8 senators and 25 secretaries of state can choose their car from the list. For the first time, a foreign car was included in the list and it is the Tesla Model 3. A spokesman for the Senate Department of the Interior confirmed this information on Tuesday.
List of cars (updated approximately twice a year):
- Audi (5 models);
- BMW (4 models);
- Daimler (2 models);
- Volkswagen (1 model);
- Tesla (1 model).
Each senator and secretary of state rent their company car for about a year. When the contract ends, politicians select their next car from a list compiled by the Senate Department of the Interior in consultation with the Office of Public Administration. “Leasing contracts do not expire at the same time, but at different times,” said Tino Brabetz, a spokesman for the Senate Department of the Interior.
According to him, the company's vehicles must meet certain criteria - for example, auxiliary heating are mandatory so that drivers don't have to freeze for a long waiting time.
“If German manufacturers cannot produce electric cars with auxiliary heating, we will list foreign brands,” said Secretary of State Sabine Smentek.
The senators has various rules and criteria when choosing a car. For example, Michael Muller drives an armored Mercedes S-Class, which, according to a Deutschen Umwelthilfe (DUH) poll in December, is the most polluting car among the heads of all countries. According to Senate spokesman Claudia Sünder, a new vehicle will be delivered in the first half of 2020, which will pollute the air with less exhaust emissions.
Image Source: Union of Concerned Scientists
At the same time, Secretary of State for Education Beate Stoffers already chose Tesla: "I looked at the CO2 values and range, and you also support a company that invests in the Berlin region."
This innovation shows the true power of Tesla. The automaker, whose main goal is not to pollute the environment, is gradually paving its way to its achievement. Tesla has launched the process of switching to electric vehicles around the world, including the country, which is the heart of the automotive industry in Europe. German politicians are gradually rethinking the value of environmentally friendly transport, so there is great hope that the German auto industry will begin the transition to electric cars at a faster pace.
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