February 15, 2023
While the European Parliament finally ratified on Tuesday in Strasbourg the agreement with the 27 member states to ban all sales of new cars and vans with a combustion engine beyond 2035, heavy trucks and buses were targeted a few hours later by the Commission. They will have to reduce CO2 emissions by 90% in […]
February 15, 2023
Shoichiro Toyoda, the honorary chairman of Toyota Motor Corp. who transformed the Japanese automaker into a leading global brand, died of heart failure on Tuesday, the company announced. He was 97. Shoichiro was a third-generation scion of the founding family. He is credited with establishing a culture of quality control that helped Toyota evolve into […]
February 15, 2023
Following the positive feedback on the unique specimen presented in the summer of 2022, Mini is now going ahead with a small series of the all-electric Cooper SE Convertible. From April 2023, the car will be available to open-air lovers in Europe in a limited number of 999 vehicles. “Three years ago, we launched the […]
February 15, 2023
It is now officially confirmed that Ford Motor Company is again planning to cut thousands of jobs. Some 3 800 across Europe before 2025, but the biggest part of it will be in Germany (2 300) and the UK (1 300). The proving grounds in Belgian Lommel also seem to be threatened. The American number […]
February 14, 2023
Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB will invest up to 1,8 billion euros to modernize stations and make them more accessible. The news got out earlier when the government signed a new 10-year management contract with the railway company late last year. Still, Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) is also revisiting the new measure in some […]
February 14, 2023
Shortly after agreeing on the future of the Alliance, Renault and Nissan have announced a renewed commitment to India with a $600 million investment that will support the development and production of six new models, some of which also meant for the international market. Just a week after announcing the new, more balanced approach to […]
February 14, 2023
The number of cyclists traveling through Brussels during the morning rush hours almost doubled in 2022 compared to 2021. Cyclists seem to be moving increasingly safely in the city. The conclusions come from the Bicycle Observatory. Four times a year, the Bicycle Observatory organizes bicycle countings in the Belgian capital. The 104 hours of manual […]
February 14, 2023
Data from the Californian New Car Dealer Association (CNCDA) unveil that sales of electric cars have boomed by a staggering 62% last year in the county. This has led to a market share of 17% in the Sunshine State. However, the biggest winner is Tesla, which exploits a plant in Freemont locally. The growth of […]
February 14, 2023
Belgian battery materials specialist Umicore announces it will start industrial production of cheaper manganese-rich HLM battery materials to be used in electric vehicles from 2026, next to its ‘premium’ NMC battery materials. It believes “HLM is gaining traction with car and battery cell manufacturers as a differentiating lower-cost, high energy-density, and sustainable battery technology”. Umicore […]
February 14, 2023
The future Toyota CEO (as of April 1st), Koji Sato, declared on Monday that he wanted to accelerate the group’s development of electrification. However, he also pointed out that the number one car manufacturer in the world had a “communication problem” over its electrification strategy until now. At the end of January, Toyota’s heir and […]
February 13, 2023
As more people chose Bolt’s shared e-scooters, 20 million fewer kilometers were driven by car worldwide. In doing so, Bolt users saved more than 2,4 million kg of CO2 in Europe alone. This is according to a study commissioned by Bolt, an Estonian mobility platform with more than 100 million customers and operating in over […]
February 13, 2023
Wuling can parade itself for building China’s best-sold EV, the Hongguang Mini EV, which was joined in December last year by the marginally larger but just as boxy Air EV. As the Chinese carmaker wants to cement its leading position in Chinese sales charts, it is adding another small EV to its range: the Bingo […]
February 13, 2023
Mercedes-Maybach is introducing its first model with a plug-in hybrid drive. This is essentially the Maybach variant of the plug-in hybrid of the Mercedes S-Class. The first fully electric model from Maybach will also be presented before the end of 2023. The plug-in hybrid Mercedes-Maybach S 580 e, now presented, offers a purely electric WLTP […]
February 13, 2023
In 2022, car use in Belgium increased slightly again. The average passenger car covered 16 589 kilometers last year, or 8% more than in 2021. Nevertheless, this figure remains 7,5% lower than in pre-corona times. The differences are smaller for vans. Light commercial vehicles covered an average of 19 542 km last year, which hardly […]
February 13, 2023
Korean carmaker Hyundai has announced at the Chicago Auto Show that it will start offering the Kona Electric and Ioniq 5 on a monthly subscription basis called Evolve+. By lowering the threshold, the company hopes to attract first-time EV customers and persuade them about the benefits of electric driving. Apart from subscription services being the […]
February 13, 2023
