August 01, 2025
Anyone who wants to hand in a license plate in Belgium can do so by depositing it – free of charge – with the Vehicle Registration Service (Dienst voor Inschrijving van Voertuigen, DIV) in Brussels. You can also send it – wrapped – via bpost, the Belgian postal service, and this will cost you 5.15 […]
August 01, 2025
BMW reported a sharp drop in first-half profits on Thursday, weighed down by US tariffs, currency headwinds from the dollar, and challenging business conditions in China. The Munich-based automaker reported a post-tax profit of €4 billion, down 29% from the same period last year, marking the third consecutive decline in the first half for the […]
July 31, 2025
The Leapmotor B10 is a compact C-segment electric SUV designed for global markets. Still, especially with the European market in mind, it is intended to offer a blend of performance, technology, and affordability. On Wednesday, ordering opened in most European countries where the Chinese brand is imported by Stellantis, at a starting price of just […]
July 31, 2025
New Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa promised “tough decisions” to turn around the money-losing automaker, a raft of new and returning models, and a fresh executive team eager to “roll up our sleeves” and build on encouraging signs in the first half of 2025. But he and CFO Doug Ostermann, speaking to analysts on July 29 from Stellantis […]
July 30, 2025
Our assumptions earlier today that François Provost would be nominated as the new CEO of the Renault Group have been confirmed. The official announcement came late in the afternoon. “The Renault Group Board of Directors, meeting today (Wednesday, July 30) under the chairmanship of Jean-Dominique Senard, decided, following recommendation from the Governance and Remuneration Committee, […]
July 30, 2025
Mercedes is gearing up for the launch of its next generation of electric vehicles. The all-new electric GLC will make its world debut at the IAA Mobility 2025 in Munich, alongside the prototype of the VLE minivan. And by next year, at least three other models should follow. Mercedes has given a sneak preview of […]
July 30, 2025
An analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) of CO2 fleet emissions for new cars in H1 of 2025 shows that the car industry currently exceeds the EU limit by nine percent. This breach should actually trigger fines payable to the European Union. Due to the recent flexibilisation, that will not happen. The […]
July 30, 2025
Every category of commercial vehicles has faced negative results in the first half of 2025 in Europe. Vans and trucks suffered the most, but buses have remained relatively stable, thanks to their large share of electrification. However, the sector warns that the conditions are still not suitable for the mass adoption of electrified heavy commercial […]
July 29, 2025
The FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) has extended its partnership with the all-electric racing series Formula E by ten years. Formula E will thus remain the exclusive, fully electric, single-seater category with FIA World Championship status, at least until 2048. While manufacturers and fans are mainly looking ahead to the next season starting in December […]
July 28, 2025
In the second quarter of 2025, Volkswagen Group recorded a profit of €2.3 billion, a 36.3% drop compared to April-June 2024. It has obliged the group to revise its forecasts, and Europe’s number one cr manufacturer now foresees a profit margin between 4 and 5% instead of the 5.5-6.5% margin previewed earlier. Turnover for 2025 […]
July 25, 2025
According to Chinese media, battery maker Svolt Energy has started the first trial production of semi-solid-state batteries that will supply BMW Mini’s next-generation models. These are expected to be delivered ‘en masse’ to begin around 2027. BMW added Svolt in mid‑2023, as its third major Chinese battery supplier, alongside CATL and Eve Energy. These newly […]
July 25, 2025
SAIC Motor, the parent company of the MG brand, has officially posted the first pictures of the all-new MG4’s interior on Weibo, China’s microblogging platform, often described as a combined alternative to Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit. Gone are most physical buttons below the screen for key controls from the outgoing generation, with just five core […]
July 25, 2025
BMW has announced a new update for the My BMW App and MINI App, introducing a feature that allows drivers to view their carbon footprint. It’s designed for use with traditional ICE vehicles as well as BEVs and plug-in hybrids. “Our usage research shows: The information in My Trips is one of the most popular […]
July 25, 2025
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized plans, according to the German newspaper Bild, that the European Union is working on prohibiting car-rental firms and large corporations from buying non-electric vehicles for their fleets starting in 2030. The European plan is still a proposal and draws inspiration from Belgian regulations that stipulate that by 2026, all new […]
July 24, 2025
An increasing number of people are experiencing motion sickness in electric cars, but why is this happening? Scientists are trying to find an acceptable explanation as to why people feel more motion sick riding in an EV than in a traditional petrol or diesel car. For your information, in 2024, 22% of new car sales […]
