Pope Francis Gets Toyota Mirai Popemobile
Starting this month, Pope Francis will use a hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai as his official popemobile. As the patriarch of the Catholic Church, Francis travels thousands of miles every year to spread the faith, and he’ll now spend many of those riding the Toyota Mirai popemobile.
The Mirai is a futuristic fuel cell vehicle for a faith whose belief system is still stuck decades in the past. Launched in 2014 and powered by hydrogen, it emits nothing but water vapor. It can go 312 miles on a single charge and can be filled up in just five minutes.
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This particular Mirai has received the appropriate modifications to enable the Pope to go about his duties, such as waving to thousands of followers as his chauffeur takes him to and from the Vatican. The car is 5.1 meters long, 2.7 meters tall, and is equipped with railings that make it easier for the Pope to stand in the car while being visible to onlookers.
The Toyota Mirai popemobile also features a seat for when Francis needs a bit of rest, glass panes encasing the entire area, and light bars to better illuminate the luminary. It’s not clear whether the glass is bulletproof, a practice employed by former Pope Benedict XVI. In the past, Francis had ridden in open air, stating, “At my age, I don’t have much to lose.”
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As backward as Catholicism can be, Francis has shown himself to be more forward-thinking than his predecessors on the subject of climate change. In his 2015 encyclical Laudato si’, the Pope put the spotlight on human-driven climate change, condemning environmental exploitation in the name of profit.
Last November, Francis had ridden in a Mirai during a visit to Japan, and presumably fell in love with the eco-friendly, hydrogen-powered car on the spot. Toyota and the Japanese government were subsequently in attendance at a Vatican ceremony to supply Francis with a pair of Mirais for his popely needs. If it encourages a few people to trade in their gas guzzler for one, it seems worth it.
Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.