The Pope is going “green” Pope Benedict XVI has been dubbed the “Green Pope” for his support of environmental initiatives. The most recent sustainable practice Pope Benedict is implementing is switching to a hybrid Popemobile. The new Popemobile will be able to run for 18.5 miles solely on battery power.

Just because the Pope is going “green” doesn’t mean he’s going to be out of style, quiet contrary, Benedict XVI will be cruising around in a modified Mercedes’ M class. Originally the pope requested an all-electric car, but due to security reasons, the car had to be a hybrid so that in the case of an emergency it could run faster off fuel. The car will run off of a lithium battery which can be charged in an hour and run for 18.5 miles, and has a 60 horsepower hybrid engine.

As well as being “green” the new Popemobile will most certainly be built with tank-like security to ensure the safety of the Pope. In 1981, Mehmet Ali Agca, attempted to assassinate Pope John Paul II, and thus the Popemobile’s design was permanently altered to include a surrounding box of bulletproof glass.  The Popemobile was first introduced in 1980 so John Paul II could see large groups of people up close after the old method of being courted on a chair (sedia gestatoria) carried by papal attendants was scrapped.

Mercedes is not commenting on it’s divine hybrid commission. Speculators are expecting to see the new Popemobile first revealed during, or before Pope Benedict’s trip to Germany in September but only time will tell.

Aside from the hybrid, another of Pope Benedict XVI’s environmental initiatives is to convert 20% of the Vatican’s power to renewable energy by 2020.  Back in 2008 solar panels were installed over the Paul VI Auditorium.

Sources:

http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/Vatican.php?id=3444

http://inhabitat.com/pope-benedict-xvi-gets-a-m-class-mercedes-hybrid-popemobile/

http://news.discovery.com/autos/vatican-says-hybrid-popemobile-on-way-110621.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/21/mercedes-hybrid-popemobile_n_881644.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/8589394/Popemobile-to-go-green.html

Images:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/8589394/Popemobile-to-go-green.html

http://the-ostrich.blogspot.com/2008_04_01_archive.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1311980/POPE-VISIT-Holy-Merc-transport-Benedict-XVI-UK.html

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1. Understanding « Cepher Blog says:

   August 14, 2011 at 8:48 pm

   [...] the dictionary for every other word in the sentence. With that in mind let’s have a look at THIS. What is wrong with that picture? A religious leader riding inside of a half a million dollar bomb [...]

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