape of a shooting brake, has up to 1,000 hp and 630 km of range. This new model will be critical in Denza’s international sales, as it should come to […]
August 21, 2024
“A historic day” is what Willy Demeyer, the socialist mayor of Liège, called yesterday the first return after nearly 60 years of the streetcar to the center of the Cité ardente for a first test. “This streetcar will revolutionize mobility, the environment, and the economy,” De Meyer said. On August 31st, 1964, the streetcar made […]
August 21, 2024
Polestar’s SUV coupé 4 has finally hit the European streets. After presenting the model in the Spring of 2023, followed by the launch of production back in November and the sales launch in China, European customers are now getting their hands on Polestar’s latest model, expanding the model range up to three choices. 2024 didn’t […]
August 21, 2024
In China, the first L60 production models of NIO’s Onvo sub-brand have rolled off the assembly lines at NIO’s F2 plant in NeoPark, Hefei. The Onvo L60 will be a mid-sized all-electric SUV in an ‘affordable’ model line, positioned as an alternative to the premium NIO brand, also targeted at Europe. Prices start at 219,900 […]
August 20, 2024
The Belgian government introduced a flight tax of two to ten euros for short flights under 500 km two years ago, and that tax raised more than 40 million euros last year, according to the newspaper Le Soir. Last year, more than 800 passenger flights by private jets were conducted over less than 500 kilometers. […]
August 20, 2024
According to the Detroit News and Reuters, General Motors Co. is laying off more than 1,000 salaried employees globally in its software and services organization, including more than 600 employees working at its Global Technical Center in Warren (Michigan), to streamline its operations under new leadership. The layoffs represent about 1.3% of the company’s global […]
August 20, 2024
According to a recent survey by Belgian HR service provider SD Worx, in the provinces of Limburg and Antwerp, almost one in five employees already have a company bicycle, and these SMEs also intend to expand their company bicycle fleet by 9% and 8% in 2024 or 2025, respectively. West Flanders currently ranks third, but […]
August 20, 2024
Most airlines still have a long way to go in using sustainable jet fuel, despite their promise to get at least 10% of their fuel from sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, by the decade’s end. That’s according to an analysis by Bloomberg Green. American Airlines does not excel in the use of SAFs, while airlines […]
August 20, 2024
The Chinese car manufacturer Dongfeng Motor launched a new low-cost EV in Europe. Starting at around €23,000, the Dongfeng Nammi Box EV is one of the cheapest EVs in Europe at the moment. Dongfeng is one of China’s oldest and largest automakers. It was the second state-owned auto brand established following FAW. Dongfeng builds Nissan […]
August 20, 2024
BYD has rolled out an upgraded version of the Song Plus EV in China, known in Europe as the SUV version of the Seal, the Seal U. The starting price in China for the basic version with a 520 km range (CLTC) remains 149,800 yuan (18,922 euros). The cost of the top version with a […]
August 19, 2024
Swedish electric foiling boat start-up Candela has hooked a big fish by selling eight of its P-12 foiling shuttles to Saudi Arabia, which can accommodate 20 to 30 passengers, for Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s NEOM project. It’s the most significant commercial order in Candela’s history. The first batch of eight vessels will be delivered […]
August 19, 2024
Electric sports car manufacturer Rimac recently presented the hyper-GT Nevera and wants to develop a hyper-sports car based on it. Rimac has pursued this idea in the further development of its first Nevera model. The R model is even more powerful and, above all, equipped with a more dynamic chassis. And… it is strictly limited […]
August 19, 2024
According to data from South Korean market watcher SNE Research, hydrogen car sales are dropping fast worldwide. Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) experienced a marked decline in the first half of 2024, with sales falling by 34.1% compared to last year. The challenges for the FCEV industry keep growing. SNE Research says only 5,621 hydrogen […]
August 19, 2024
Major renovation works on the Craeybeckx tunnel on the E19 highway started on Sunday evening in Antwerp. The tunnel will receive LED lighting and a new ventilation system, and the high- and low-voltage installation will undergo a complete overhaul. Disruption will be limited to evenings and nights, and the work will last a year. Consequently, […]
August 19, 2024
Lamborghini’s plan to become the first sports car brand with an entirely electrified line-up went live at the prestigious Monterey Car Week 2024, where the brand launched the Temerario. This all-new entry-level sports car replaces the Huracán. It aims to combine higher performance and higher sustainability with a plug-in hybrid driveline. Following the introduction of […]
August 19, 2024
Dutch fast-charging chain Fastned saw its revenue in the first six months of 2024 grow by 45% to €37.8 million compared to the year before and claims to be in a prime position as a top 3 fast-charging company in Western Europe. Profitability rose, with underlying company EBITDA growing by 12% to €3.2 million. Still, […]
August 19, 2024
Porsche is responding to the slower electric ramp-up. Following the recent changes in the production of the electric Taycan, the production of the combustion-powered Cayenne is also being extended. Meanwhile, it has acquired 32% of the shares of battery specialist Varta. Porsche has cautiously adjusted its target that more than 80% of cars delivered in […]
August 16, 2024
Acura, Honda’s premium North American brand, has unveiled the Performance EV Concept at Monterey Car Week. The electric SUV coupé previews a production model coming in 2025, built on Honda’s own EV platform and produced in Ohio at the Japanese manufacturer’s new EV Hub. It’s no secret that Honda has some catching up to do […]
August 16, 2024
A fire incident with an EV caused the South Korean Ministry of Transport to ask carmakers to disclose the names of their battery suppliers. Earlier this month, a fire broke out in the underground car park of an apartment complex in Incheon, South Korea. The fire was apparently caused by a Mercedes EQE. While the […]
August 16, 2024
