There will be electricity in the air—and in the Popemobile—when His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, visits Germany next September. The Vatican has reportedly confirmed that he will be using a new “holy roller”—most likely, a Mercedes-Benz M-Class plug-in hybrid.
With its massive amount of armor plating, bullet-proof glass and other modifications, the Popemobile, much like President Barack Obama's famous
Cadillac limousine – aka
The Beast – is, like its occupant, larger than life. In fact, it's so massive that the Vatican questioned whether a pure electric power train could provide enough velocity to get His Holiness out of trouble in an emergency situation.
For now, details on the plug-in hybrid
Popemobile are scarce, as neither the Vatican nor Mercedes-Benz is willing to release info on the vehicle for security reasons. However, according to a report by business magazine
Wirtschaftswoche, the plug-in M-Class will have 18.5 miles of electric-only range; probably enough for His Holiness to journey down the road during official engagements without burning through a drop of gas.
It was never considered, according to the report, to resort to an entirely battery-powered car since security threats require the Pope to always have the option of a quick getaway. The car reportedly runs on a lithium-ion battery and a 60-horsepower hybrid engine. It can be recharged in one hour.
Mercedes has been providing vehicles for the Vatican for eight decades. The iconic Popemobile was first used in the 1980s, when Pope John Paul II asked for a vehicle that would let him have closer contact to people during his overseas visits.
September's four-day visit is Benedict's first official state visit to his native Germany since ascending to the papacy in 2005, though he has visited privately several times.
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Cheryl Kaften is an accomplished communicator who has written for consumer and corporate audiences. She has worked extensively for MasterCard (News - Alert) Worldwide, Philip Morris USA (Altria), and KPMG, and has consulted for Estee Lauder and the Philadelphia Inquirer Newspapers. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Jamie Epstein
