Belgian ABEE to build gigafactory for EV batteries in Romania

June 28, 2023

Avesta Battery and Energy Engineering (ABEE), a Brussels-based start-up specializing in battery and energy technologies for e-mobility, plans to build a large-scale battery factory for electric vehicles in the Romanian city of Galați. That is what the ABEE founder and CEO Noshin Omar announced on Tuesday during a press conference in Ninove (Belgium), where Prime […]

Court of Auditors doubts EU will meet 2030 climate goals

June 27, 2023

It is by no means certain that the European Union will achieve its ambitious climate and energy targets for 2030 with the current measures, warns the European Court of Auditors in a new report. Moreover, the foundations of the member states’ climate plans are not transparent, so it’s unclear whether they are feasible. The Auditors […]

China extends electrified cars’ incentive to reboot sales

June 22, 2023

As the Chinese economy shows signs of slowing down, the government has extended the tax exemption for hybrids and electric cars to 2027. Buyers of these so-called new energy vehicles (NEV) skip the purchase tax. Since 2014, the Chinese government doesn’t impose a ten percent purchase tax on electrified cars to support their adoption and […]

Volkswagen Group CEO presents its reorganization plan

June 22, 2023

Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume presented its vast reorganization plan for the group on Wednesday at the group’s Capital Markets Day. A severe cost-cutting exercise is needed to remain competitive, and the group wants to increase electric sales in China and the U.S. “If the bulk of our revenues still comes from Europe, the growth […]

Almost 1 million new cars in Europe in May, EVs grow further

June 22, 2023

In May 2023, the EU car market saw a significant increase in passenger car registrations, with nearly 1 million units, marking an 18,5% growth from the previous year, according to the figures of the European car manufacturers association (ACEA). This is the tenth consecutive month of growth. All the EU’s four largest markets grew, with […]

ACEA wants EU to delay more stringent ‘rules of origin’ for EVs

June 21, 2023

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) calls for a three-year postponement to restrictive rules on EU-UK electric vehicle trade, set to come into force in six months. Otherwise, tariffs could total € 4,3 billion, potentially reducing electric vehicle production by some 480 000 units, according to ACEA. Goods exported under EU free-trade agreements must comply […]

Chinese luxury brand HiPhi reaches European shores

June 21, 2023

The ‘tsunami’ of Chinese EVs is reaching European shores with yet another brand, Human Horizon’s flagships HiPhi X and Z, available now in Norway and Germany. With prices above €100 000 euros, these are not your average budget cars, and they’re bluntly targeting the heart of Europe’s premium car market, armed with luxury and high-tech. […]

Umicore inaugurates Belgian center for solid-state battery materials

June 21, 2023

On Tuesday, June 20th, global materials technology and recycling group Umicore inaugurated one of the world’s most advanced solid-state battery material prototyping facilities in Olen (Belgium). Solid-state batteries are expected to propel electric mobility and complement Umicore’s world-leading portfolio of battery materials technologies. The new 600 m² facilities with state-of-the-art installations and equipment support the […]

Renault: big boss will lead Ampere himself

June 21, 2023

Renault has unveiled the senior management team for its EV and software subsidiary Ampere. Luca de Meo, currently CEO of the Renault Group, will personally take charge of the new management team, and two managers will join him to handle day-to-day operations. Josep Maria Recasens and Vincent Piquet will be appointed Chief Operating Officer and […]

Porsche to become full battery producer and supplier

June 20, 2023

Porsche looks likely to produce high-performance battery cells on a much larger scale than previously planned. The German carmaker will no longer do so with its partner Customcells but on its own. The Cellforce Group, the battery joint venture between Porsche and Customcells, is said to have been completely overtaken by Porsche in May. 20 […]

BYD Dolphin crosses the ocean to Europe (update)

June 20, 2023

After launching the Han, Tang, and Atto 3 in Europe late last year, the Chinese EV leader BYD (Build Your Dreams) is expanding its European portfolio with two more models previously launched in China: the Dolphin hatchback and the Seal sedan. The Dolphin, the first to be deliverable from the fourth quarter of 2023, is […]

Citroën to offer a sub-€25.000 full electric ë-C3 in early 2024 (Update)