While Mercedes is fully concentrated on launching the all-electric G-Class EV, the engineers from Arcade Cars are feasting on a throwback to the seventies. The London firm unveiled a GE230 featuring no tailpipe emissions through the conversion to battery power. But old habits die hard. The all-electric G-Class, officially known as the G580 with EQ […]
August 16, 2024
Complaining on social media about poor service? They know all about that at the Belgian public railroad company NMBS/SNCB, plagued as it is by the many delayed and canceled trains. Yet NMBS’s communication strategy on X, formerly Twitter, has significantly reduced the number of complaint tweets, according to the doctoral research of administrative scientist Steven […]
August 16, 2024
Alarm bells are ringing on both sides of the Atlantic over the free fall of used EV prices. Studies indicate these are up to 40% lower than a comparable gasoline car. Facing surging pressure on their profits, some leasing companies are threatening to exit EV adoption and return to the drivelines that keep their business […]
August 16, 2024
The BMW Group has entered into a strategic alliance in Mexico with Vemo, an operator of public charging stations. As part of the partnership, BMW is investing in constructing 144 new charging stations in the country. Other alliances in different South American countries will follow. The new charging points in Mexico are to be installed […]
August 16, 2024
American EV manufacturer Tesla removed the basic version of the Cybertruck, which costs $60,990, from the US configurator before the first deliveries of this variant began. Therefore, the new entry-level price for the electric stainless steel pickup is $99,990. Tesla CEO Elon Musk once promised the Cybertruck with a base price of $39,990, but it […]
August 16, 2024
The extensive renovation works at the Central Station metro station in the heart of Brussels should be completed by the autumn of 2027. The works are thus on schedule. The metro station, one of the oldest in Belgium (1969), will receive a facelift, new spaces, and improved accessibility for people with reduced mobility. With 50,000 […]
August 16, 2024
According to senior vice president Stella Li, BYD’s number two, the most important Chinese EV manufacturer aims to be seen as the leading tech brand of the car industry and considered alongside the major brands within half a decade. “Five years from now, we would like consumers to view BYD as like one of the […]
August 14, 2024
Mazda’s EZ-6, considered an electric successor to the six saloon, will finally go on sale as a global model. The Changan-developed model was initially only meant for the Chinese market, but Mazda is also looking to expand its electric offering in Europe. The Japanese manufacturer has not fully developed the Mazda EZ-6. Mazda solicited the […]
August 14, 2024
Hyundai has unveiled the first pictures of its new Santa Fe. The future mid-size SUV looks wildly different from its predecessor, with a boxy design accompanied by a modern light signature and large wheels. In contrast, the interior opts for technology, with a large curved display and, according to Hyundai, more refinement. The current generation […]
August 14, 2024
Parkwind, a Belgian offshore wind energy company, has installed the first electric ship-charging station at sea. The station runs on wind power and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from maintenance and transport vessels. The charging system was installed in Parkwind’s third offshore wind energy project, Nobelwind, which is 29 miles (47 kilometers) offshore in […]
August 14, 2024
The Volkswagen Trinity was once regarded as the VW Group’s first upcoming electric flagship and was due to be launched in 2026. The launch seems to have been postponed to 2032, and the first VW product on the new SSP platform could be the full electric Golf. It was already clear that the 2026 date […]
August 14, 2024
Geely daughter Zeekr, sister company to Lynk & Co and Volvo, claims a new record for its updated 2024 Zeekr 007 sedan with the ‘Golden Battery’, which can charge from 10 to 80% in 10.5 minutes—4.5 minutes faster than the first generation. It says its in-house developed ‘Golden Brick Battery’ is the world’s fastest-charging mass-produced […]
August 14, 2024
The struggling Chinese premium electric car brand HiPhi has filed for bankruptcy. Due to a lack of sales, it is unable to pay suppliers. Human Horizons, the brand’s manufacturer, has filed for restructuring in Yangcheng, China. Founded in 2018 with grand ambitions, HiPhi wanted to push the EV envelope with two models with more than […]
August 13, 2024
The Italian government under Giorgia Meloni has been looking for a new local car manufacturer to boost the Italian auto industry. According to Reuters, the government has entered “advanced talks” with the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng to build a new auto plant in the country. The deal would also include support from the government and other […]
August 13, 2024
BMW has enhanced its brand apps, My BMW and MINI App, with a new Electric Vehicle Analysis function allowing customers who drive a BMW with a combustion engine to simulate how well an all-electric BMW would suit their driving profile. In other words, accurate data to cure its petrol heads’ range anxiety. The setup is […]
August 13, 2024
The international insurance company Allianz Trade warns that the fall in prices of critical metals, such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, is hindering the global energy transition. According to the credit insurer, price drops create uncertainty and deter investors in sustainable energy. The postponement of investments is bad news for Europe. Brussels wants to catch […]
August 13, 2024
Fewer cars and trucks drove on Flemish highways last year than in 2019, the year before Covid-19. Nevertheless, according to the Flemish Traffic Center’s annual overviews, traffic congestion was at its highest level in 2023. On an average working day in 2023, almost 3% fewer vehicle kilometers traveled on Flemish highways than in 2019, a […]
August 13, 2024
In an interview with the German newspaper Der Welt, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume has strongly supported the European Union’s planned ban on combustion engines by 2035. Blume affirmed that electric mobility is the clear path forward for the automotive industry and emphasized a niche role for e-fuels. In the interview, Blume aligned himself with […]
August 13, 2024
The new Smart #5 is the brand’s largest model yet and its most powerful, putting out more than 450 kW/600 hp in its most potent form. Smart is 50/50% owned by Mercedes and Geely and builds its cars in Xi’an, central China. It has its world premiere in Australia at the end of August and […]
