Pope Francis receives first electric ‘Popemobile’

For more than 45 years, the Pope has been driven around St Peters Square for special events in specially modified Mercedes-Benz G-Class vehicles, known as ‘Popemobiles.’ 

Now, Mercedes-Benz’s Popemobile is going all-electric. 

Mercedes-Benz chief executive Ola Källenius and some team members recently presented Pope Francis with a newly customised vehicle based on the new electric G-Class in the Vatican.

This means the Pope will travel emission-free in a Mercedes-Benz in time for the 2025 Jubilee, which occurs every 25 years. Millions of pilgrims are expected to visit Rome. 

The vehicle was developed in close cooperation with the Vatican, specifically for the Pope’s use. Its electric drivetrain, adapted to the particularly low speeds required for public appearances, contributes to the realisation of the encyclical Laudato Si, in which Pope Francis describes the need for sustainable development.

Källenius thanked Pope Francis and all those involved and emphasised the sustainable business strategy of Mercedes-Benz.

“With the new Popemobile, Pope Francis is the first to travel in a fully electric Mercedes-Benz when making public appearances. This is a special honour for our company, and I would like to thank His Holiness for his trust,” Källenius says. 

“With this Popemobile, we also send out a clear call for electromobility and decarbonisation,” he says. 

Källenius was accompanied to the appointment outside St Peter’s Basilica by Britta Seeger, the head of marketing, and Marc Langenbrinck, the chief executive of Mercedes-Benz Italia. 

But the Holy Father also met with those who developed and built his new vehicle. 

Employees from design, research and development, manufacturing, sales and marketing were invited to the event and could hand over the car on behalf of many others involved. 

A team of specialists from Graz, Sindelfingen, and Rome worked together for about a year on the electric Popemobile. 

The Rome team managed the project, while the Graz team adapted the electric drivetrain. Sindelfingen experts used traditional craftsmanship to produce the bodywork, interior fittings, and customised equipment.

The new G580’s electric drivetrain, which uses EQ technology, was adapted to fully exploit the advantages of the four near-wheel motors for the special purpose of slow journeys during public appearances.

The bench seat in the rear was replaced by a single, centrally positioned, height-adjustable seat. This swivelling main seat allows for flexible movement and the ability to address an audience from different angles.

Behind the single-seat, two seats have been integrated on the left and right for additional passengers.

The roof was removed at the B-pillar and harmoniously transitioned into the side wall to create an unmistakable side profile. A separate hardtop protects the occupants in case of rain or bad weather conditions. 

The specialists removed and rebuilt the left rear door – in traditional coachbuilding style – from a single piece and seamlessly welded into the bodyshell. On the right-hand side,

the hinges of the rear door were relocated to the opposite side. Like the previous Popemobiles, the vehicle is painted in classic pearl white.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles for the Vatican

Mercedes-Benz has been manufacturing vehicles for the head of the Catholic Church, who has travelled and made public appearances for almost 100 years. 

The first vehicle was a Nürburg 460 Pullman Saloon for Pope Pius XI in 1930. In the 1960s, John XXIII received a 300 Landaulet with an automatic transmission and extended wheelbase. 

His successor, Paul VI, initially used a 600 Pullman Landaulet and later a 300 SEL, also a Landaulet. 

In the 1980s, John Paul II used the first vehicle officially called the Popemobile for events in St Peter’s Square: a modified 460 series G model. From 2002, he used a 463 series G 500, which his successors Benedict XVI and Francis also used. 

Specially designed cars based on the Mercedes-Benz M-Class and the GLE were sometimes used. After they retired from service, some Popemobiles were placed for viewing in the Vatican and the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart.