HOLY MOTOR
Major car brand strikes deal with Vatican City to supply their entire fleet with EVs
These aren't the first swanky rides the Pope has been given
A MAJOR car brand has struck a deal with the Vatican to supply their entire fleet of EVs.
The Catholic Church is an ancient institution dating back millennia but is being launched headlong into the future as Pope Francis goes all-electric.
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It was announced yesterday that the Holy See had inked an agreement with VW.
The motors giant will supply the city's entire official fleet by 2030.
From then all officials, including the Vicar of Christ himself, will be able to whizz around in a selection of the brand's fully electrified models, including the ID.3 and ID.4.
The city-state has committed to reducing its carbon footprint under its Ecological Conversion 2030 plan.
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This includes the agreement with VW to steadily phase out the existing fleet, making it carbon-neutral by the end of the decade.
The brand will begin deliveries next year and ultimately supply around 40 electric cars.
To celebrate the announcement, a team from VW, presented a pair of ID.3 Pro Performance models to the Pope in person.
In a statement, the company said: "The Vatican City State is strongly committed to the implementation of innovative and sustainable solutions that make it possible to reduce, in concrete terms, the impact of human activities on the environment in order to protect the planet."
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The Bishop of Rome himself currently uses a Ford Focus from the existing car pool, as well as making public appearances in the world-famous Popemobile.
This is usually a converted SUV with a reinforced glass pod on the back where he can stand to receive the admiration of crowds.
However, His Holiness is not a stranger to some more upmarket rides.
In 2017, Italian supercar maker Lamborghini gifted him a Huracan, which he sold at auction for £630,000.
Though that's small change compared to his predecessor John Paul II's most expensive motor.
In 2005 the then-Pope was gifted the final Ferrari Enzo ever made, which he promptly sold to raise money for the victims of that year's devastating earthquake in the Pakistani part of Kashmir.
VW board member Imelda Labbe added: "The electrification of fleets is becoming increasingly important across the globe.
"The fact that Vatican employees will now also be among our ID. drivers in the future is a great target and honour for our brand and underscores the attractiveness of our all-electric ID. models."
And Dr Christian Dalheim, CEO of VW Financial Services, said: "We are delighted to support the Vatican in this important project.
"This is something very special for us and shows that we are absolutely competitive with our mobility solutions."
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It comes after Audi bid farewell to one of its most iconic models with a touching tribute video.
Meanwhile, The Sun exclusively reported that drivers were being left baffled by a monster roundabout with a record 48 sets of traffic lights.
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