Rolls-Royce’s first electric production vehicle, the Spectre, is honored to endure the longest and most intensive testing program in the brand’s history. The Spectre is currently undertaking hot weather testing in South Africa and is scheduled for the first deliveries starting in Q4 2023. Rolls-Royce wants to get it right with the Spectre. Not only […]
February 13, 2023
Dutch Fastned has opened last week its 19th fast-charging station in Belgium, located just outside the Antwerp Metropole on the E19 toward Brussels, at the park & ride at Exit 7 in Kontich. The station features eight 300 kW chargers for charging up to 300 km range in fifteen minutes if circumstances are favorable. The […]
February 13, 2023
The German Volkswagen Group plans to expand its software investments, digital services, and electromobility investments. That’s the result of a supervisory board meeting when it weighed investments for the next five years. Related discussions were delayed as the IT development (grouped under the Cariad daughter) ran into development problems, and the first EV products encountered […]
February 10, 2023
Belgian public railway company NMBS/SNCB has launched a new campaign against aggression toward train and station staff. The railway company received 1 900 reports of such aggression last year, 60% more than in 2019. With posters in stations and a whistling concert Thursday in the hall of Brussels-North station, NMBS/SNCB wants to ask for more […]
February 10, 2023
With 1,45 billion vehicles worldwide, the car insurance experts at Compare the Market, a UK price comparison website founded in 2006, wanted to see which countries really do have the best and worst drivers. The researchers ‘analyzed’ drivers in 50 countries, although the method used should be taken with a pinch of salt. They looked […]
February 10, 2023
John Deere, the American manufacturer of agriculture machinery and lawn care equipment, has just announced that it’s joining the electric revolution and launching a line of battery-powered residential ride-on lawnmowers. Up first is the Z370R Electric Ztrak Residential Zero Turn mower, launched on Tuesday. The new fully electric ride-on mower – an industry-first, according to […]
February 10, 2023
Russia is gearing up to produce nine times more electric cars in 2023 compared to the year before. That’s what Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Andrey Belousov told reporters on Thursday. However, Belousov failed to specify which Russian models are supposed to boost the uprising. Last year, Russia produced 2 000 BEV vehicles. According […]
February 10, 2023
Due to the supply chain shortage and global economic constraints, Volvo sales dwindled by 12% last year. This hasn’t affected revenue, which grew by 17%. But profit fell back, while the operational margin stuck to 3,2%. “This is not where we want to be,” commented CFO of Volvo, John Ekdahl. In 2022, Volvo sold 615 […]
February 10, 2023
While the EU Commission is preparing a draft on future emission standards for heavy-duty trucks and buses (HDVs), the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has published in a white paper its findings comparing life assessment greenhouse gas emissions of diesel, gas, bio-fuel, battery-electric, and fuel cell heavy trucks. And the clear winner is… no […]
February 10, 2023
Porsche’s new electric flagship should be launched in 2027 and will be a seven-seater, off-road-capable luxury crossover. Porsche previously announced that it is working on an electric SUV positioned above the familiar models. Now, the first technical data have surfaced. According to information from the British magazine Autocar, the SUV will be more than five […]
February 10, 2023
BMW Group is reportedly negotiating with the British Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to receive a £75 million (± €84,5 million) grant to continue production of the electric Mini at its plant in Cowley on the outskirts of Oxford. This comes after British media reported in October that the German carmaker could […]
February 09, 2023
French rolling stock manufacturer Alstom has already had to pay 80 million euros in fines for delays in delivering M7 carriages to Belgium’s public railway company NMBS/SNCB. This was what Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) told the Parliamentary Committee on Mobility this week. In 2015, Alstom and NMBS/SCNB signed a framework agreement to deliver up […]
February 09, 2023
Mercedes-Benz has given the electric version of its large Sprinter van a complete technical overhaul, resulting in a driving range of up to 400 km while maintaining a large cargo space and towing capacity. The new eSprinter is set to arrive in Europe toward the end of 2023. Mercedes-Benz already builds an eSprinter, but with […]
February 09, 2023
In the future, the supply and demand of electricity will increasingly depend on the weather circumstances. That is the conclusion of the International Energy Agency’s latest report presented in Paris on Wednesday. The report highlights the need for faster decarbonization and accelerated deployment of clean energy technologies. Drought and heat waves in Europe, India, and […]
February 09, 2023
The car pictured above is the new Panda, but it carries the name Geely instead of the Fiat logo. The tiny, boxy EV intends to steal some of the success of the Wuling Hongguang Mini EV, China’s number one-selling electric car. That’s why it looks so similar. With its new Panda, Geely is aiming for […]
