EU Commissioners Frustrated by Electric Car Limits

The European Commission's push to electrify its official vehicle fleet is running into practical difficulties, with commissioners complaining that their electric cars cannot complete the 440 km journey from Brussels to Strasbourg without stopping to recharge.

According to Politico, the vehicles require a charging stop of 20 to 30 minutes in Luxembourg, adding to a journey that already takes nearly five hours. Some commissioners have raised the issue at Commission meetings. Officials noted that several models in the current fleet are poorly suited to longer trips, and that the alternative, driving more slowly to conserve battery life, can extend journey times to as much as seven hours.

Around 80% of the Commission's 128 vehicles are already electric, and the institution has set a target of making its entire fleet emissions-free by 2027.

Sources said commissioners are often reluctant to use the train because they need to conduct sensitive telephone calls during travel. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is unaffected by the issue, as she travels in an armoured vehicle for security reasons and no suitable armoured electric model is currently available on the market.

The Commission is due to present a new electrification plan in July to support the broader transition away from fossil fuels.

(politico, bak)