December 15, 2023
Belgian Shell NV, Carrefour Belgium, and real estate company Redevco will install approximately 1 000 charging stations in the supermarket chain’s car parks by the end of 2024. On Thursday, November 14th, the 100th charging point was officially inaugurated on the parking grounds of the Carrefour hypermarket in Korbeek-Lo. Between now and 2025, almost 500 […]
December 15, 2023
Flemish and foreign truck transport has already generated 565 million euros in kilometer taxes this year – 21 million more than last year and 35 million more than in 2021. Together, all trucks covered 3,3 billion kilometers. In addition to the revenue from the levy itself, there were 12 million euros in fines, bringing the […]
December 15, 2023
The French government has unveiled its new plans for subsidizing the electric transition. Next to the details of the social lease at €100 per month for households with a fiscal income inferior to 15 400 euros, it also published the final list of cars eligible for the new Ecobonus. Windfall for the local manufacturers as […]
December 15, 2023
In April 2024 in Milan, Alfa Romeo will unveil its first ‘Sport Urban Vehicle’ in its history, which will also be available in a 100% electric version. It will be named Milano as a tribute to the city where it all began on June 24, 1910. With the Alfa Romeo Milano, the brand rejoins the […]
December 15, 2023
Swedish-Chinese Geely daughter Zeekr has presented a newly in-house developed 800 V lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery to be used in its new 007 sedan. This so-called ‘Golden Battery’ can be charged at up to 500 kW from 10-80% in merely 15 minutes. That provides the Zeekr 007 with an extra 500 km range. Zeekr claims it […]
December 15, 2023
French President Emmanuel Macron has launched his promised ‘social leasing’ system for electric cars at 100 euros monthly for those on the lowest incomes. In doing so, he is fulfilling an election campaign pledge that takes effect on January 1st. It would involve at least 20 000 to 25 000 deliveries in 2024, but after […]
December 15, 2023
Volkswagen is planning a second version of the upcoming, affordable ID.2 small EV. It will be a compact SUV version based on the same MEB platform and with the same drivetrain. Stepan Rehak, spokesperson for Design at VW Passenger Cars, posted the teaser image on social media. Rehak also confirmed it will arrive in 2026. […]
December 14, 2023
Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) has presented the new code of public roads. The current Belgian road code was about half a century old and outdated in some areas, hence the need for an update in the now rapidly changing road traffic in which there is, for example, 80% more cycling, said the minister. […]
December 14, 2023
Following Stellantis’ Commercial Vehicles Ambition Day, showcasing its overhauled and regrouped LCV portfolio last October, the different brands have commenced releasing their new models. Next in line is Opel, which has unveiled some further details – but no price – on the face-lifts of the Combo Electric and Zafira Electric. These models, offering room for […]
December 14, 2023
The new tunnel under the river Scheldt – the masterpiece of the Oosterweel connection –is progressing well. Four of the eight tunnel parts will be ready within a few weeks. Meanwhile, construction workers are busy building the entrances and exits of the car and bicycle tunnels on both river banks. The eight tunnel elements are […]
December 14, 2023
Maxus’ new mid-size electric van, the eDeliver 7, has arrived in the Benelux. It features a WLTP range of up to 370 km thanks to battery packs of up to 88 kWh. It has a cargo space of up to 6,7 m³ thanks to a long-wheelbase version, with a payload of up to 1 125 […]
December 14, 2023
Tesla faces a setback in North America. The electric car manufacturer must initiate a recall of approximately two million vehicles in the US and Canada due to an increased risk of collision associated with its controversial ‘Autopilot’ driver assistance system. Following a two-year investigation, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that, under […]
December 14, 2023
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) warns the European authorities of a Chinese dominance of the EV supply chain and the US government incentives for domestic automakers. According to ACEA, the EU electric vehicle industry risks losing ground even more without a robust EU industrial strategy. It risks putting the EU on the back pedal […]
December 14, 2023
Jaguar Land Rover has opened the waiting list for people who want to have one of the first fully electric Range Rovers, due in 2024. Meanwhile, the extensive testing phase for the prototypes has started, and JLR gives a glimpse of what we can expect. “With more patents anticipated to be filed for New Range […]
December 13, 2023
By 2032, Brussels Airport’s noise impact would drop by 12% despite growth in passengers and cargo volumes. That’s according to the environmental impact report (MER) accompanying the new Brussels Airport environmental permit application. More modern aircraft making less noise and quieter landing techniques would decrease the nuisance. By the end of March, the Flemish government […]
December 13, 2023
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWN) will also offer the successor to the T6.1 Transporter as a BEV. The sales launch is scheduled for 2024, and VWN does not want to present the exact technical data of the electric van until then. The entirely newly developed Transporter and its shuttle variant, Caravelle, will be available as a […]
