Vatican all charged up! Volkswagen secures deal to update fleet with EVs

Volkswagen will replace the entire fleet of the Vatican City State with electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030 after the German car maker secured a crucial deal to help the Vatican transition towards electric mobility.

News agency Reuters reports that while no financial details of the deal have been revealed so far, Volkswagen will update the lineup of Vatican vehicles with ID.3 and ID.4 electric cars. The company, in a press statement, informed that these electric cars will help the Vatican move towards achieving its long-term goal of becoming carbon neutral and relying exclusively on renewable energy.

At present, the Vatican fleet consists of conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines or ICE. Most of these vehicles are in a shade of dark Blue with the team of expert drivers tasked with taking Vatican officials to various events in Rome and even beyond. “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," said Dr. Marcus Osegowitsch, CEO of Volkswagen Group Italia."

But what about charging infrastructure in the 108-acre sovereign city-state? The Volkswagen statement informs that the Vatican will install charging stations within its walls as well as in most - if not all - of its properties across Rome. Even Vatican employees would be permitted to make use of these charging stations in what is seen as an encouragement for them to switch to EVs.

But what about the Pope himeself? It is not clear whether he will be driven around in a Volkswagen ID.3 or ID.4 eventually. He, however, will surely make use of battery power for his mobility options in the times to come. Pope Francis at present is transported in either a Ford Focus or a Fiat 500. Both of these models are in their basic variants, a major departure from bulletproof limousines that transported his predecessors. The official ‘popemobile’ however is a Mercedes.

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