June 20, 2023

Citroën will be the first to launch a small, affordable EV costing less than €25 000. The ë-C3 will be available in Spring 2024, earlier than already announced competitors like the VW ID.2 and the Renault 5 Electric. The affordability of an EV in the lower segments is a big concern for car manufacturers. Until […]

NIO launches EL6 SUV and ET5 Touring for Europe

June 16, 2023

Chinese premium carmaker NIO is pushing two more models – the EL6 and ET5 Touring – to Europe, at least in those countries where it is already present: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands. The EL6 – called ES6 in China – is a slightly smaller SUV than its EL7 sibling at a somewhat […]

BEV share of Belgian company cars same as diesel

June 16, 2023

Partena Professional’s latest survey reveals some interesting insights on the trends and evolutions of Belgian company cars. As the share of diesel power is, for the first time, matched by fully electric models, plug-in hybrids showed a substantial rise in 2023. Also, on average, company cars for men are 18% more expensive than for women. […]

VDL Nedcar: unions and management bury the hatchet (update)

June 16, 2023

It looks like VDL Nedcar management in Born and the unions buried the hatchet after they reached an agreement on Tuesday evening on a substantially better social plan for the 3 950 people in the car factory who will probably lose their job. The employees, who struck for eight days, voted on Thursday in favor […]

EU approves landmark law for green batteries

June 15, 2023

The European Parliament has passed the proposal for green batteries, which puts world-leading standards on the environmental impact of their entire lifecycle. The rules apply to batteries used in both vehicles as lighter means of transport, like e-scooters. The new law means that battery producers will be obliged to report on the entire carbon footprint […]

PS and MR continue to obstruct Belgian driving license with points

June 14, 2023

The driving license with points does not seem to be introduced in Belgium, for the time being. The French-speaking socialists (PS) and liberals (MR) are not enthusiastic and have made their own counterproposal, much to the dismay of Vooruit, the party of the Flemish socialists. “People are dying on the roads because PS and MR […]

Will there be another ‘car show’ in Brussels in 2024?

June 14, 2023

402 Automotive, a Dutch organizer of car shows and events, seems to want to fill the gap the cancellation of the Brussels Motor Show 2024 organized by sector federation Febiac has left. The Dutch event specialist wants to replace the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) with an ‘innovative car show’ with a lot of attention to […]

Renault introduces V2G on new electric R5

June 14, 2023

The all-electric Renault 5 will be the first Renault vehicle equipped with a bidirectional charger. The associated V2G service will be available from the launch of the Renault 5 in France and Germany in 2024 and in the UK in 2025. Renault is coordinating the introduction of bidirectional charging through its mobility brand Mobilize. In […]

Audi Brussels has built its 200.000th (Q8) e-tron

June 13, 2023

After about 3,5 years, the Audi plant in Forest (Brussels) has built its 200 000th electric vehicle: a Soneira Red Q8 Sportback e-tron, the updated version of the original e-tron, which has been in production since late 2018. Later this year, the plant will also start building the smaller Q4 e-tron to meet global demand. […]

Walloon government to recover road taxes on ‘Flemish’ leased cars

June 13, 2023

Walloon public offices, municipalities, and provinces should now be legally required to pay their leased vehicles’ registration tax in Wallonia. This is part of an ongoing fight from the Walloon government to bring back losses from leased vehicles registered in Flanders. Wallonia is pushing back. Finance Minister Andrien Dolimont (MR) is taking legal action to […]

First Silence S04 rolls out of assembly line in Barcelona

June 09, 2023

Spanish scooter and micro-mobility EVs manufacturer Silence has officially rolled the first production models out of the assembly line in Barcelona. Built by Acciona in a state-of-the-art, 60 000 m2 factory, the first batch of Silence S04s are heading to customers. Silence is a newcomer to the game of micro-mobility EVs, or so-called ‘nano cars’. […]

Febiac’s new chairman is Freddy De Mulder

June 09, 2023

The Belgian Federation of Automotive Manufacturers and Importers Febiac has a new president. Freddy De Mulder (67), after a long career in the automotive business, takes over from Philippe Dehennin as of 21 June. After a Ph.D. in Economy, Freddy De Mulder began his career at Ford, but very soon, he switched to General Motors/Opel, […]

