Finally, the Pope is going electric, and the latest popemobile is a customised version of the Mercedes G580 electric. It features an open seating area for Pope Francis, a height-adjustable swivel chair, and a removable roof to protect him.
Mercedes has a long history of providing transportation for the Pope. Because the Pope’s duties involve a lot of teamwork, the Bishop of Rome has long been accustomed to travelling in a vehicle that allows him to interact with his audience and bless them. This vehicle has a large glass chamber in the back and a high roof designed to protect those inside from the weather, if not from terrorist attacks.
As usual, the car is bright white and has a removable cover that covers the front and top of the Pope’s seat to protect it from the elements, but the two side sections are exposed, in a nice gesture of the Pope’s openness to his followers, knowing that the great pontiff will be sitting in a large white chair that allows him to wave his hand at a 360-degree angle.
In keeping with his desire for a clean and environmentally friendly mobility, Pope’s car has an all-electric drive system. Although its environmental footprint depends on the source of electricity it uses, whether burning combustible materials or extracting electricity from a sustainable source, it certainly does not harm the environment in the place where it travels.
The first all-electric Mercedes dedicated to the Pope will also be quieter than any Mercedes G-Class powered by an internal combustion engine.
Mercedes says the powertrain has been specially tuned for driving at low speeds, which suits the Pope.
Still, the German manufacturer did not provide further details about the changes made to the powertrain. Since the pope’s chauffeur will have access to 579 horsepower, which is more than you’d need when the leading passenger is sitting in a swivel chair without seatbelts, it’s safe to say Mercedes has tuned the car for low-speed driving. The G 580 also comes with a 116 kWh battery. Given the low speeds, I’d expect the pope’s hands to tyre out long before his car. With a 10- to 80-percent charge time of just 32 minutes, the electric vehicle should be able to resume the journey quickly when its battery runs out.
