Feb 17, 2016; Ciudad Juarez, MEXICO; Pope Francis rides in his Popemobile in Ciudad Juarez.
© El Paso Times-Imagn Images
(Vatican City) – Here comes the pope, and he’s got a new ride! The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis now has a new all-electric popemobile. It was presented to the pontiff on Wednesday, December 4, at the Vatican. Mercedes-Benz CEO Sten Ola Källenius was on hand for the event, as the German automaker has been supplying the pope with a custom vehicle for almost a cnetury.
Källenius argues the pope’s use of the all-electric popemobile is part of an effort aimed at protecting the environment. He calls the move a “clear call” for electro-mobility and decarbonization. A team of specialists worked on the popemobile for over a year, handcrafting it, as it’s based on a new G580 model.
The first-ever popemobile was presented by Mercedes-Benz in 1930. It was a Nurburg 460 Pullman given to Pope Pius XI. The luxurious vehicle had silk carpeting and embossed doves inside as decoration.