Eneco builds 50 MW battery backup power park in Wallonia

June 08, 2023

Eneco, a Dutch energy supplier with its Belgian headquarter in Mechelen, will invest 90 million euros into a 50-megawatt battery power park in the Walloon town of Ville-sur-Haine. The battery park, which will be connected to the high-voltage grid as a backup, should be operational by the end of next year. The park, in the […]

Belcar breathes new life into former Antwerp Opel Plant 1

June 08, 2023

The Antwerp car servicing group Beerens breathes new life into the former Opel plant at the Noorderlaan with a new site for its Belcar daughter to prepare some 100 000 new and second-hand leased cars a year for the market. Announced in February 2021, the site is reopening on Thursday after renovation, which included 20 […]

New EX30 is Volvo’s entry-level EV

June 08, 2023

Volvo just launched its first entry-level electric car, and the Swedish (but now Chinese-owned) car maker surprises with a price setting a benchmark for customers and competitors. In Belgium, prices for this fully electric EV start from € 38 990. In other markets, the starting price can be as low as € 36 590. In […]

Driving the new Renault Espace hybrid-only seven-seater

June 07, 2023

The new Renault Espace tries to combine the heritage of its name with today’s codes for a family car. Dead is the hyper-modular minivan: the Espace is now reborn as a long-wheelbase SUV with seven seats standard. That’s not the only transformation, as the Espace is now only offered as a full-hybrid. The name ‘Espace’ […]

Brussels gets driverless metro trains in 2026

June 07, 2023

According to several French-language newspapers, the Brussels Region will automate its metro network. These ‘driverless’ trains have been discussed for about a decade, but now the goals are becoming more concrete: the first route to run without a human driver will be line 5 Ceria-Erasmus in the summer of 2026. Eventually, all metros should run […]

Fluxys to install ‘hydrogen highway of the future’

June 07, 2023

Belgium-based gas transmission system operator Fluxys is working on the installation of 44 kilometers of new pipelines between Desteldonk and Opwijk. The new pipelines will transport gas and, in the future, green hydrogen. The first part of the so-called ‘hydrogen highway of the future’ has to be ready by the end of this year. The […]

Flemish increasingly opt for cycling, but car remains king

June 06, 2023

The Fleming increasingly prefers to cycle and walk. This emerges from a study into the travel behavior of the Flemish population by the Department of Mobility. Although the car remains the most popular means of transport, the share of the car drops below 60% for the first time. It is the sixth time since 1994 […]

Belgian second-hand car market sees city car segment ‘evaporate’

June 06, 2023

In May 2023, there were 57 807 second-hand cars registered in Belgium, meaning the market is dominated by 88% by private buyers and is keeping a steadily growing pace of 4,4%, says the automotive services federation Traxio. According to spokesperson Filip Rylant, this is due to more recent second-hand cars reaching the market as deliveries […]

High congestion rate is back in Flanders

June 05, 2023

While there still was 4% less traffic on Flemish highways in 2022 compared to the pre-pandemic era, the congestion rate is back at the former level. However, the congestion’s exact time and place play a more significant role than before. According to the yearly report for 2022 of the Flemish Traffic Center (Vlaams Verkeerscentrum), traffic […]

Belux car market sees further growth

June 02, 2023

In May, 41 358 new cars were registered in Belgium and Luxemburg, a serious increase of 42,5% compared to the same month last year. Most of these registrations have been done by companies and independents, representing already two-thirds of the total Belux market last month. Looking at the first five months of the year, 212 […]

VDL Nedcar announces massive job cuts

June 02, 2023

As of the 1st of November, 1 800 jobs will disappear at the Dutch car manufacturing plant Nedcar in Born. One of the two work shifts will completely disappear, almost halving the number of employees. Mother company VDL sent the message to the works council on Thursday, discussing “an unavoidable dismantling of fellow workers”. VDL […]

Tesla and BYD lead ICCT’s e-mobility transition ranking

June 01, 2023

A new report by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) assesses how effectively the world’s 20 largest automakers are transitioning to electric vehicles. At the top of the ranking is Tesla, followed by Chinese manufacturer BYD, which is catching up fast. The manufacturer assessment on the electric drive system turnaround is the first of […]

Great Wall Motor looking to build or buy EV plant in Europe

June 01, 2023

Chinese car manufacturer Great Wall Motor is looking into acquiring a European EV plant in order to support its international expansion. Building a new plant in Germany, Hungary or the Czech Republic would be an option, but the company is also looking to buy an existing plant. Great Wall Motor, known in Europe for the […]

ACC battery factory opened in France, Stellantis also looks at U.S.

