Politicians increasingly opt for eco-friendly automobiles
Germany's top politicians are making strides towards adopting electric vehicles (EVs), but progress remains inconsistent, according to a recent evaluation by the German Environmental Aid (DUH). Out of the country's 238 most influential figures, 87 drive fully electric cars, while others use plug-in hybrids or combustion engine vehicles.
The DUH's analysis assumes that plug-in hybrids primarily operate in combustion mode. Among federal ministers, 4 use fully electric cars, and 7 use plug-in hybrids. Notable exceptions include Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose official car is armoured and was not included in the evaluation.
The shift towards EVs among federal ministers has seen a slight increase. While only 4 ministers were previously driving fully electric cars, this number has now risen to 8. However, the ongoing climate crisis has not led to a significant shift towards fuel-efficient official cars among Germany's top politicians.
The picture is similar among state premiers. Only one, Winfried Kretschmann of Baden-Württemberg, uses an electric car. Other notable leaders, like Bavaria’s Markus Söder, still use high-emission combustion vehicles, such as the BMW X7 with 292g CO₂/km.
The DUH's ranking assumes that plug-in hybrids are only used in combustion mode, although it is unclear whether top politicians and their fleet management actually do this. Seven federal ministers, including Katherina Reiche, Alois Rainer, Verena Hubertz, Patrick Schnieder, Stefanie Hubig, Dorothee Bär, and Barbara Bas, use plug-in hybrid cars.
The total number of state governors using electric cars remains one, as previously. The share of purely electric cars among Germany's top politicians is relatively low, with only 36% (87 out of 238) driving electric cars. The DUH's analysis reveals that Germany's top politicians are still relying too much on climate-damaging official cars.
This mixed progress towards electric vehicles among top German politicians underscores the need for continued efforts to promote the adoption of fuel-efficient vehicles and combat climate change.
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