July 24, 2025
After launching the Rally version, Opel has now unveiled the production Mokka GSE. It features the same 280-hp electric drivetrain from its Peugeot, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, and Abarth cousins, with a sporty appearance and the bright yellow flashes that are typical for the brand. Stellantis initially offered its punchy 280-hp electric motor only on the […]
July 24, 2025
In the first half of 2025 (H1 2025), new EU car registrations dropped by 1.9% compared to the same period last year, according to the data of ACEA. With a strong 7.3% year-on-year (YOY) decline for June, this is indicative of the challenging global economic environment for automakers. The battery-electric car market share for H1 […]
July 23, 2025
Kia has announced a price for its EV4, its mainstream C-segment EV sedan/hatchback, bridging the gap between mass-market value models (like the upcoming EV2) and higher-tier EVs, such as the EV6 and EV9. Ordering opens today, with the first deliveries scheduled for October. The EV4 hatchback, specifically designed for the European market, is available in […]
July 23, 2025
Renault Group’s global sales increased by 1.3% in the first half of 2025, with passenger car sales in Europe up 5.4% in a flat market, the automaker announced on Tuesday. In Europe, Renault’s sales increased by 8.4% to 394,278 units, Dacia’s sales rose by 1.1% to 308,957, and Alpine’s sales jumped 89% to 4,871 units. […]
July 22, 2025
The all-new MG4, the Chinese brand’s new budget electric hatchback, will debut a new type of battery technology that bridges the gap between current technology and the highly anticipated solid-state batteries. However, the numbers of the MG4’s ‘semi-solid’ state batteries aren’t as impressive as you might think. MG promised last year that it would debut […]
July 22, 2025
With domestic sales already declining after the initial surge, Hyundai is targeting Europe and North America as the primary markets for its new flagship three-row electric SUV, the Ioniq 9. The first models have now arrived on European shores. Hyundai first unveiled its Ioniq 9 in November 2024, while the full-size electric SUV made its […]
July 22, 2025
Jaguar Land Rover is postponing the launch of its upcoming all-electric models, including the Range Rover Electric. According to The Guardian, an English newspaper, deliveries originally planned for the end of 2025 will now not commence until 2026, with Jaguar also experiencing delays. JLR will launch its first fully electric models from its own production […]
July 22, 2025
Stellantis reported a preliminary net loss of €2.3 billion for the first six months. The company expects a greater impact from the US tariffs on vehicle and auto parts imports in the second half of the year. Stellantis also explained that President Donald Trump’s tariffs had cost it €300 million so far, as the company […]
July 18, 2025
Yesterday, Volvo Cars reported a group operating profit (EBIT) of SEK -10.0 billion for the second quarter of 2025. This is due to the challenging automotive market and the Trump administration’s import tariffs. That’s why Volvo will also build its XC60 best-seller in the U.S. “The result reflects a continued challenging environment for the automotive […]
July 18, 2025
In China, the first official pictures have emerged of Smart’s first plug-in hybrid (PHEV), a version of its latest and largest model, the #5 SUV—a significant shift for a brand that was initially committed to being BEV-only. The Smart #5 EHD (Electric Hybrid Drive) was confirmed by Smart on Thursday, for the Chinese market only, […]
July 17, 2025
The dream of driving a vehicle on clean and ‘affordable’ hydrogen is further sputtering as Stellantis Group announced it will stop development of its light commercial hydrogen vehicles. The series production of a new range of hydrogen–powered vans, which was due to start this summer in Hordain (France) and Gliwice (Poland), has been cancelled. The […]
July 17, 2025
A recent long-term test by Germany’s largest automobile club, ADAC, provides a reassuring answer on the long-term health of a popular fully electric car, the Volkswagen ID.3. After putting the electric hatchback through a four-year, 160,000 km endurance test, the results look very promising. The key finding was remarkable: the high-voltage battery still had a […]
July 16, 2025
Toyota Motor Europe (TME) says it saw record first-half-year sales in Europe of 635,328 vehicles, of which 491,197 were ‘electrified’. According to TME, “A key factor was continued solid demand for Toyota and Lexus electrified vehicles, which expanded by +6% year-on-year and now represent 77% of TME’s total sales mix.” However, ‘electrified’ in Toyota’s words […]
July 15, 2025
Good news, EV Belgium, the sector federation for electromobility, heralds: Europe will officially have more than one million public charging points this summer. This also means that traveling with an electric car has never been easier. According to the European Alternative Fuels Observatory, every EV driver can enjoy a carefree holiday this summer with their […]
July 15, 2025
According to the analysis of sector federations Febiac and Traxio, the Belgian car market saw 608,426 cars sold in the first half of 2025. 234,616 of them were new ones (-10.9%), 373,810 were second-hand (+0.9%). In both markets, electrification evolves further. BMW and Dacia are the winners when looking at the specific models. With the […]
