Dusseldorf A company car has symbolic power. With the entry of Olaf Scholz into the Chancellery, there is a new federal government and with it new official vehicles. The SPD, Greens and FDP have made it their goal in the coalition agreement to promote alternative drives. In this legislative period, however, the official cars of the ministers range from full-electric vehicles to plug-in hybrids to combustion engines.
In the past, the fleet of German top politicians often caused criticism. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) has already given politicians’ company cars “green”, “yellow” and “red cards” 15 times. The traffic light coalition under Olaf Scholz should do better in the coming ranking than the grand coalition last year.
This is also due to the Greens. However: Climate and Economics Minister Robert Habeck uses an armored combustion vehicle. However, the decision is not in his hands alone.
Klara Geywitz heads the newly created ministry. While the new area of responsibility is well known, the service vehicle is not. It is not known which model the SPD politician chose. She is currently using the Bundestag’s vehicle fleet.
Svenja Schulze (SPD) – Economic Cooperation and Development
Svenja Schulze’s predecessor, Gerd Müller, drove the Audi A8 plug-in hybrid.
(Photo: HERE Navigation)
The former Environment Minister has changed departments. Family Minister Anne Spiegel now drives her old company car. It is not known which company car Svenja Schulze will use in her new office. predecessor Dr. Gerd Müller drove the plug-in hybrid Audi A8 L 60 TFSI e quattro.
Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) – education and research
The Audi A8 plug-in hybrid is not as sustainable as thought. The hybrid equipped with two drives received the “red card” from the DUH.
(Photo: Stephan Goerlich/Imagebroker RM/)
The FDP politician Bettina Stark-Watzinger wants to campaign for more innovations in her area. At the moment she probably drives the plug-in hybrid Audi A8 L 60 TFSI e quattro of her predecessor Anja Karliczek.
Steffi Lemke (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) – Environment, nature conservation, nuclear safety and consumer protection
Environment Minister Steffi Lemke’s company car will be her predecessor’s Mercedes EQC.
(Photo: Daimler)
In December, the graduate agricultural scientist and trained zoo technician took over the Ministry of the Environment. With the takeover, she also got the company car of her predecessor Svenja Schulze, who drove the only all-electric car in the last legislative period. Lemke will continue to drive the Mercedes-Benz EQC in the coming years.
Wolfgang Schmidt (SPD) – Chancellery
Wolfgang Schmidt’s predecessor Helge Braun drove the BMW 730Ld. It is not known whether he will take over the company car from Braun.
(Photo: imago/Rüdiger Wölk)
Wolfgang Schmidt is Olaf Scholz’s closest confidante. It is still unclear which car the Chancellor’s Office Minister will drive in the future.
Volker Wissing (FDP) – Traffic and Digital
Transport Minister Volker Wissing is currently still driving one of the vehicles in the fleet.
(Photo: action press)
Hardly any fleet of vehicles has a greater symbolic power than that of the Ministry of Transport. In the past, FDP Minister of Transport Volker Wissing has primarily advocated alternative drives such as hydrogen and synthetic fuels. In the last few weeks he has rowed back a bit, because these drives are not yet suitable for mass production. Wissing will probably switch to a battery-powered company car. He is currently in talks with the three leading German car manufacturers.
Karl Lauterbach (SPD) – Health
The Minister of Health also enjoys special protection in the company car.
(Photo: imago images/Frank Ossenbrink)
No minister in the traffic light coalition polarizes the Germans as much as Health Minister Karl Lauterbach. The epidemiologist is considered one of the most prominent health politicians in the country. But Lauterbach’s demands for strict corona rules have also caused many discussions and targeted threats against the Leverkusen player in the past. The result: the health politician Lauterbach falls back on the BKA’s fleet, which includes particularly well-secured models such as the Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard (V 222), the Audi A8 L W12 6.0 and the BMW 7 Series (G11/G12). .
Anne Spiegel (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) – family, seniors, women and youth
Family Minister Anne Spiegel has ordered the BMW i4. The BMW sedan is fully battery powered.
(Photo: action press)
The Green politician Anne Spiegel already headed the family ministry from 2016 to 2021 in Rhineland-Palatinate. Spiegel is one of three politicians who will continue to drive on battery power in the future. She will be driving the BMW i4. The car has not yet been delivered.
Cem Ozdemir (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) – Food and agriculture
Cem Özdemir will drive the Audi E-Tron in the upcoming legislative period.
