Al papa Francisco It will be remembered for the transformation it led within the Catholic Church. But also for being the Pope who had a connection with the automobile world: to receive a Lamborghini to electrify the Vatican fleet.
It is clear that this relationship was not because of a fan of the motor world by Jorge Bergoglio and more for a use of companies to get an advertising revenue. Anyway, Francisco knew how to exploit them in favor of the Church.
In this way, he sent to auction for beneficial purposes A Lamborghini Huracán which was delivered to him in 2017 and also sent two motorcycles Harley Davidson.
But the Argentine Pope was also the one that initiated the transformation of the official Vatican fleet to be 100% electric, from 2030, with different agreements with different manufacturers.
In fact, the last transfer in public on board a vehicle was carried out on Easter Sunday, at hours of his death, He did it aboard a Mercedes-Benz Electric. And he had not been the first of this type, he even received a Toyota Mirai a few years ago, moved by hydrogen.
Accustomed to traveling in subway in his time of archbishop of the city of Buenos Aires, Jorge Bergoglio does not show the ostentation since he was anointed as Pope in March 2013. In the 12 years he was in the Vatican, Francisco has been given many vehicles, of the most varied, which were always destined for charity.
Thus, by mandate of Pope Francis, a Lamborghini Huracan was auctioned, that the brand itself gave him in 2017, whose collection was destined to the help of the Catholic communities in Iraq.
Two Harley Davidson also went to auction: one that had been presented to Benedict XVI and was sold by order of Francisco, and another they gave the Argentine and put his signature in the fuel tank.
Meanwhile, he got used to seeing the Pope move in more earthly cars, such as a Ford Focus, a Fiat 500 or a Dacia Duster. And in the range of Papamóviles that prepared him in different tours of the world, they included – among others – a Ford Bronco, a Toyota Mirai, in Japan; an Isuzu D-Max, in Portugal; a Ford Ranger, in Panama; a RAM 2500, in Mexico; a Jeep Wrangler, in Chile; a Peugeot Hoggar, in Cuba; or a Toyota Land Cruiser, in Bolivia.
In 2023 the Vatican accelerated its renewal of vehicle fleet in order to be completely electric In 2030. The Plan also contemplated implementing a load network throughout its territory and the surroundings, as announced by the Government of the religious State.
To achieve that goal, the Vatican signed a according to the German automobile group Volkswagen To renew its car park with Volkswagen and Skoda brand vehicles through medium and long -term rental systems.
The first step of the new strategy materialized with the delivery of units of the models ID.3 and ID.4, whose ceremony even the Pope Francis was attended.
The first copies announced are the Pro Performance versions, which have a 58 kWh battery and a 207 hp rear motor. The autonomy is approximately 430 km for ID.3 and 530 km for ID.4 and ID.5 (these two carry a larger 77 kWh battery).
The Plan aims to progressively replace state -owned vehicles with electric vehicles, implement an own load network in the territory of the Vatican State and in extraterritorial areas of the city of Rome and expand its use to employees.
It also undertakes to ensure that food stations feed comes exclusively from renewable sources.
“The state of the city of the Vatican has been committed for many years to promote sustainable development through ecological policies to safeguard the environment and provide energy savings strategies,” he justified in a statement in a statement.