Photo: Mercedes-Benz
They say the car you drive speaks a lot about yourself, which is why most of us consider the decision of what new car to buy one of the most difficult ones to make in our entire lives.
When you're the Environment Minister of an important region in one of the world's most economically developed countries - and Europe's definite number one - that dilemma is brought to a whole new level. There are multiple aspects you need to consider, some of which might be tricky to reconcile.
Apart from the enviable position, Christina Schulze Föcking, the Christian Democratic Union member who took over the North Rhine-Westphalia Environment Ministry from Green Party's Johannes Remmel almost two months ago also inherited her predecessor's wheels.
Last year, Remmel bought a Tesla Model S 90D as the Minister's official car on the basis that it was the only electric vehicle available that offered the needed range to cover the needs of someone in this position. Of course, the decision was met with criticism by some, arguing that spending over $100,000 on a vehicle wasn't exactly a wise investment. And by some, we also mean the current Minister, Mrs. Christina Schulze Föcking (then in the opposition).
Two months into her tenure, the new Minister has already purchased a new car, arguing that the 300 kilometers (186 miles) of range offered by the Tesla were not enough to cover the long distances in the North Rhine-Westphalia. To mitigate this issue, Electrek claims she ordered the acquisition of a Mercedes-Benz S500e hybrid, a car that mostly relies on its 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine running on gasoline while costing the same or more.
Was it a move meant to discourage Tesla's presence in Germany and EVs in general? Was it another case of the authorities buying local (and since Germany has no decent electric vehicles...)? Was it just that the new Minister wanted to ride in the excellent comfort offered by the S-Class? Well, unless you feel like talking to a German politician, it's up for you to decide, because this is all that a spokesperson had to say on the matter (via Bild and Google Translate): “The maximum range was in the long-range tests, depending on driving style and route profile, under 300 kilometers. This range could only be exhausted if it was then ensured that the batteries could be charged. This made it considerably more difficult to plan rides.“
Apart from the enviable position, Christina Schulze Föcking, the Christian Democratic Union member who took over the North Rhine-Westphalia Environment Ministry from Green Party's Johannes Remmel almost two months ago also inherited her predecessor's wheels.
Last year, Remmel bought a Tesla Model S 90D as the Minister's official car on the basis that it was the only electric vehicle available that offered the needed range to cover the needs of someone in this position. Of course, the decision was met with criticism by some, arguing that spending over $100,000 on a vehicle wasn't exactly a wise investment. And by some, we also mean the current Minister, Mrs. Christina Schulze Föcking (then in the opposition).
Two months into her tenure, the new Minister has already purchased a new car, arguing that the 300 kilometers (186 miles) of range offered by the Tesla were not enough to cover the long distances in the North Rhine-Westphalia. To mitigate this issue, Electrek claims she ordered the acquisition of a Mercedes-Benz S500e hybrid, a car that mostly relies on its 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine running on gasoline while costing the same or more.
Was it a move meant to discourage Tesla's presence in Germany and EVs in general? Was it another case of the authorities buying local (and since Germany has no decent electric vehicles...)? Was it just that the new Minister wanted to ride in the excellent comfort offered by the S-Class? Well, unless you feel like talking to a German politician, it's up for you to decide, because this is all that a spokesperson had to say on the matter (via Bild and Google Translate): “The maximum range was in the long-range tests, depending on driving style and route profile, under 300 kilometers. This range could only be exhausted if it was then ensured that the batteries could be charged. This made it considerably more difficult to plan rides.“
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