(Photo: AUDI AG)
Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir caused a stir when he drove up to the swearing-in ceremony at Bellevue Palace on an e-bike. In everyday political life, however, the Green politician cannot cover all distances by bike. Özdemir will therefore use an Audi e-tron for appointments outside of Berlin-Mitte.
Christine Lambrecht (SPD) – defense
It was not announced in which company car Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht was traveling.
(Photo: Reuters)
As Defense Minister, Christine Lambrecht is responsible for one of the highest security levels among German officials. There is silence about the model that the minister will drive in this legislative period. In the grand coalition under Chancellor Angela Merkel, at least the state secretaries of the Ministry of Defense were on the road with diesel vehicles such as the Audi A8 50 TDI Quattro and the BMW 730Ld xDrive.
Hubertus Heil (SPD) – Labor and Social Affairs
Hubertus Heil will probably continue to use his company car from the past period. This is also an Audi A8.
(Photo: obs)
Hubertus Heil is the only minister who has remained in office. The SPD politician was already Minister of Labor in the grand coalition. This also means that he remains loyal to his company car. He is still driving the Audi A8.
Marco Buschmann (FDP) – Justice
If Justice Minister Marco Buschmann takes over his predecessor’s company car, he will also be driving an Audi A8.
(Photo: AP)
The FDP politician Marco Buschmann enjoys a high reputation in professional circles and among colleagues. The lawyer from Gelsenkirchen is the architect of the FDP’s electoral success and has been the closest confidante of party leader and finance minister Christian Lindner since 2013. It is not known whether Buschmann will buy a new company car. He could take over the company car from his predecessor Christine Lambrecht. She drove the plug-in hybrid from Audi (A8 L 60 TFSI e quattro) in the last legislative period as Minister of Justice.
Annalena Bärbock (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) – Federal Foreign Office
The Mercedes EQS will not only be the new company car for Annalena Baerbock, but also for her party colleague Winfried Kretschmann.
(Photo: dpa)
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is switching to battery power. She has ordered the flagship of the German electric car industry – the luxury sedan Mercedes-Benz EQS. However, she may only use the car if the security situation allows it. Otherwise, the Green Party politician has to use the BKA’s fleet.
Nancy Faser (SPD) – Inside and home
Horst Seehofer and his successor in the Ministry of the Interior Nancy Faeser at the handover. Faeser is currently using vehicles from the fleet.
(Photo: Reuters)
The SPD state chairwoman in Hesse has been interior minister since December. In this task, she is traveling in one of the 14 special protection vehicles of the BKA with special armor.
Christian Lindner (FDP) – finances
Due to his increased security level, Christian Lindner will be traveling in a BKA company car.
(Photo: imago images/Michael Kneffel)
FDP party leader Christian Lindner leads the Ministry of Finance in the traffic light coalition. As Minister of Finance, he uses a car from the Federal Criminal Police Office. Models include the Mercedes-Benz S 600 Guard (V 222), the Audi A8 L W12 6.0 and the BMW 7 Series (G11/G12). For security reasons, the carriage in which the ministers travel is being kept secret.
Robert Habeck (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) – Economy and climate
Unlike his party colleagues, Vice Chancellor Habeck drove in a car from the BKA fleet.
(Photo: dpa)
His party colleagues in the ministerial office have all switched to a battery-powered company car. Climate Minister Habeck will, however, continue to use a combustion engine – and will have to. As Vice-Chancellor, Habeck uses the Federal Criminal Police Office’s (BKA) fleet of vehicles because he has a higher level of security than other ministers. So far, there is no e-car that meets the requirements. The manufacturers’ reasons are obvious: too heavy, too expensive, too little demand.
Olaf Scholz (SPD) – Federal Chancellor
Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s company car meets the highest civilian security standards.
(Photo: dpa)
The Chancellor’s company car will also be a Mercedes for the next four years. The S-Class S680 Guard weighs 4.2 tons and costs 544,000 euros. The tank on four wheels is explosion-proof and, according to Mercedes, meets the highest civilian security level. In addition, the S680 Guard has a fire extinguishing system, a fresh air supply in the event of gas attacks, as well as flashing lights, sirens and radios. The Mercedes model with a six-liter V12 engine and 612 hp can do almost everything except save fuel. Its consumption is almost 20 liters per 100 kilometers.
Neither Scholz, Habeck and Lindner nor Faeser, Lauterbach or Lambrecht have to fear a “red card” from the German Environmental Aid in the next “company car check”. Ministers who have to use a BKA car due to their higher security level are excluded from the ranking.
More: Plug-in hybrids are threatened with a drastic drop in value