Minister energized: Annalena Baerbock drives Mercedes EQS

Created: 02/11/2022 08:03

By: Sebastian Oppenheimer

As a rule, the ministers are allowed to choose their company car themselves – in the traffic light coalition, electric cars are increasingly among them.

Berlin – The highest-ranking politicians in Germany have usually been traveling in three models: Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7 Series or Audi A8.

All three vehicles are also available in an armored version, designed to protect members of the government in the event of a possible attack.

The majority of politicians' limousines have so far had internal combustion engines on board.

But now a rethinking is evident: Some members of the federal government will drive an electric car in the future - or be chauffeured in it, as 24auto.de reports.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (41, Greens) will be chauffeured in the Mercedes EQS in the future.

© Mercedes Benz

Minister energized: Annalena Baerbock drives Mercedes EQS

As reported by “Automobilwoche”, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (41, Greens), for example, will be chauffeured in a Mercedes EQS.

Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir (56, Greens) also relies on a Stromer: He has chosen an Audi e-tron - Federal Minister for Family Affairs Anne Spiegel (41, Greens) will be driving a BMW i4.

According to "Spiegel", however, it is questionable how often Annalena Baerbock will be driving the Mercedes Stromer - after all, the car is not armored.

Depending on the security situation, the Foreign Minister will probably be traveling in appropriately equipped vehicles from the Federal Criminal Police Office's fleet.

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Armored Mercedes: Chancellor Olaf Scholz is chauffeured in the S 680 Guard

While former Chancellor Angela Merkel (67, CDU) preferred to travel in an armored Audi A8, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (63, SPD) relies on the brand with the star: According to the report, he is chauffeured in a Mercedes S 680 Guard – a so-called special protection vehicle.

The armored Benz has a new price of just under 545,000 euros, production takes around 50 days and is largely done by hand.

The armor means an enormous additional weight: A door of the S 680 Guard weighs 120 kilograms - that of a "normal" S-Class just 25 kilograms.

That's why it needs a befitting engine: under the hood is a V12 engine with 612 hp and a maximum torque of 830 Newton meters.

Safe thing: the Mercedes S 680 Guard © Mercedes-Benz AG

Electric luxury limousines with the appropriate armor are currently still a thing of the future.

As "bild.de" reports, Mercedes-Benz Guard is already developing an armored EQS.

However, according to a spokesman, it is not that easy: the protection of the batteries in particular makes the construction even more difficult.

And the already very high weight of an armored vehicle increases even further due to the heavy batteries.