Politicians turn Luxembourg charging hub into unexpected meeting point
According to Politico, battery-electric official vehicles are causing frustration because of mandatory charging stops on journeys between Brussels and Strasbourg. The stop at a motorway service area in Luxembourg has become ‘a growing source of irritation for some of Ursula von der Leyen’s top team,’ the publication reported, citing officials from the offices of three commissioners.
The electric vehicles used by the European Commission to transport President Ursula von der Leyen and the commissioners to official appointments typically need to recharge for around 20 to 30 minutes at the service area. The charging stop extends the already five-hour journey and has become the main source of complaints. The vehicles form part of the Commission’s broader efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its operations.
Politico reports that the European Commission launched its green fleet initiative in 2022 and reaffirmed the programme last December, aiming to make its fleet of 128 vehicles fully emission-free by 2027. A Commission spokesperson said that around 80 per cent of the fleet already consists of electric vehicles.
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