The popemobile is going fully electric with head-turning results.
Reuters reported on Pope Francis' sweet new ride, a custom Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUV with an open top and a heated, elevated seat.
Fittingly, the new popemobile comes in the traditional papal color of white. It includes a bar for the pope to hold when standing and waving to pilgrims in St. Peter's Square.
Mercedes-Benz CEO Sten Ola Kallenius told Reuters the "one-of-a-kind" modified midsize luxury SUV necessitated "hundreds of hours of craftsmanship."
The choice of an electric vehicle is far from a coincidence. EVs help the environment in ways that the pope has loudly declared are of vital importance to him. That includes reducing tailpipe pollution that heats the planet and lowering dependence on dirty energy sources.
Pope Francis' outspokenness on the damage to the planet dates back to at least 2015. At that time, he said the world was "beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth."
The pope has been unsparing on the biggest offenders of what he characterized in 2023 as a "terrible world war" on the environment.
"The unrestrained burning of fossil fuels and the destruction of forests are pushing temperatures higher and leading to massive droughts," Francis said. The message was directed at the feet of dirty energy companies, among others.
"Predatory industries are depleting and polluting our freshwater sources through extreme practices such as fracking for oil and gas extraction, unchecked megamining projects, and intensive animal farming," he added.
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The all-electric popemobile is just one of Francis' eco-friendly moves.
Reuters noted he's ridden in EVs in past overseas trips. Last year, Volkswagen and the Vatican announced plans to electrify their entire fleet by 2030. Earlier this year, Francis spearheaded efforts to commit to powering the Vatican with 100% solar power.
These moves are just a small part of any initiative to slow the dangerous warming of the planet and the onslaught of extreme weather events. Still, the pope undoubtedly exerts extra influence and should be commended for living up to his words.
As for the popemobile, it is not yet known when it will debut, its cost, or its safety features. What we do know for sure is that the vehicle will make waves when it debuts and possibly inspire visitors to look into an EV of their own.
"Every detail is perfection," Kallenius raved about the new popemobile.
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