Popemobile to go green

Popemobile arriving at St Mary's Twickenham - pic ICN

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that they are building a special eco-friendly hybrid Popemobile for Benedict XVI.

The new vehicle will be based on the four-wheel-drive M Class Mercedes with a hybrid electric-gas motor. A rechargeable lithium-ion battery will allow it to drive 16 miles (30 kilometres) without emitting any polluting emissions.

The Vatican decided against a purely electric car because the Popemobile must have the capacity to take off swiftly in case of emergency,

Fr Federico Lombardi SJ, head of the Vatican Press Office said that while the project for the new car was under development, the vehicle would not be ready before the end of the year.

Pope Benedict has shown strong concern for the environment in his papacy. The roof of the Pope Paul VI Hall is covered in solar panels, generating sufficient electricity to supply all the heating, cooling and lighting needs of the building throughout the year. Officially placed into service on 26 November 2008, the roof was awarded a 2008 European Solar Prize in that year.

Source: Mercedes-Benz/ICN