December 13, 2023
Belgian battery manufacturer ABEE (Avesta Battery & Energy Engineering), with headquarters in Nivove, plans to invest 1,1 billion euros over the next five years in three sites in Bulgaria. Apart from a battery factory for producing a new generation of solid-phase lithium-ion batteries for the automotive industry, there will also be an R&D center to […]
December 13, 2023
Now that 2023 is ending, it’s already apparent that the best-selling EV worldwide is the Tesla Model Y, according to recent research by Clean Technica. Also very noticeable is the ubiquity of Chinese brands in the EV top 20, with BYD as an absolute shiner. Of course, we have only verified data for the first […]
December 13, 2023
The Belgian company EnergyVision will invest 15 million euros over the next twelve months in installing approximately 150 fast-charging stations in Belgium “with no price difference with slow-charging stations”. Until recently, EnergyVision had ten fast-charging stations in Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent. The new fast-charging stations will be installed on the sites of more than sixty […]
December 13, 2023
Three years after the initial announcement, the world’s first hydrogen-powered tugboat, baptized appositely ‘Hydrotug 1’, has arrived at its workstation in the Antwerp Port to start its real-world testing from mid-January. It features BeHydro V12 dual fuel medium speed engines, each providing 2 megawatts, that can run on hydrogen or diesel fuel. The idea is […]
December 13, 2023
Citroën has presented the new edition of the ë-Berlingo in detail. The most important fact of the update is the switch to an LFP battery with a better net energy content of 50 kWh. At the premiere at the ‘Stellantis Commercial Vehicles Ambition Day’ in October, it was suggested that the key data of the […]
December 12, 2023
Five significant companies in Wallonia are pledging to invest 346 million euros in their plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. So reports the business newspaper L’Echo. They are cement companies Holcim, CCB, and CBR and metal companies Aperam and Industeel. Together, they are responsible for annual CO2 emissions of 2 415 million tons. They are […]
December 12, 2023
Morgan, the British expert in handcrafted, retro-inspired vehicles, has shown a glimpse of its electric future in the shape of the XP-1. It is based on the Super 3 model and features Morgan’s first self-developed powertrain, weighing less than 700 kg. But a production version isn’t on the cards. Morgan is usually an expert on […]
December 12, 2023
After a break of almost a decade, the long-awaited night train connection between Brussels and Berlin is finally operational again. The first trip of the Nightjet train departed on Monday evening in Berlin and was waved goodbye by German Transport Minister Volker Wissing and the boss of Deutsche Bahn Richard Lutz. The journey took 13 […]
December 12, 2023
German carmaker Volkswagen announced that bi-directional charging is finally available with the ID. Software 3.5 version or higher to all new electric models with the 77 kWh battery (net). With the ‘Vehicle to Home’ (V2H) function, people can store excess solar power in the car’s battery or use it to power the home over several […]
December 12, 2023
German sportscar manufacturer Porsche has revealed the first image of the new Macan EV’s interior. The newcomer takes a page from the recently updated Cayenne and Panamera, with three screens and a dash-mounted gear selector. Porsche also takes the opportunity to delve further into the technical specifications. The new Macan EV sits on the PPE […]
December 12, 2023
More details about the fake manual transmission for electric cars developed by Toyota have emerged from a recently published patent application. Toyota’s alibi gearbox could have up to 14 simulated gears. In a recent article about Toyota’s financial forecasts and EV strategy, we mentioned the plans for a ‘manual transmission’ Toyota has been experimenting with […]
December 12, 2023
Zeekr, the Chinese-Swedish sister brand of Volvo and Lynk & Co, has delivered its first electric car in Europe, an Electric Blue Zeekr 001 AWD Privilege, to a Dutch client in Amsterdam, where the company has its headquarters. It was European boss Spiros Fotinos who handed over the keys. Pre-orders opened in the Netherlands and […]
December 12, 2023
The German automotive supplier Bosch is considering significant job cuts in its powertrain division. Bosch is considering cutting up to 1 500 jobs in development, administration, and sales, said a spokeswoman on Monday. A report in the specialized German magazine Automobilwoche triggered the announcement. The shift of the automotive industry away from combustion engines and […]
December 11, 2023
In November, almost 20% of Belgian trains were not punctual. This is one of the worst results in the past seven years, according to figures from railway infrastructure manager Infrabel. Nevertheless, from February, all NMBS/SNCB products will be 5,9% more expensive, including the prices of tickets and subscriptions. One in five trains (19,2%) of the […]
December 11, 2023
The market of the new speed pedelecs experienced a further delay in November, with -20,9% to 1 018 units, which is 269 less than in November last year. The persistently negative figures reduce the cumulative annual total over the first nine months to -9,9% below the previous year’s figure. Private individuals (-33,2%) and companies (-15,8%) […]
