Mercedes-Benz, maker of the popemobiles used since 1930, gave an electric model to Pope Francis this week ahead of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee.
The pope’s new ride is a white G-Class convertible.
“Compared to the original vehicle, many things changed in terms of the base, so the starting point was different,” Peter Zotter, a development engineer at the Mercedes-Benz factory in Graz, Austria, told Vatican News.
The previous popemobiles had internal combustion engines.
Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius told Vatican News that designing the car was “a great honor for us, paying attention to all the Holy Father’s needs.”
The Jubilee is a holy year involving reconciliation, pilgrimages to holy sites and prayer, the Vatican explains on the 2025 Jubilee website.
The upcoming Jubilee will end on Jan. 6, 2026.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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