Pope Francis has been criticised by his detractors and labelled as ‘the woke Pope’ due to his relatively progressive views, and that image is arguably being cemented with the debut of the new electric Popemobile.
No stranger to the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen as the papal vehicle of choice, Pope Francis’ latest vehicle is the G580 with EQ Technology – more commonly known as the electric G-Wagen.
Mercedes-Benz supplied its first vehicles to the Vatican in 1930, and the G-Wagon has been the Popemobile of choice for 45 years, at least within the confines of the sovereign country.
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The new electric Popemobile was delivered to Pope Francis by Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius in time for the 2025 Jubilee celebration.
Though it’s based on the electric G-Wagen which debuted earlier this year, significant modifications have been made not only to accommodate the Pope but to ensure his ride is a safe one.
This includes changes to its electric drivetrain, which Mercedes-Benz says “was adapted to the particularly low speeds required for public appearances”. It’s not clear if this means the electric G-Wagen’s 432kW/1164Nm outputs and 4.7-second 0-100km/h time have been altered.
As to be expected from a Popemobile, the G-Wagen’s rear seat and roof (past the B-pillar) were removed, with a single swivelling seat allowing the Holy Father “to move around flexibly and address an audience from different angles”. There are two additional rear seats for extra passengers.
A removable hardtop not only provides protection from the elements but also an added layer of safety for the Catholic Church’s highest-standing member.
The enlarged B-pillar also includes the official seal of the Holy See, just in case it wasn’t clear who the car belongs to.
To complement the Pearl White exterior paint, the interior is upholstered in white leather with red carpet and floor mats.
Mercedes-Benz hasn’t detailed how much the Popemobile conversion cost, but it’s likely the Vatican didn’t have to dig too deeply into its tithe collections.
