As Catholics around the world turn their eyes to the Vatican before the celebration of the 2025 Jubilee begins on December 24, they’ll see Pope Francis in a brand new electric Popemobile.
The one-of-a-kind Mercedes-Benz will eventually be joined by many other EVs, as the Vatican plans to make all its vehicles emission-free by 2030. This is a logical next step after Pope Francis’ climate change encyclical Laudato Si’, published in 2015, and his follow up, Laudate Deum, both of which have made a theological case for climate action.
But the Vatican isn’t alone in going electric with its new fleet.
The United States Postal Service began the rollout of new mail delivery vehicles earlier this year, most of which are electric.