The movement in favor of electric vehicles has included a growing number of celebrities opting to drive them, including Prince Harry and Jaden Smith. The latest high-profile public figure to opt for an electric vehicle might not be as likely to do an interview with Oprah Winfrey or promote a new movie or album, but they remain hugely influential. That’s right: Pope Francis is going electric.
No, not in the Bob Dylan sense of the phrase. (Though Pope Francis has done that as well, in a manner of speaking.) A new article by Rachel Cormack at Robb Report notes that the next Popemobile will be electric.
This isn’t hugely surprising, as Pope Francis has long spoken out about the dangers of climate change. As for the company behind the new Popemobile, Cormack notes that Fisker will be handling the creation of the vehicle. On Thursday, Fisker co-founders Henrik Fisker and Dr. Geeta Gupta-Fisker met with Pope Francis and got the go-ahead to proceed with the project.
That the vehicle will be electric is but one of the environmentally-friendly aspects of its design. “The interior of the Fisker Ocean papal transport will contain a variety of sustainable materials, including carpets made from recycled plastic bottles from the ocean,” Fisker said in a statement.
As Fisker’s comments suggest, the new Popemobile will be based on the Fisker Ocean, albeit with some custom features. It’s a big deal for the automaker and for the world of electric vehicles both.
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