June 01, 2023

Automotive Cells Company (ACC), a joint venture by Stellantis, Total, and Mercedes-Benz, inaugurated its first factory in France. However, the “Grand Opening” is not synonymous with commissioning, which will occur later this year. ACC says the facility in Billy-Berclau/Douvrin in the Hauts-de-France region has a production area of more than 60 000 square meters. The […]

Belgian record in electricity generated by wind and sun on Whit Monday

May 31, 2023

Around noon on Whit Monday, a record amount of electricity was generated by wind and sun, enough to cover just about all of Belgium’s electricity consumption for a while. This is according to preliminary figures from high-voltage manager Elia. This is the first time that solar and wind have been enough to cover just about […]

Merger between truck makers Hino and Fuso

May 31, 2023

Japanese truck builders Hino Motors and Mitsubishi Fuso have announced a merger and intend to become a publicly listed company. Both brands revealed that the union is on equal footing. Though the new truck maker from Japan will operate globally, its prime focus will be on the Southeast Asian market. As Hino Motors is fully […]

No Brussels Motor Show in 2024

May 30, 2023

In a short press release, Febiac, the car and two-wheeler importers federation for Belgium and Luxembourg, and the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) organizer, states that its board has decided to cancel the January 2024 edition of the show. “The aim of Febiac is always to deliver a qualitative and representative experience to visitors,” says the […]

Tesla Model Y dethrones Toyota Corolla as the world’s best-selling car

May 30, 2023

The Model Y can parade itself as the best-sold car in the world. It took the title in Q1 of 2023 from the Toyota Corolla, which has held the top spot for many years. It’s the first time an electric car has won the gold medal. The Model Y also surges in Europe. Tesla’s price […]

Belgians prefer mobility by foot and car, cycling rises

May 30, 2023

Belgians most often traveled on foot (95%) and by car (94%) in 2022, according to a survey by FPS Mobility questioning 4 600 Belgians aged between 18 and 79. The two most popular alternatives are public transport and cycling, with 65% and 56%, respectively. However, sustainable mobility is gaining ground, partly because of environmental and […]

Brussels government ask federal government more money for Metro 3 project

May 26, 2023

The Brussels government will ask the federal government for a budget increase for the planned works on the Metro 3 project in the capital. This is because the costs of constructing a tunnel and stations are piling up much higher than initially projected. According to a report in the business newspaper L’Echo, Beliris, the federal […]

BMW launches all-electric 5 Series: the i5

May 25, 2023

BMW has unveiled the all-new G60 generation of the 5 Series, which gets a radical new look and, for the first time, a fully-electric version in the shape of the i5. Gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid versions are still on the table, however. While its main rival, the Mercedes E-Class, went for a traditional look […]

Brussels Airport back to profit and plans to slash 1.500 night flights

May 25, 2023

Brussels Airport Company, the operator of Zaventem airport, posted a net profit of 16 million euros last year. It is the first time in three years that it’s back in the black. “The profit in 2022 was still limited, but it does shed light at the end of the tunnel,” said airport chief Arnaud Feist. […]

Electric sports car from Alpine and Lotus is dead end

May 25, 2023

Alpine and Lotus will not be co-developing an all-electric sportscar. The sports car brands have axed their collaboration under “mutual agreement” and will go through the development process alone. The project was scheduled to spawn a successor to the Alpine A110 and the new Lotus Type 135. Developing electric cars is costly, particularly when the […]

Uber to deploy robotaxis together with Waymo

May 25, 2023

Ridesharing company Uber is going to offer robotaxis in the US. Uber’s partner is Waymo, a subdivision of the Alphabet group, Google’s parent company. An initial collaboration is scheduled for later this year in Phoenix City. The exact number of self-driving taxis remains undisclosed. The association surprises as the two companies were entangled in a […]

Swedish Cary Group buys Belgian Autoglass Clinic and Touring Glass

May 25, 2023

The Swedish car glass specialist Cary group has announced the acquisition of both Autoglass Clinic and Touring Glass, which are the second and third most important glass repair players in Belgium after the undisputed market leader Car Glass. ‘We want to grow into a strong number two”, says Charline Leroi from AutoGlass Clinic, who remains […]

