November 20, 2024
The Brussels ombudsman office wants MIVB/STIB to curb noise pollution caused by defective wheels on M7 subway trains. The appeal comes after an investigation following a complaint from a resident of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert/Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe about noise pollution from the metro. According to Ombuds Brussels, the MIVB/STIB, the future Brussels government, and the public institution Brussels Environment must […]
November 20, 2024
Daimler Buses presented its first electric high-floor intercity bus at the 2024 eMobility Days in Berlin: the Mercedes eIntouro. It is based on the diesel-powered Intouro but features the latest generation of LFP batteries and over-the-air updates and will be available to order from 2025. After conquering the low-floor electric city bus market with the […]
November 20, 2024
This year, Belgium has moved up four places in the annual ranking of almost seventy countries in the fight against climate change. According to the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025, drawn up by environmental NGOs, Belgium is now in 35th place. The classification considers fourteen criteria, divided into four categories: greenhouse gas emissions, the […]
November 20, 2024
Second time lucky? Jaguar is setting the stage for a dramatic reinvention aimed at the higher end of the luxury market. Ahead of the reveal of its first battery-powered model of its reinvented era, planned for the beginning of December, the brand has presented the new visual identity that goes along with its rebirth. The […]
November 20, 2024
Chinese EV giant BYD, almost on par with Tesla as the biggest in the world, has officially released its Sealion 7 SUV on Belgian roads. It comes in three flavors: Comfort (€48,990), with a range of 482 km; Design (€51,990), a four-wheel version with a range of 456 km; and Excellence (€56,490), also all-wheel drive […]
November 20, 2024
Tesla shares soared by over 7% following reports that U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump’s administration plans to prioritize federal regulations for self-driving vehicles. Bloomberg reported that Trump’s transition team has identified autonomous vehicle policy as a critical focus for the Department of Transportation. In a single trading session, Tesla’s market value was boosted by $70 billion […]
November 20, 2024
Following the lead of individuals, several business leaders, and Hollywood celebs, Groupe Rossel, the Belgian media group behind the newspaper Le Soir and SudPresse, has announced it will no longer buy Tesla or use X because Elon Musk supports Trump. “It seems incompatible to us to implement ESG principles and actions and continue to buy […]
November 19, 2024
Less than two months after celebrating its 9 millionth new energy vehicle (NEV) milestone, BYD has reached the next step: 10 million plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles have been built. The model in question was the newly launched Denza Z9 saloon, which will go to the CEO of Game Science, the game developer behind the […]
November 19, 2024
The Danish government will introduce an emissions tax on livestock farming by 2030, making Denmark the first country in the world to do so. Although New Zealand announced a similar law in 2022, it was withdrawn after widespread farmer protests. The aim is to make agriculture more sustainable. Denmark is a big dairy and pork […]
November 19, 2024
The Denza Z9, a full-size electric saloon from BYD’s premium subsidiary, has gone on sale in China for a starting price of around €44,000. It features a choice between a fully electric (BEV) or range-extended electric (EREV) drivetrain, with powerful performance and 630 to 1,100 km of range. After launching the Denza Z9 GT in […]
November 19, 2024
German carmaker BMW announced in September of last year that it was investing an extra €100 million in its Innovation Park Wackersdorf campus near Regensburg to set up a new battery testing center that would be integrated into the existing buildings. The first section of the new battery testing center now has the green light […]
November 19, 2024
The Dutch province of Zeeland wants to replace the Westerschelde Ferries, which currently sail across the Western Scheldt, with zero-emission ferries. Hybrid ships (diesel/electric) are also being considered. The States of Zeeland unanimously agreed to that proposal on Friday. The two ships currently transporting cyclists and pedestrians between Vlissingen and Breskens are approaching the end […]
