Mercedes-Benz gives Pope Francis the first electric Popemobile

As Mercedes points out, the automaker has a long history supplying cars to the Vatican, starting with a Nürburg 460 Pullman sedan for Pope Pius XI in 1930. The term Popemobile was coined for a series of modified G-Class SUVs, starting with a 460-series model first used by John Paul II in the 1980s and also used by his successors Benedict XVI and Francis, with elevated seating platforms and armored glass enclosures for the pontiff.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class electric Popemobile

That makes the electric G-Class’s designation as the first electric Popemobile historically apt, but it’s also the result of Fisker’s failure to deliver a Popemobile based on its Ocean electric SUV, something the now-bankrupt automaker proposed in 2021.

Mercedes was also slated to supply an M-Class (predecessor to today’s GLE-Class) plug-in hybrid Popemobile for Benedict XVI in 2011. At the time, the Vatican felt electric cars were too slow for this role, but that likely won’t be a concern with the modern G-Class EV.

The lay version of the electric G-Wagen has a quad-motor powertrain producing 579 hp and 859 lb-ft of torque, which Mercedes estimates will get it from 0-62 mph in 4.7 seconds and up to a top speed of 112 mph. The quad motors also enable a G-Turn feature that initiates 360-degre turns on low-friction surfaces, but it’s unclear if the Pope will make use of that feature.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class electric Popemobile

The powertrain was retuned for low-speed driving during papal appearances, such as the 2025 Jubilee in Rome where the Popemobile will make its debut, according to Mercedes. The roof was also cut back to make room for an open seating area, with a cutout where the tailgate would normally be for ingress and egress. The left rear door was also removed, the right rear door given a reverse hinge to act as another entry point, and the vehicle was given a pearl white paint job with matching upholstery.

While it is the first electric Popemobile, the G-Class is not the first EV in the Vatican fleet. General Motors presented Pope Francis with an Opel Ampera-e (the European sibling of the Chevrolet Bolt EV) in 2017, and Benedict XVI received a pair of electric cars from Renault in 2012. But the Mercedes will be the first to be used in an official capacity for public appearances.