December 11, 2023
Milence, the joint venture between Daimler Truck (Mercedes-Benz Trucks), the Traton Group (MAN, Scania), and Volvo Group (Volvo Trucks, Renault Trucks) created to tackle the charging infrastructure for long-haul electric transport, has started operations with its first charging hub in Venlo, the Netherlands. Another will follow soon in Antwerp. Milence can be described as the […]
December 11, 2023
The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, has imposed an excess tariff for heavy cars parking within the city’s boundaries. If her proposition, the so-called ‘SUV fee’, is adopted by public vote, these vehicles will have to pay triple the price. There’s no exemption for zero-emission drivelines. The people will vote on the 4th of February. Paris […]
December 11, 2023
Belgian industrial entrepreneur Guido Dumarey has finished his third acquisition this year, with the take-over of the British Woodall Nicholson group. That group comprises six specialist vehicle brands, from accessible transport and electric buses, over police cars and ambulances to ceremonial limos and hearses. Dumarey will continue the business with 367 employees. The six companies, […]
December 11, 2023
According to the often well-informed German newspaper Handelsblatt, Volkswagen is considering collaborating with Renault to develop and produce the sub-20 000-euro car. Both companies declined to comment on these rumors from sources familiar with the matter. According to Handelsblatt, VW is talking to potential partners, but Renault is definitely one of them. At the moment, […]
December 08, 2023
Luxembourg’s newest car classified site, mycar.lu, announces ‘Picture Search’, an innovative feature to the online car marketplace. It’s an advanced AI-powered tool that enables users to take pictures of any car they encounter on the street and instantly find the brand and model on mycar.lu’s platform. “This cutting-edge development is set to revolutionize the way […]
December 08, 2023
The temperature on Earth is rising more rapidly than previously thought due to increased carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air. Current levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have not been reached in 14 million years on Earth. This is what a group of scientists published on Thursday in the Science journal. The study results […]
December 08, 2023
Since the Brussels Capital Region introduced a low-emission zone (LEZ) in 2018, there has been a 30% reduction in nitrogen dioxide along Brussels’ main roads. Brussels Environment has also observed similar and more significant reductions for other pollutants. Air quality in Antwerp has also improved significantly over the past decade. However, traffic remains the primary […]
December 08, 2023
The four-year-old German LaneCharge project on inductive charging, has presented the results of its practical tests of this ‘pioneering inductive charging system. The proved to be successful. Launched back in 2019, together with industry partners, researchers at Hanover University of Applied Sciences and Arts wanted to develop a fully functional inductive charging system, which was […]
December 08, 2023
Italo-French-US carmaker Stellantis embraces battery-swapping technology from Californian start-up Ample to equip a Free2Move car-sharing fleet of a hundred Fiat 500e cars in Madrid next year. The Fiat 500e is Stellantis’ highest-selling electric vehicle sold globally. Ample’s fully automated battery swapping stations allow EV drivers with a compatible Ample battery pack to replace the OEM […]
December 08, 2023
BMW Group Belux, the BMW, Mini, and BMW Motorrad importer in Belgium and Luxembourg, is investing almost €30 million in the complete renovation and rethinking of its headquarters in Bornem (Antwerp province), known as the BMW campus. When everything has been refurbished, the 400 BMW Belux employees will be joined by 180 colleagues of BMW’s […]
December 08, 2023
Airlines expect to carry 4,7 billion passengers next year, a historic record dixit the International Air Transport Association (IATA). According to the umbrella organization, the airline industry will also post a net profit of 25,7 billion dollars in 2024, a slight improvement on the 23,3 billion dollars the industry is most likely to post this […]
December 07, 2023
Belgian start-up Solhyd, a spin-off of KU Leuven University, announced securing six million euros of seed capital from ‘a group of experienced entrepreneurs’ to optimize further the basic technology of ‘distilling’ pure hydrogen directly from the air using a particular solar-H2 panel and deploy it in pilot applications. After assembling earlier prototypes of their Gen1 […]
December 07, 2023
General Motors CEO Mary Barra has officially declared that the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt EV will hit the streets in 2025, following the model’s temporary cancellation and a successor question. Building upon its reputation of affordability, the new generation will be equipped with cheaper LFP batteries. While Barra did not delve into the nitty gritty about […]
December 07, 2023
In a meeting on Wednesday at the Renault headquarters, the four Alliance leaders tried to reassure the outside world of their determination to create a future for the Alliance between Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Renault. “The future of the Alliance is ‘exciting’, ‘resilient’, and ‘innovative’,” the four stressed. “This Alliance is more flexible, open, eager, and […]
