Climate neutral driving

Why do we offer climate neutral driving?

As with climate neutral flights, a fundamental question arises when it comes to climate neutral driving. If driving harms the climate, should we even offer to make your car trips climate neutral?

The transport sector is a big problem child in climate action. The emissions in this area are basically just as high today as they were in 1990. The exhaust gases from cars make up around 20% of the total carbon emissions in Europe. Approx. 95% of this comes from road traffic, i.e. from cars and trucks.

It should also be taken into account that the engines have naturally become more and more efficient over the past 30 years. We drive a lot of heavy, high-consumption cars these days and we drive a lot more than we did in 1990. 

It is evident: the carbon offsetting of car emissions does not solve the global climate crisis. However, we have to recognize that both an extensive decline of car driving and a quick and complete switch to supposedly climate neutral fuels such as electric cars (with their own environmental problems and pitfalls) are illusory.

Against this background, we offer you a transparent carbon offset solution for your car emissions. And this despite our fundamental reservations about the harmful effects of car journeys on the climate.

It should be emphasized: carbon offsetting is necessary as the second-best solution until the best solution (climate neutral individual transport) does not yet exist. It is up to each and every one of us to examine all alternatives to driving a car.

Why do we offer standardized products with flat rates?

Standardized flat-rate products for climate neutral driving are admittedly always a simplifying approach, since e.g. no distinction is made between a light Smart and a heavy SUV.

But here, too, the same applies as with climate neutral flying: we are not concerned with the supposed accuracy of calculated emission figures (which often differ greatly with different digital calculators for car emissions), but with the individual's commitment to climate action as such.

Our experience also shows that many people are afraid of the often extensive entries for carbon calculators. Often, these calculators ask for

• the car brand
• the year of construction
• the exact designation of the model
• the average fuel consumption per 100 km
• the average number of people traveling in the car
• etc.

This information is helpful for the detailed calculation of emissions. However, many of us get discouraged by the flood of questions and are often unsure of the answers. As a result, in the end it is often preferred not to show any commitment to climate action. We want to prevent this with our flat-rate offerings.

What are our basic assumptions?

The basic assumptions of our two package products "Gasoline" and "Diesel" are based on conservative emission figures (including upstream chains). The Federal Environment Agency of Germany provides average emission values ​​for various energy sources - this is what our calculation of car emissions for gasoline and diesel vehicles is based on.

What about hybrid and electric vehicles?

We deliberately avoid an offer for the carbon compensation for hybrid and e-vehicles. The various studies on carbon emissions of these vehicles have so far produced very different results and, in our view, do not allow reliable emission levels per km driven at this stage. Should this change over time, we may also integrate hybrid and e-vehicles into our carbon offset offering.

This is how carbon offsetting works.