July 14, 2025
Xpeng, distributed in most EU countries by Hedin Mobility Group, is opening the order books of the new G6 and G9 in Europe from this week on. The G6 Long Range is available from €46,990 in Belgium and €45,990 in Luxembourg, the G9 Long Range retails from €63,990 and €61,990. The G6 and G9 Standard […]
July 14, 2025
The Paris prosecutor’s office has asked for a third lawsuit in the so-called dieselgate scandal. After Volkswagen and Peugeot-Citroën (part of Stellantis now), it’s Renault’s turn. The French manufacturer denies any infringement. Renault has supposedly “specially calibrated” Euro 5 and Euro 6 vehicles sold between 2009 and 2017 to pass the legal tests, but they […]
July 11, 2025
As the guardian of the iconic British brand name MG, the now Chinese brand from SAIC Motors is trying to steal the show at the Goodwood Festival of Speed these days with a bunch of new models and concepts. Next to a Cyberster Black version of its ‘hot’ EV roadster and a concept of a […]
July 11, 2025
German car manufacturer BMW Group reported a 0.5% decline in sales for the first half of the year, marking a positive sign amid the country’s ongoing automotive sector crisis, which is being intensified by competition from China. The group clearly increased EV sales, but the growth in this area is slowing. The premium carmaker, which […]
July 10, 2025
The Mazda 6 was briefly absent from the European market. At the beginning of the year, the fully electric successor made its European debut at the Brussels Motor Show. This second half of the year, it comes into the market, and we were able to drive it. The newcomer is based on the Chinese Chang’an […]
July 10, 2025
The Volkswagen Group recorded 465,500 BEV deliveries worldwide in the first half of 2025, 47% more than in the same period of last year. The VW Group’s electric cars were in demand in the USA and especially in Europe; however, there was a sharp decline in China. The 465,500 electric cars delivered in the first […]
July 10, 2025
Who’s talking about ‘range anxiety’ when driving an American Lucid Air? The latter just set a new Guinness World Record by driving an Air Grand Touring EV through the Alps from St. Moritz, Switzerland, to Munich, Germany, without a single charging stop. The trip included a mix of alpine passes, highways, and secondary roads. Lucid, […]
July 08, 2025
According to a new study by the clean transport and energy lobbying group Transport & Environment (T&E), the European car industry, which is responsible for €330 billion of the EU’s GDP and employs three million people directly or indirectly, faces an agonizing choice. It can boost and ramp up EV production with proper EU support, […]
July 07, 2025
The Flemish Government has presented a new climate plan for 2030, which is expected to appease the European Commission and avoid heavy fines. One of the most visible new measures is the intention to push down electricity prices by shifting 362 million euros in taxes to the natural gas invoice by 2028. Families heating with […]
July 04, 2025
Flemish Minister of Mobility, Annick De Ridder (N-VA), is cancelling 72 planned section controls on regional roads. De Ridder only wants section controls at ‘black spots’, where serious accidents occur, which reduces the list to about ten of those speed checks. The decision has sparked outrage among experts. The number of section controls in Flanders has increased significantly […]
July 04, 2025
The recall problems at Stellantis don’t stop. Following issues with the PureTech gasoline engines and Takata airbags, the manufacturer is forced to recall nearly a million cars equipped with the 1.5 BlueHDi diesel engine. The timing chain has flaws and is prone to failure, which can potentially lead to an engine breakdown. Some 930,700 vehicles […]
July 03, 2025
Polestar is staking its European future on a new production strategy that focuses on local manufacturing for regional markets. The Swedish electric performance brand, owned by China’s Geely, confirmed this week that its upcoming Polestar 7 will roll off the lines at Volvo Cars’ under-construction factory in Košice, Slovakia. The 7 marks the premium brand’s […]
July 03, 2025
According to Filip Rylant, spokesperson for the mobility federation Traxio, the second-hand car market performed well in the first six months of the year, with 373,810 used car registrations, representing a 7.1% increase compared to the same period last year. The second-hand market performed strongly in the first half of the year, with no less […]
July 03, 2025
The American research organization BloombergNEF (BNEF), widely regarded as an authority in global analyses across various domains, including electric mobility and clean energy, expects EV sales to surge this year like never before, with a 25% increase to 22 million vehicles. Nearly two-thirds of those 22 million will be sold in China, 17% in Europe—a […]
July 02, 2025
In June 2025, the figures of the federal service Mobility & Transport and Febiac show a 16.4% decrease in registrations in Belgium and Luxembourg, with 41,527 newly registered cars. Cumulatively, 234,616 cars were newly registered during the first six months of 2025, representing a 10.9% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. Noticeable is […]
July 02, 2025