November 19, 2024
Chinese CATL, the world’s biggest battery maker, claims a breakthrough in developing its second-generation sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries. These batteries still perform well at minus 40° Celcius, which could make them an even more exciting alternative to current lithium-ion batteries, LFP or NMC. CATL envisions these batteries becoming the cheapest alternative, costing less than lithium iron […]
November 18, 2024
Toyota plans to expand its electric vehicle production capabilities with ‘Area 35’. This global initiative aims to increase manufacturing capacity and embrace the production of 3.5 million EVs annually by the decade’s end. With an emphasis on optimizing existing resources and reducing production complexities, the Japanese giant hopes to compete with Tesla and the Chinese […]
November 18, 2024
Exactly one year after its launch, 350,000 digital Brupass, and Brupass XL tickets have already been sold to nearly 125,000 customers for public transport in the 19 Brussels municipalities and the Flemish periphery. These digital tickets allow travelers to use the public transport network of the Brussels transport company MIVB/STIB, the railroad company MIVB/SNCB, and […]
November 18, 2024
Dongfeng Nissan, the Japanese manufacturer’s Chinese joint venture, has unveiled the N7 electric saloon at the Guangzhou Auto Show 2024. It is based on a new platform and hopes to revitalize Nissan’s slumping sales in China amid global financial troubles for the Japanese manufacturer. The Nissan N7 is the brand’s first electric four-door saloon since […]
November 18, 2024
Chinese Chery Automotive has signed up a fifth Belgian dealer for its Omoda and Jaecoo brands. The company will officially introduce them in Belgium at the revived Brussels Motor Show in January 2025 and start deliveries in the spring. Stellantis dealer Nova-Van Brempt Groep from Lier joins Pagnotta from Limburg, L’Universelle from Luik, Garage Serneels […]
November 18, 2024
The Flemish public transport company De Lijn is adjusting its offer as of January 6th. Due to driver and equipment shortages, the offer will be reduced in several regions to guarantee a more reliable service. At the same time, changes are also planned in Leuven, Mechelen, the Flemish periphery around Brussels, Kempen, and Antwerp. About […]
November 18, 2024
Mercedes-Benz has revealed the highly anticipated electric CLA’s powertrain technology, showcasing a blend of innovative EV advancements and design flexibility. Positioned as a trailblazer for Mercedes’ future entry-level vehicles, the CLA will debut on the new Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) platform, promising unparalleled efficiency. Though Mercedes-Benz keeps the A-Class lineage longer than initially anticipated, the […]
November 18, 2024
According to the traffic safety institute Vias, traffic accidents in Belgium cost eleven billion euros annually. The institute calculated that every road death costs seven million euros and every seriously injured person costs 700,000 euros. Vias’ study was based on the number of accidents in 2022. VIAS added up the cost of suffering caused by […]
November 18, 2024
Xiaomi, China’s smartphone giant, has quickly become an EV carmaker to reckon with. It has revealed details of its next-generation intelligent chassis, featuring a 2,054 hp quad-motor system. Still, the system’s most remarkable ability is to spin around on the spot, make a complete circle with one wheel remaining in the same place, jump up […]
November 15, 2024
Solaris, the Polish manufacturer of public transport vehicles (buses, trolleybuses, and trams), has won a tender to deliver 45 double-articulated electric buses that will be integrated into the transport network of Liège (Belgium). The ‘Urbino 24′ buses are exceptional for their length and metro-style design. It’s the largest tender to date for Solaris’s double-articulated buses. […]
November 15, 2024
Volvo Cars has announced the sale of its entire stake in Lynk & Co to Geely-owned Zeekr in a deal worth approximately €710 million. This move is part of a larger strategy by parent company Geely to streamline its electric vehicle operations and shift away from an acquisition strategy to boosting synergies across its brands. […]
November 15, 2024