February 09, 2023
Two years after starting the program in June 2020, navigation aid specialist Coyote says it has registered an apparent change in the behavior of its drivers after identifying more than 22 000 dangerous bends on Belgian roads. The navigation aid system warns when you are approaching a dangerous curve, which already resulted in drivers limiting […]
February 09, 2023
Citroën CEO Vincent Cobée is clear: the energy transition will lead to another smaller, lighter type of car. It could prelude the end of the current hype: the big, boxy SUV. BEVs need more aerodynamic shapes and as less weight as possible. Unfortunately, that’s hardly the case for SUVs. The Citroën boss is fairly outspoken […]
February 09, 2023
Train passengers wishing to buy a ticket on board a train operated by Belgian rail operator NMBS/SNCB will only be able to do so electronically from May. Railroad employees will no longer accept cash, but only carry a mobile payment terminal. According to NMBS/SNCB, the measure fits into “a broad social trend toward digitalization and […]
February 08, 2023
A new Pathway Report by international consultancy firm Kearney, jointly ordered by electric carmakers Polestar and Rivian, warns that without measures to decarbonize the whole well-to-wheel cycle, carmakers globally will overshoot the +1,5°C climate warming limit set by the IPCC by 75% in 2050. Entirely switching to BEVs across the entire global car fleet and […]
February 08, 2023
Plug-in hybrid cars are still presented as a climate solution. Still, tests on the newest generation of PHEVs indicate they pollute significantly more than claimed on city and commuter routes, says the NGO Transport & Environment (T&E). Two years ago, T&E discovered that the PHEV technology polluted significantly more than advertised on longer routes. Now […]
February 08, 2023
Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) will put a proposal of 0% VAT on tickets of Belgium national railway company NMBS/SNCB on the table at the March governmental budget audit. He said this in the chamber’s Mobility Committee. Currently, it is 9% by default. Furthermore, the minister again disputed that he intends to implement significant rate […]
February 08, 2023
Last year, freight transport by train fell by 7,5% compared to 2021. According to data on the open website of rail network manager Infrabel, it reached its lowest level in six years, with 58,3 million tons. In 2021, freight transport by train reached its highest level in more than ten years, with almost 63 million […]
February 08, 2023
Poppy Mobility, the car, e-scooter, and e-bike sharing daughter of D’Ieteren Automotive, is taking its first steps in Wallonia, in Liège, to be more specific. The shared mobility company, with a fleet of bright red vehicles, has been active in Antwerp, Mechelen, Brussels, Ghent, and the Belgian airports. In January of this year, Poppy announced […]
February 08, 2023
Last year, some 2 000 more theory exams for the B driving license were taken in Flanders. In Wallonia, on the other hand, there was a notable drop. The pass rate did fall further in Flanders while it remained plus-minus stable in Wallonia. This is according to figures from the respective sector federations. In 2022, […]
February 08, 2023
It was already a sneak preview at the Brussels Motor Show, now BMW officially presents the updated editions of its successful Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) X5 and Sports Activity Coupé (SAC) X6. The refreshed drive system line-up includes new combustion engines, a latest-generation plug-in hybrid system, and 48 V mild hybrid technology for all other […]
February 08, 2023
The Belgian Council for Permit Disputes rejected on Tuesday the claim of four nature movements for a speed procedure to suspend the environmental permit to build a fourth tunnel under the River Scheldt in Antwerp. The Council judged the claim insusceptible as the environmental action groups neglected to act in time but didn’t give a […]
February 07, 2023
According to a report by the European manufacturers association ACEA, in 2022, global new car registrations reached more than 66 million units, as sales recovered in the last quarter of the year. Overall, more than 68 million passenger cars were manufactured worldwide in 2022, an increase of 7,9% from a year earlier. This was nonetheless […]
February 07, 2023
The US Treasury Department has amended the criteria for clean vehicles eligible for a subsidy under Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). While some crossovers didn’t qualify, the administration has rectified the vehicle classification definitions, which raises the price limits for specific models — a clear win for opposing car makers. The IRA, launched in August […]
February 07, 2023
For the first time, Denmark has granted permits to store carbon dioxide (CO2) under the North Sea seabed on a large scale. The Danish climate and energy ministry announced this on Monday. Two projects are involved: French energy group TotalEnergies (Bifrost) and a consortium of British chemical giant Ineos and German oil company and gas […]
February 07, 2023
The European Car of the Year 2023 winner Jeep Avenger has entered production in Poland, making it the first EV produced in the Tychy plant and the first Jeep. Other EV models from Alfa Romeo and Fiat are likely to follow. Stellantis’ Polish factories in Tychy and Bielsko-Biala have been in the hands of the […]