Leasing company Ayvens, formerly LeasePlan/ALD Automotive, is one of the first major leasing companies to actively promote extending the typical EV leasing contract from four to six years. “The combination of technical reliability and limited maintenance costs makes an extension of leasing contracts extra interesting today – both for the environment and the wallet,” Ayvens says […]
July 01, 2025
Mitsubishi Motors aims to sell 75,000 to 80,000 vehicles annually in Europe, a gain of 20 to 30 percent over last year, with the help of two new Renault-sourced models that arrive in 2025, regional CEO Frank Krol told the specialized magazine Automotive News Europe. It’s also thinking of (re)introducing some of its own Japanese […]
July 01, 2025
As climate shifts bring more extreme weather and high-water risks, new tests by the ADAC in Germany expose an often-overlooked danger: what happens when a car plunges into water? Are electric car drivers at a higher risk than those in a combustion-engined vehicle? In the experiment, the German organization submerged two cars: a conventional Seat […]
July 01, 2025
A Tesla Model Y has driven itself from the company’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, to a customer’s doorstep with no one behind the wheel. Or not even somebody watching remotely, according to CEO Elon Musk, who trumpeted the feat as the first “fully autonomous delivery” of its kind. Musk posted triumphantly on X, the social […]
July 01, 2025
Flemish public transport operator De Lijn is becoming greener without having to do anything about it. As of today, the private bus operators that provide rides on behalf of De Lijn are deploying 588 new electric buses on De Lijn’s network. According to the Federation of Belgian Bus and Coach Operators (FBAA), this is “the […]
July 01, 2025
Dutch navigation software specialist TomTom, which grew out of one of the world’s two pioneering digital mapping companies with a strong connection in Belgium, is forced to cut another 300 jobs from its 3,600 employees worldwide to “prepare for the future.” That future will be increasingly based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomous driving, as […]
June 30, 2025
After months of tense negotiations with the European Commission, the Belgian federal government has decided to drastically limit its planned extension of tax deductions for plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). What was once pitched as a broad incentive to support businesses transitioning away from older combustion engine cars will now apply only to self-employed individuals. Companies […]
June 27, 2025
It was announced as China’s latest Tesla Y-killer, and it lives up to the expectations, creating a virtual ‘stampede’ within minutes of its official launch on Thursday. Xiaomi claims to have received over 200,000 confirmed orders in three minutes for its newest YU7 electric SUV, a vehicle that resembles a Ferrari Purosangue and nearly outperforms […]
June 26, 2025
The financial analysis platform TradingPedia analyzed global sales of electrified vehicles worldwide in 2024 by examining new car registration data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). The fact that China is by far the leading country in EV sales is confirmed here. According to TradingPedia research, China led […]
June 26, 2025
After some embarrassing failures in the past to do it alone, such as Volkswagen’s, eleven giants from the German automotive industry have realized they need to join forces in developing the software that will increasingly define the car of the future. Under the impetus of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), they signed […]
June 25, 2025
The French government has ordered the immediate immobilization of 800,000 additional vehicles because of the presence of possibly lethal Takata airbags. All car brands are involved in the massive and urgent recall that is now needed. Last week, French car manufacturer Citroën initiated a ‘stop drive’ for all its C3 and DS3 models produced between […]
June 25, 2025
Tesla finds itself under the French spotlight for all the wrong reasons. The American EV maker has now been slapped with a formal injunction by France’s consumer watchdog, the DGCCRF. The charge? Misleading advertising and dubious business practices, according to French authorities, that veer off the legal path. The case zeroes in—unsurprisingly—on Tesla’s most contentious […]
June 24, 2025
A survey of HR service provider Acerta shows that the CO2 emissions of company cars have diminished by one-third in two years. The reason is apparent: since mid-2023, only zero-emission vehicles are 100% tax deductible. This has also resulted in a spectacularly increased presence of EVs in Belgium’s professional car market. The Acerta study is […]
June 24, 2025
Since Monday, June 23rd, the Flemish public transport company De Lijn has officially put its first electric buses, manufactured by the Chinese company BYD, into service. These are the first of 92 e-buses ordered. At Jacob Autocars, which is part of Hansea, one of the largest private bus companies in Belgium that also provides transport […]
June 24, 2025
After years of bold promises and missed deadlines, Tesla has finally launched a pilot fleet of autonomous taxis in the Texas capital. But the debut has already sparked safety concerns and renewed scepticism about the company’s readiness to deliver truly self-driving vehicles. Eyebrows are already raising as this next phase in Tesla’s coming of age […]
