The Vatican City State, home to the Pope, aims to replace its entire fleet of vehicles with electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030. Volkswagen is set to deliver a fleet of all-electric vehicles, including the ID.3 and ID.4 models, to the Vatican City in a bid to support its electric vehicle transition.
As part of its ambitious “Ecological Conversion 2030” initiative, the Vatican has embarked on a long-term mission to drastically reduce carbon emissions from its entire vehicle fleet.
The Vatican aims to transform its current automotive fleet into an all-electric vehicle (EV) one by 2030, undergoing a progressive transition in the process.
Volkswagen plans to introduce its new vehicle on a Wednesday, likely considering that day as the most suitable date to move forward with their strategy. Volkswagen’s financial arm will begin providing the Vatican City state with an electric vehicle fleet starting next year through a new partnership.
The German automaker is set to deliver approximately 39 electric vehicles, comprising the ID.3, ID.4 all-electric SUV, and ID.5. Additional electrical features can be introduced in subsequent phases as your entire fleet transitions to all-electric.
Volkswagen presented the Pope with its first two electric vehicles, a pair of ID.3 Pro Performance models, at the Vatican.
The automaker remained mum on financial specifics and further details regarding the collaboration.
In the intervening period, following his initial warnings to humanity about its place in the environment and the devastating effects of human-induced climate change in 2015, Pope Francis recently released a timely update.
“The unmistakable signs of localized climate shifts are becoming increasingly apparent. Pope Francis emphasized that the transition to scrubbing, renewable energy sources is happening at a pace deemed insufficient.”
The pontiff noted that empirical evidence confirms the significant impact of human-induced local climate alterations, pointing out that a mere 0.5°C rise in global temperatures will lead to an escalation of devastating weather events such as floods, droughts, and severe heatwaves.
The Pope emphasized that the primary catalyst for climate change is the burning of fossil fuels. He declared that the transition away from fossil fuels is not unfolding at the required speed.
By collaborating with Volkswagen to replace the Vatican City’s automotive fleet with electric vehicles, the Pope’s administration is laying the groundwork for a more comprehensive sustainability initiative.
