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.