Didn't even see this in any of the big Swiss newspapers, read about it on electrek.co first. Here's the original article, and this is the one on electrec. How do you feel about that?

by This_Assignment_8067

13 comments
  1. According to them, it’s not because it’s “inconvenient facts” – but in some sense even more ridiculous:

    Because they feared the criticism of those who don’t want to hear the facts.

    If the reason they gave for not publishing it is true, they basically admitted that they have preemptively subjected their communication to the loud idiocies of the anti-scientific mob. Better not name facts, otherwise the conspiracy-crazies and those who hate facts will start to make a scene again.

    It’s not impossible. We saw similar thing during the Covid era, where they also quickly started to adapt their communication away from the facts in order to not upset the conspiracy & Trychler mob too much.

    So not telling the scientific truth because the mob could see this as “elitist” sadly seems to be a thing in our governement.

    (Alternative explanation: It’s just the usual Ölbert Rösti things. For an oil lobbyist known for abusing his office, it’s to be expected that he works against electric vehicles.)

  2. For anyone too lazy:

    In 2022, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (BFE) commissioned the research firm Infras to study when switching from a petrol or diesel car to an electric vehicle (EV) makes climate sense. The result, published in late 2024, was clear: replacing an internal combustion engine vehicle with a new EV leads to CO₂ savings in over 90% of cases—unless the old car is barely used.

    Despite this, the BFE decided not to release the CHF 118,000 report, fearing public backlash. Internal communications show that officials were concerned it might be misinterpreted or seen as elitist—especially at a time when the public’s trust in government was fragile. Some even worried right-wing media could frame it as political indoctrination. Communications chief Yvonne Gilliand called the findings “too academic,” while energy expert Romain Sacchi (from the Paul Scherrer Institute) and representatives from the Touring Club Switzerland strongly supported the report’s conclusions.

    GLP National Councillor Jürg Grossen and Martin Winder of the Swiss Transport Club criticized the suppression of climate-relevant data. Although Albert Rösti, the SVP minister in charge, wasn’t directly involved in the decision, the incident sparked concern about political interference and a lack of transparency.

    Eventually, under legal pressure from the media outlet Republik and the WAV collective, the study was released—but the episode highlights an alarming case of bureaucratic self-censorship in the face of public debate.

  3. is it what everyone knew already: that e-cars arent saving anyone‘s a**es?

  4. Withholding is a bit of a strong word, when the article says this:

    »Die Antwort kam im Herbst 2024 und fiel eindeutig aus: Ein Elektroauto zu kaufen, lohne sich aus klima­politischer Sicht praktisch immer. Die Studie, die der Republik vorliegt, stellt fest: Bei über 90 Prozent der sich aktuell im Verkehr befindenden Benzin- oder Dieselautos würde der sofortige Ersatz durch ein neues, gleich grosses E-Auto CO₂-Einsparungen ergeben – ausser man fährt das Auto fast nie.«

    And the study is even linked:
    [Kaufentscheid: Wann es sich lohnt, auf ein Elektroauto umzusteigen](https://cdn.repub.ch/s3/republik-assets/repos/republik/article-behoerdliche-selbstzensur/files/065a622d-1ce5-481c-b4c4-9727d01f2329/ech_schlussbericht_infras_stand-januar-2025_de.pdf)

    Suppressing the results would be a more fitting title.

  5. didnt know this, thats disgusting. if a study is paid for by the public with tax money then it should be published, full stop

  6. Cherry picking facts in the most innovative country in the world, sounds like a good joke

  7. Not a problem to me, the government can have a political preference and act like that.

  8. They will never tell the truth. My theory is that it wasn’t published because of the Nationalstrassen Vote. BFE and ARE are religioiusly against cars – period. No matter what form. It is as simple as that.

    Just like they released the External Cost (aNd uSe) report before they finished the part about noise emissions. All without the chief of that department.

  9. Bandana Republik Switzerland. No Sunglasses on the politicians nose, but suits.

  10. Well they like to do that. They did the same with horriable french curriculum. That created castrophic french niveaus.

  11. Van Der Layen is the new mafia boss of the European continent.
    She is the dirtiest after Berlusconi…

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