The Chinese ‘EV supremacy’ in rolling out new electric cars is making headlines nearly daily, but don’t underestimate the South Koreans with the Hyundai-Kia conglomerate. Kia is launching its fully EV3 compact ‘B-SUV’ in Europe in the ‘more affordable’ range, a warning for the Volvo EX30, Smart #1, Renault Mégane e-tech, or the Volkswagen ID.3. […]
November 14, 2024
Global CO2 emissions continue to rise, and there is still “no sign” that the world has reached a peak in fossil fuel emissions. A new report from Global Carbon Budget, which also includes the Flanders Marine Institute (Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee, VLIZ), says that global emissions will amount to 41.6 billion tons of CO2 […]
November 14, 2024
Audi is enhancing its A3 offering with the introduction of the earlier announced new plug-in hybrid models, the 40 TFSI e and 45 TFSI e. These models boast more power and double the battery capacity over their predecessors. A3 enthusiasts can also look forward to the 40 TFSI e in the rugged Allstreet trim, designed […]
November 14, 2024
Renault opened the order books for the first two Renault 5 E-Tech electric versions in May. The Techno version costs €32,900, while the Iconic Cinq version costs €2,000 more. Both versions have the 52 kWh battery in the ‘Comfort Range’. Some additional versions have now been added. However, you will still have to wait until […]
November 13, 2024
The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) has approved three energy cables linking Britain to Germany’s, Ireland’s, and Northern Ireland’s power grids and lines connecting Britain’s grid with Dutch and Belgian offshore wind farms. The projects are due to be completed by 2032. The power lines, called ‘interconnectors,’ enable Britain to be more flexible […]
November 13, 2024
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is to officially join Trump’s administration as the co-head of the new US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a second federal department designed to improve government spending. Throughout the elections, Musk, already CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and the de facto head of X, xAI, Neuralink, and the Boring Company, has […]
November 13, 2024
Lufthansa and the Italian government have agreed to take over ITA Airways, formerly Alitalia, after tough negotiations, the Italian Finance Ministry announced. The documents were delivered to the European Commission before the deadline. The EC had previously imposed conditions on the deal to safeguard competition, such as giving up some flight rights or slots. €325 […]
November 13, 2024
Volkswagen and Rivian have officially launched their joint venture, “Rivian and VW Group Technology, LLC,” which aims to accelerate the development of battery-powered vehicles and boost software architectures. The collaboration, valued at €5.8 billion, marks a significant increase from the €5 billion investment initially announced in June. The venture begins operations today. Speaking at the […]
November 13, 2024
Eurostar celebrates its 30th anniversary on Thursday. On November 14, 1994, Eurostar’s high-speed trains carried passengers through the Channel Tunnel between the United Kingdom and mainland Europe for the first time. Eurostar has become a significant player in the European rail landscape in three decades, carrying more than 380 million passengers. To 30 million passengers […]
November 13, 2024
Hertz reported a staggering €1.2 billion net loss in the third quarter, driven mainly by the write-down on its fleet of electric vehicles (€0.9 billion). The results, which fell significantly short of analyst expectations, highlighted the mounting challenges of the ambitious shift towards electrification for rental and leasing companies. Hertz’s losses stem primarily from a […]
November 13, 2024
The Court of Appeal in The Hague has rejected the 2021 ruling in the case brought by the Netherlands arm of Friends of the Earth (Milieudefensie) and other campaigners against Shell. According to the court, Shell cannot be forced to specify specific percentages by which it must reduce CO2 emissions. Therefore, the court’s ruling at […]
November 13, 2024
Due to weak demand in the European EV market, Ford is slowing down its Explorer and Capri EV production at its sole electric car factory in the EU, in Cologne, Germany. Ford will apply for short-time work, a government furlough scheme of temporary unemployment whereby workers are sent home by a company in financial distress […]
November 13, 2024