December 07, 2023
Fiat’s low-cost electric model has been named: not Panda but Pandina. This cousin to the Citroën ë-C3 is set to be produced in Kragujevac, Serbia, for a starting price of around 20 000 euros. A mild hybrid version is also coming for around 15 000 euros. Meanwhile, Stellantis promises to maintain a production target of […]
December 07, 2023
The Belgian gas system operator Fluxys has decided to partner with two German companies to develop cross-border CO2 pipelines to transport and store CO2 in the North Sea. The companies announced the deal on Wednesday, during the Belgian state visit to Germany. Fluxys previously concluded an agreement with the German oil and gas company Wintershall […]
December 07, 2023
Before Christmas, Volkswagen wants to be in the clear about its restructuring plans, seeking savings of 10 billion euros. The company aims to cut one-fifth of its administrative staff, save 20% on payroll, and has abandoned plans for a new R&D site. The cost-cutting measures apply exclusively to the brand Volkswagen, which is suffering the […]
December 07, 2023
Renault Group is launching a plan to transform its industrial base fundamentally. Between now and 2027, it is seeking to cut production costs per vehicle by 30% for internal combustion vehicles (ICE) and 50% for electric vehicles (BEV). Renault Group’s Industrial Metaverse will play a vital role in the transformation, enabling the Group to accelerate […]
December 06, 2023
The coming Mini Cooper SE electric 3-door model will also be available in the John Cooper Works trim to emphasize the brand’s racing history. With 160 kW and 330 Newton meters of maximum torque, the more powerful Mini Cooper SE version can sprint from 0 to 100 kph in 6,7 seconds and offers a range […]
December 06, 2023
The Mechelen court finds Flemish public transport company De Lijn guilty of structural discrimination against people with disabilities. Four wheelchair users had gone to court after their complaints to De Lijn itself were unsuccessful. They will now each receive compensation of 650 euros. De Lijn is studying the verdict and is considering possible next steps. […]
December 06, 2023
After the successful giant strike against the Detroit Big Three, the United Auto Workers (UAW) initiated a high-stakes campaign to unionize Tesla and a dozen non-unionized car companies. The move for the American EV maker comes on top of a spreading union fight in the Scandinavian countries, where Denmark’s largest trade union has joined with […]
December 06, 2023
Pilots of Belgian air carrier Brussels Airlines won’t strike this month, as planned initially. On Tuesday, unions and the management agreed on three of the main demands of the pilots to release work pressure: 12 instead of 5 ‘joker days’, more compensation for weekend work, and extra rest time when staying on location abroad. After […]
December 06, 2023
Growth in the second-hand car market got another boost in November. Last month, 57 519 used cars were registered, 6,5% more than in 2022. The increase is 7,8% over the first eleven months of the year (46 231 units more than in 2022), but there is a deficit of 18 030 units compared to 2021. […]
December 06, 2023
US-based battery start-up Our Next Energy (ONE) announces that a BMW iX prototype with its proprietary Gemini dual-chemistry battery managed an impressive 608,1 miles (978,6 km) range. Despite the higher range, ONE’s battery pack occupies the same space as the iX original battery pack. Furthermore, the company’s innovative technology reduces lithium use by up to […]
December 06, 2023
The current (and re-elected) president of the European Car Manufacturers Association (ACEA), Luca de Meo, has called for European ‘Kei Cars’ as one of the solutions to boost electric car sales and solve acute urban mobility problems. De Meo did so in his speech at the ACEA headquarters in Brussels while presenting the lobbying group’s […]
December 06, 2023
Symbio, the equally owned joint venture between French automotive supplier Forvia Group (Faurecia and Hella), French tire giant Michelin, and car manufacturing group Stellantis, has inaugurated its SymphonHy gigafactory on Tuesday in Saint-Fons, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in France. It’s Europe’s largest factory, with 700 employees to produce 16 000 hydrogen fuel cells initially, to […]
December 06, 2023
The electric vehicle manufacturer EV Electra has bought the rights to the Emily GT project, also called ‘the new Saab’, from NEVS (New Electric Vehicle Sweden) and could produce the sporty electric saloon in the former Saab factory in Trollhättan, Sweden. Last August, we reported about the Emily GT, citing that an ‘unknown investor’ had […]
December 05, 2023
Most rides on a Blue-bike, a bike-sharing project of which the Flemish public transport company De Lijn is the main shareholder, will become one euro more expensive from next year. This is because the concession from the Flemish government will disappear. Indeed, for each 24-hour ride, the Flemish government has reimbursed one euro. From 1 […]
December 05, 2023
The CEOs of five of the world’s biggest shipping companies called at the COP28 for an end date for fossil-only powered newly built ships in an ‘unprecedented’ joint declaration. They urge the global regulator, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), to create regulatory conditions to accelerate the transition to green fuels. The five are Danish A.P. […]
