Pope Benedict XVI will have its electric car

According to the economic weekly WirtschaftsWoche, the electric car is being assembled "at the request of the Vatican" with the utmost discretion in Sindelfingen factory, according to sources cited by the aforementioned business magazine.

The next Popemobile belong to the new Mercedes M class, and will be the same as the previous white. The Holy Father will travel up to 30 miles without emitting any greenhouse gases, thanks to a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and a hybrid module.

Mercedes-Benz is the vehicle supplier of the Vatican for more than 80 years, and has made many cars for the Holy See.

Electric cars with lithium batteries do not emit CO2 or damage the environment if the electricity comes from renewable energy sources like wind power, solar energy photovoltaic and Concentrated Solar Power. Wind turbines can supply electricity to electric vehicles in the future and will also serve to store and regulate the electricity intermittent of wind energy sector with Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G).

www.vatican.va/phome_sp.htm