Volkswagen To Electrify Vatican City Fleet With ID. Family Of EVs

German automaker Volkswagen has inked a partnership with the Vatican City State to replace its current fleet with electric cars. Volkswagen will deliver nearly 40 electric vehicles to the Vatican, home of the Pope, from its ID. family that currently consists of the ID.3, ID.4 and ID.5, which will help the city achieve its target of sustainable mobility. 

The first two electric vehicles, Volkswagen ID.3 Pro Performance models were handed to the Vatican by Imelda Labbé, Member of the Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and After-Sales at Volkswagen Passenger Cars, and Dr. Christian Dahlheim, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Financial Services AG. The remaining electric vehicles will be delivered starting in early 2024. 

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Speaking during the vehicle handover ceremony in the Vatican, Imelda Labbé said, "The electrification of fleets is becoming increasingly important across the globe. The fact that Vatican employees will now also be among our ID. drivers in the future is a great target and honour for our brand and underscores the attractiveness of our all-electric ID. models. 

Dr. Christian Dahlheim added, "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."

The transition is part of the Vatican’s “Ecological Conversion 2030,” a long-term project to cut down emissions from the state’s fleet. As part of the decarbonisation strategy, the Vatican will gradually transition from existing cars to all-electric ones by 2030. Through Volkswagen Financial Services, the automaker plans to accelerate this plan with a fleet of EVs. The financial details of the partnership have not been released by either party. 

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Pope Francis has been rather vocal about climate change and its effect on the planet and mankind. He first acknowledged the effects and impacts of “human-caused climate change” in 2015. He will be the first Pope to address a UN climate conference when he attends the upcoming COP28 meeting in Dubai later this month. 

The Volkswagen ID.3 is the brand’s most accessible electric offering in the ID. family. The electric hatchback gets 45 kWh, 58 kWh and 77 kWh battery pack options. Meanwhile, the Volkswagen ID.4 electric SUV has battery options ranging between 55 kWh and 82 kWh. Lastly, the new Volkswagen ID.5 is offered internationally with 77 kWh and 82 kWh battery packs. Interestingly, the VW ID.4 is under consideration for the Indian market and is expected to arrive sometime next year.