February 07, 2023
About 42% of Dutch citizens older than 18 own one or more electric bicycles, electric motor scooters, or light electric vehicles (LEV). Together, all those vehicles represent 12,4 billion euros. However, in 2021, this was ‘only’ €10 billion – an increase of 24% compared to the previous year. The figures come from Multiscope’s E-bike Monitor, […]
February 07, 2023
On Monday, at a press conference in London the ‘new Alliance’ was presented. The aim is to have a more balanced relationship and start a new joint project after a long period of turbulence and disagreements within the Alliance. Mid-January, the seven independent members of the Nissan Board of Directors agreed with the planned restructuring […]
February 06, 2023
Cycling is becoming increasingly popular for commuting in Belgium, and employers are doing more to support sustainable mobility modes. This pops up clearly from the 6th edition of the survey organized every three years by the Belgian FPS Mobility and Transport among all private and public sector employers with at least 100 employees. In general, […]
February 06, 2023
The European new car market recorded another year-on-year decline in 2022. According to JATO Dynamics data for 30 markets (EU-26 + UK, Norway, Switzerland, and Iceland), volume totaled 11 309 310 units, down by 4,1% compared to 2021 and the lowest level since 1985. After 14 years, the VW Golf had to give its crown […]
February 06, 2023
According to the Federal Public Services for Justice and Finance, 94% of fined traffic offenders pay a fine spontaneously. This means that 6% of infringers refuse to pay voluntarily. However, in the future, recalcitrant offenders risk seeing the amount disappear from their pay slips automatically. In March 2020, a new procedure was introduced. Since then, […]
February 06, 2023
Speed pedelecs, the high-speed e-bikes, remain extremely popular. After the record year 2022, the number of new registrations in January was 86,3% higher than in January last year. This means 1 341 new vehicles were registered in the past month. The wintery weather conditions had no decelerating effect on registrations. Also, second-hand speed pedelecs continue […]
February 06, 2023
More EV start-ups are confronted with growing pains, as both EV makers Arrival and Rivian have announced staff lay-offs almost simultaneously. Bracing for a price war, Rivian decided – again – to cut 6% of its workforce, while Arrival is forced to let go of half of its global employees. At Arrival in London, the […]
February 06, 2023
Ford and Red Bull have announced their partnership for the 2026 Formula 1 season, the year where new technical regulations move the sport toward sustainability. Ford and Red Bull will work together on the power units for both Red Bull Racing and its sister team AlphaTauri. The current championship defender Red Bull had been looking […]
February 06, 2023
Lucien, the bicycle shop chain under the wings of Belgian’s most significant car importer D’Ieteren, is expanding from ten to fourteen shops in Brussels and Antwerp with the recent acquisition of Alpha Bikes (Lasne, Uccle, Woluwe Saint Lambert, and Cyclo Europe (Evere). The rapid scale-up and concentration of car dealerships in Belgium are also seen […]
February 06, 2023
The BMW Group is accelerating its ramp-up of e-mobility, and is poised to gain even more momentum with its next vehicle generation, the ‘Neue Klasse’. The BMW plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, will produce fully-electric models for the New Class in the future and is setting up its own high-voltage battery assembly for this […]
February 06, 2023
A court in San Francisco ruled on Friday that Musk shouldn’t be held liable for investor’s losses after the CEO of Tesla tweeted in 2018 that he was “considering taking Tesla private at $420. Funding secured”. Small recap: Five years ago, Musk pondered on taking Tesla from the stock exchange, turning it into a private […]
February 03, 2023
More than a hundred TotalEnergies hydrogen stations for trucks will appear along major highways in France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg in the next few years. French companies TotalEnergies and Air Liquide are creating a joint venture for this purpose. According to specialists, there are currently 250 hydrogen stations in Europe. By 2030, the […]
February 03, 2023
Zeekr took the wraps from the prototype car that seems poised to accelerate the brand’s launch in Europe. While it was thought to be called the 003, the compact crossover is dubbed X. The launch for China is scheduled for the end of the year, after which the rival for the Volkswagen ID.3 could hit […]
February 03, 2023
New car registrations have dropped to a historically low level in Norway, slinging the market back to the level of 1962. The slump in sales of all-electric cars is also mind-boggling, dropping to 66,5 percent, where it usually sits above 80 percent. Has the Scandinavian Walhalla for zero-emission cars reset its compass? In Norway, no […]
February 03, 2023
The city of Amsterdam has decided to ban heavy coaches (+7,5 tons) from the city center as of 2024. The decision has been taken because the many buses – up to 450 a day – are a nuisance for inhabitants. The bus traffic causes congestion in the narrow streets of Amsterdam and creates unsafe situations […]
