Vatican plans to gradually replace car fleet with electric vehicles in deal with VW

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — The Vatican has signed an agreement with Volkswagen to gradually replace its auto fleet with electric vehicles. The announcement Wednesday does not give any details on the value of the deal or set a timetable for completing the switch to electric vehicles. The partnership falls under the Vatican’s “Ecological Conversion 2030” plan, which aims to pursue sustainable, carbon-neutral projects and technologies in the 109-acre city state in the center of Rome. Pope Francis has made caring for the planet a hallmark of his papacy. He will become the first pope to address a U.N. climate conference when he attends the upcoming COP28 meeting in Dubai. Before Francis, Pope Benedict XVI also pursued sustainability initiatives in Vatican City, which included the installation of solar panels.