After extensive upgrades at the beginning of the year, the Taycan lineup is growing to offer buyers even more ways to get one in 2025. Three additional versions complete the family, now counting 16 different variants. Porsche announced on Tuesday that three new members of the updated Taycan family will be in the showrooms in […]
November 13, 2024
The curtain has definitely fallen on Audi Brussels. The hope for a miracle in finding a take-over candidate is dead and buried, with the last one pulling out. The official date of the death certificate remains February 28th, 2025, when the last Audi Q8 e-tron will be made. Audi Brussels’ spokesperson, Peter D’hoore, confirmed that […]
November 12, 2024
Nissan is adopting a harsh cost-cutting course. Global production capacities will be reduced by 20%, and 9,000 jobs will disappear. Nissan also plans to sell about one-third of its Mitsubishi shares, representing approximately 10% of the total MMC shares. The changes are motivated by the company’s consolidated net value decreasing by 79.1 billion yen (approx. […]
November 12, 2024
E-bike manufacturer Ouxi will launch a mini fat bike with a lower frame and smaller wheels next month. The Cooryda C80 Pro Mini seems to be an exact copy of the regular fat bike but in pocket size. It has the same robust appearance, but the manufacturer focuses on 10- to 14-year-olds. The children’s version […]
November 12, 2024
According to Flemish public broadcaster VRT, more than 40% of traffic accidents that happen during weekend nights are linked to alcohol or drugs. Pano’s research also shows that it is precisely at these high-risk moments that far too few checks are carried out in Flanders. However, the most recent VIAS statistical report on Traffic Accidents […]
November 12, 2024
Belgium welcomes the arrival of three new Chinese electric car brands in the same automotive group. After their debut in the Netherlands, Voyah, Dongfeng, and Mhero are officially available today through the Ghistelinck group network. The first brand store has opened in Eke, Ghent. When the Dongfeng Group entered the Dutch market with three brands […]
November 12, 2024
Dutch fast-charging chain Fastned will deploy eleven fast-charging stations in the Belgian province of Luxembourg in the next twelve to eighteen months. Fastned won a tender from the inter-municipal group Idelux, which – under tourism pressure – wants to address the ‘EV-charging desert landscape’ in Wallonia. The Belgian province of Luxembourg, bordering the Grand Duchy […]
November 12, 2024
In November 2020, Bentley announced as part of its ‘Beyond100’ strategy that the entire model range would be converted to fully electric vehicles by 2030. The VW luxury brand has now postponed this target to 2035. The schedule change is part of the revised corporate strategy ‘Beyond100+’, which the new Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser, who […]
November 11, 2024
The private jet sector is emitting more and more greenhouse gases. Between 2019 and 2023, greenhouse gas emissions from private aviation nearly doubled. That’s according to a study published in Communications Earth & Environment. Last year alone, private aviation accounted for 15,6 million tons of CO2 emissions. In 2019, it was 10,7 million tons, or […]
November 11, 2024
LiveWire, the electric spin-off of the King of American motorcycles, Harley Davidson, has joined forces with Taiwanese scooter specialist Kymco to develop a fully electric maxi-scooter based on its S2 Arrow powertrain. It hopes to see its debut maxi scooter pop up massively in cities like Paris and Milan in the future. Looking closely at […]
November 11, 2024
Tensions are rising over next year’s new EU CO2 emission targets for the auto industry. Backed by Germany, France is pushing the European Commission to postpone the targets by one year. However, the Brussels administration maintains a firm stance. Without delay, car makers will need a significant uptick in electric car sales next year. However, […]
November 11, 2024
Mercedes-Benz’s sporty subdivision Mercedes-AMG wants to develop a full-size electric SUV from the ground up. The model will be the second vehicle based on the all-electric AMG.EA platform. Development vehicles are due to start their first test drives this winter. The AMG.EA platform, short for AMG Electric Architecture, is designed for Mercedes-AMG’s future performance models. […]
November 08, 2024
Naming policies are sometimes a quirky business in the auto industry. Audi hasn’t been shy of confusing with the namesakes of their models and has now turned that reputation one notch up by launching a new Chinese brand called – well – AUDI. Yes, you spell it in capitals; no, there are no rings anymore. […]
