An internal memo obtained through Germany’s Freedom of Information Act revealed that a Green Party member, Johannes Remmel, returned his Tesla Model S after it was reportedly unable to fulfill his long distance travel requirements.
Remmel, an electric vehicle proponent and environment minister for Germany’s most heavily populated state, North Rhein-Westphalia, explained that Tesla’s flagship Model S which is capable of 311 miles (500 kilometers) of travel per single charge was “ill suited” for official business use. As a result, the Model S was returned after only being used for 43 trips, according to Automotive News.
In question, according to Remmel, is the true range for Model S when adjusted to local driving styles. A senior aide noted the environment minister’s inability to reach even 250 mi (400 km) of driving range, going as far as saying he was forced to turn back after only 93 mi (150 km) of driving or face the risk of running out of battery.
“The style of driving has to be adjusted to an extreme degree to the charge status of the battery” said the senior aide to the Green Party member, further noting that a 90-minute stop was needed to replenish 10 kWh of energy at the state’s conventional charging stations.
With an abundance of high-powered Tesla Superchargers in the region that are capable of replenishing 80% of the vehicle’s battery in 30-minutes or less, and an even higher density of Tesla Destination Chargers in the same area, one has to question why Remmel chose to use a slower and arguably less reliable state-run charger over Tesla’s own charging network.
Tesla Superchargers in North Rheine-Westphalia, Germany (left) vs Tesla Destination Chargers (right) in the region
The German ministry also made the conclusion that Model S lacked refinement, saying “When it comes to comfort as well as the ability to perform work, the rear bank of seats leave much to be desired for a sedan of its class.”
With presumably an allegiance to domestic manufacturers such as Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen – companies looking to take on Tesla with the build-out of their own electric vehicle program and Gigafactory-sized battery factory – it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that the German environmental minister would favor anything over the California-based newcomer.
This begs the question: What vehicle did the ministry choose after all? A spokesman for the ministry said the current car of choice is a Mercedes-Benz S 500 e plug-in hybrid.
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I believe the minister realized that the German electric auto industry needed his support. In other words, someone probably told him that driving a Tesla from California, USA was not showing support for the German auto industry. He probably got criticized for it and is now going with a German car and making statements such as the above to show his support for his home country. A wise choice for a German politician. He probably secretly wishes he still had his Tesla. ;-)
I am sure you are 100% correct!
Plus...I don't sit in the back!
As a 2017 (and previously a 2015) Tesla Model S owner I'm going to side with the German on this one. My $118,000 Model S 100D feels cheap and inferior in every way (...) Refined sedan it is not. My wife's BMW 535xi is orders of magnitude more stable and solid that my newest Model S. (...) But I continue to drive the product to support the cause. I just can't wait until there are choices out there. It's a one-horse race at the moment.
I don't believe there is any doubt the overall (particularly interior) quality & finish is not up to par with that of luxury German sedans, like the 5-Series, let alone the minister new choice, Daimler's S-Class...
However, to claim the Model S range is not up the minister needs & then go for a Mercedes S500 Hybrid which, as @Bill C rightly pointed out, maybe gets you about 20 miles of zero emission driving (remember he is from the Green Party... and a claimed EV advocate?! :rolleyes:) is something I cannot side with and is indicative of the political statement made here... oh well... ;)
If he really cared about the environment or his party's image, he would not be caught dead in such a luxury car.
It is correct that Johannes Remmel (Green Party) bought a Tesla and he was very satisfied with the car.
Unfortunately due to election in May new people take over government in NRW. The new minister is Christina Schulze Föcking (Christian Democratic Union; CDU). She decided to resign the Tesla and bought a Mercedes. The CDU of Chancellor Angela Merkel is not very interested in BEV because German automakers fails in this sector.
Reading that article I reflected on my long-distance trips with my Model S85 (which I love). Driving roughly 3000 km per month with distances up to 650km per travel I see the longer travel times with a Model S compared with a ICE car. Munich - Berlin in about 5 hours with an ICE car, almost 7 hours with an S85. Let's be honest: for business travelers / people this is quite a difference in productivity.
For me this is fine - I can adjust my travel plans for longer travel times. For others this may not be possible.
As a 2017 (and previously a 2015) Tesla Model S owner I'm going to side with the German on this one. My $118,000 Model S 100D feels cheap and inferior in every way from the rattles and buzzes to the EXTREMELY inferior SAS air suspension which knocks and rattles over ever uneven surface. Refined sedan it is not. My wife's BMW 535xi is orders of magnitude more stable and solid that my newest Model S. Even a simple shutting of the doors will tell you that. But I continue to drive the product to support the cause. I just can't wait until there are choices out there. It's a one-horse race at the moment.
Prove what you say is true.
I have to second what Dirk says. Even the English article from Automotive News states that the CDU politician returned the car. The title of the article is plain wrong. @gene: I value most of your articles, but please change the heading of that article.
Reading that article I reflected on my long-distance trips with my Model S85 (which I love). Driving roughly 3000 km per month with distances up to 650km per travel I see the longer travel times with a Model S compared with a ICE car. Munich - Berlin in about 5 hours with an ICE car, almost 7 hours with an S85. Let's be honest: for business travelers / people this is quite a difference in productivity.
For me this is fine - I can adjust my travel plans for longer travel times. For others this may not be possible.
So...you can't conduct some business over those new fangled blue tooth connected smart phones? You ARE old fashioned.
Prove what you say is true.
Mark, respectfully, I do not believe @phillip12 has to prove anything... he merely shares his experience & opinion which, like everybody here, he's entitled to do...
So...you can't conduct some business over those new fangled blue tooth connected smart phones? You ARE old fashioned.
Again, please let's stay civil in our posts.
The point @e-economy was making was that a 2 hour longer journey (over 5 for a - fast - ICE car) to drive from South to North Germany can matter to some business people more than folks travelling for leisure... use of cell phone or not.
Prove what you say is true.
Mark, respectfully, I do not believe @phillip12 has to prove anything... he merely shares his experience & opinion which, like everybody here, he's entitled to do...
So...you can't conduct some business over those new fangled blue tooth connected smart phones? You ARE old fashioned.
Again, please let's stay civil in our posts.
The point @e-economy was making was that a 2 hour longer journey (over 5 for a - fast - ICE car) to drive from South to North Germany can matter to some business people more than folks travelling for leisure... use of cell phone or not.
They will only go for "made in Germany".
Like most Germans, this minister suffers from the " not invented by us " syndrome.
They will only go for "made in Germany".
@S-19910, Welkom op Teslarati!
Imagine you are referring to the new minister, i.e. Christina Schulze Föcking from the CDU, right? ;)
The environmental minister's car of choice gets about 20 miles from its battery - one TWELFTH that of a Tesla. That sounds like sane reasoning.
You didn't read the article? He said it lacked refinement for a car in this price point. Absolutley does. I love my model S but the interior cabin materials and overall design feel like I'm driving a $30,000 Volkswagen and not a $100,000 dollar tesla or Mercedes Or anything in between. At this price, people shouldn't feel like they sacrificed luxury for high tech. Look at Maserati, Aston Martin, and Bentley interiors. That's close to what this car should feel like.
It is a threat to their market share if anyone if these other luxury brands enters the electric segment. They need to address it and create their luxury brand image now or lose a lot of customers when the competition comes.
Politicians who claim to be green have been a problem for a while in Europe. Above all, they remain politicians. And politicians often have a higher goal than the great good for humanity. This has been wel-established, but every next generation simply forgets.
Once again, I am not defending Green politicians yet do read the clarifying post above about who actually got the Mercedes... ;)