Road signs in Flanders cause row over language legislation

May 24, 2023

Flemish Minister of Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) blows the whistle on her administration over the use of road signs that state ‘Liège’ instead of ‘Luik’, preferring the language of the destination instead of the location language of the signs. According to Peeters, the practice violates language laws. She wants the road […]

Brussels residents abandon car to cycle and walk more

May 24, 2023

People living in Brussels take their cars less often than ten years ago and more often go by bike or on foot. These are the results of a new study by Brussels Mobility. Every day, the capital’s inhabitants make 3,3 million journeys, accounting for 25 million kilometers traveled. Most of these are done on foot […]

ACEA: Euro 7 ruling to cost up to 2 600 euros per car

May 24, 2023

The lobby organisation for car manufacturers ACEA is flashing the lights again on the proposed Euro 7 rules, which are considered unnecessary and a waste of money by many car brands. A new survey has calculated that the price increase could be four to seven times higher than initially accounted for. “The effects on the […]

E-bike manufacturer Cowboy goes also offline

May 23, 2023

Cowboy, the Belgian manufacturer of city e-bikes, drops its online-only strategy. By the end of the year, the company wants a retail network of at least 300 independent bike shops in 60 Belgian and foreign cities. In Belgium, contracts will be closed with “some ten retail partners”. Names will follow later when their personnel has […]

EU car registrations up again in April

May 19, 2023

In April 2023, the EU car market saw a significant increase in passenger car registrations, with 803 188 units sold, marking a 17,2% growth from the previous year. All the EU’s major markets grew solidly last month, with Italy (+29,2%) and France (+21,9%) leading the way. From January to April 2023, the EU car market […]

Brussels MR wants ban on bikes and e-scooters in busy pedestrian areas

May 17, 2023

The Brussels MR has proposed a bill to ban bicycles and e-scooters in busy pedestrian zones in the capital. Currently, the maximum speed allowed there is officially 8 km/hour. Cyclists and e-scooter users who ride too fast through the pedestrian zones risk a fine of 174 euros. The MR justifies the ban by “the explosion […]

Belgian bicycle market sprints to top result: +19%

May 17, 2023

After a slight decrease in 2021, mainly due to delivery problems, the Belgian bicycle market has grown by a substantial 19% to almost 700 000 units (695 871 to be precise), or 110 958 more than in 2021. The corona problems are clearly behind us, and plenty of bicycles and spare parts are available. According […]

TotalEnergies to build large battery farm in Antwerp

May 16, 2023

The French petroleum giant, TotalEneries, is planning to build a large battery park next to its Antwerp refinery. On Monday, the company announced its plans for constructing a 25 MW battery farm at its Antwerp oil refinery. With a storage capacity of 75 MWh, the battery can store enough energy to provide 10 000 families […]

Is Renault brooding on a €20 000 BEV?

May 16, 2023

French car manufacturer Renault is working on a €20 000 EV to make electric car ownership more mainstream and affordable in Europe. The carmaker is thus taking up the challenge with the Volkswagen Group (and probably a bunch of Chinese manufacturers to come) to serve the lowest segments of the car industry. The proposed EV, […]

Is Macron wooing Musk to bring Tesla production to France?

May 16, 2023

French President Macron is accelerating his plans to put France at the forefront of the zero-emission transition in the automotive industry. After his CO2 tax favoring local-built EVs and announcing a battery plant in Northern France, Macron met with Elon Musk at the Choose France Summit to discuss an investment. After the summit, which took […]

Transport federations also want kilometer charge for passenger cars

May 15, 2023

The Flemish government has adopted the updated Flemish Energy and Climate Plan (VEKP). To meet the target of -40% greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, the government is taking additional measures, including extending the truck kilometer charge and a support mechanism for new and second-hand zero-emission vehicles. However, the Transport Federations regret that kilometer charging for […]

Honda expands European range with hybrid ZR-V and electric e:Ny1

May 15, 2023

Honda is accelerating its electrified assault on the European market with the hybrid ZR-V, a compact SUV between the HR-V and the CR-V, and the e:Ny1, an electric SUV that looks strikingly similar to the current HR-V. While Honda has fallen a bit behind in terms of electrification, with currently only a few hybrids and […]

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