November 08, 2024
German premium car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz says its upcoming entry-level CLA will set the bar for EV range, charging speed, and efficiency with advanced new tech. Ahead of its arrival in 2025, Mercedes is giving us a slightly closer look at its new generation of electric cars. “With the CLA, we are ushering in a new […]
November 07, 2024
Belgian multinational Umicore, a company specializing in materials technology for electric car batteries, is cutting about 260 jobs worldwide. Some 100 jobs are disappearing in Belgium, including 71 in Olen and the rest in Brussels. The construction of a new plant for battery materials in Canada will also be postponed. The measures are expected to […]
November 07, 2024
Unplugged Performance, a leading Tesla tuner, has introduced the UP.FIT Tesla Model S Plaid Pursuit at SEMA 2024, claiming the title of the world’s fastest police patrol car. This vehicle is more than a concept. It is ready for ordering and will join the police forces in Los Angeles. Villains and thieves have one more […]
November 07, 2024
According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, 2024 will probably be the warmest year and the first year above 1.5 degrees Celsius. October 2024 was the second warmest October globally, after October 2023, with an average surface air temperature of 15.25°C, 0.80°C above the average for October from 1991-2020. The average temperature over the past […]
November 07, 2024
Alpine has officially launched the A290, an electric hot hatch that ventures into more practical territory. In many respects, this car can be regarded as the modern successor to the famous Renault R5 Turbo. It is also in an emission-free guise, which is a first for the brand. Alpine unveiled its fully electric hot hatch […]
November 07, 2024
The election of Donald Trump as the next American president is terrible news for the climate, says KU Leuven professor Katja Biedenkopf, an expert on climate negotiations. “Trump has already announced that he will support the oil and gas industry and reduce or abolish Biden’s climate-friendly actions.” The stock market also reacted to the election. […]
November 07, 2024
Humanoid robots are the next big thing if we’re to believe Elon Musk and the Chinese are definitely on the same wavelength. Chinese carmaker Chery is introducing its robotic car-babe, Mornine, nowadays to guide you through the Omoda or Jaecoo showroom of the future. She is unmistakably a female with her Coca-Cola body shape in […]
November 07, 2024
Mobility platform Bolt has launched a ‘premium’ ride-hailing fleet in the Brussels Capital Region, totaling some 30 bright green Tesla cars. With this initiative, part of a large-scale European initiative, Bolt hopes to support fleet owners in shifting to EVs. “We are excited to introduce more electric vehicles on our platform in Brussels,” says Paddy […]
November 07, 2024
The new Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder warned that the number of EV premium requests has already surpassed 11,700, doubling the budget initially foreseen by predecessor Lydia Peeters (Open Vld). De Ridder (N-VA) wanted to take a decretional decision to abolish the premium as soon as possible. This decision was voted positively on Wednesday […]
November 06, 2024
The H2Rescue, a hydrogen fuel cell truck made for disaster relief by Cummins’ subsidiary Accelera, has set a new Guinness World Record for distance driven by a hydrogen truck without refueling, driving 1,806 miles or 2,910 km across California. A Guinness World Records adjudicator validated the entire trip. When the 175-kg hydrogen tank was unsealed, […]
November 06, 2024
Brussels Airlines has chosen the Atomium as the new design for painting one of its aircraft. The Atomium design was chosen from the five most popular designs out of more than 900 entries. The winner of the design competition is Thomas Faes, a Belgian architect. “The Atomium has been luring visitors to Belgium for years, […]
November 06, 2024
In October 2024, 67,201 second-hand cars were registered, an increase of +9.9% compared to last year and +26.3% more than in October 2022. The figures for the first ten months of 2024 show continued growth in second-hand car registrations: +6.5% between 2023 and 2024 and +14.9% between 2022 and 2024. According to Mobility Federation Traxio, […]
