Pope Leo XIV has received two new electric vehicles as the Pontiff follows on from his predecessor in using cleaner transportation.
At a private meeting on July 3, Pope Leo XIV personally took delivery of two "unique" electric vehicles from the Exelentia team.
Exelentia was founded by Domenico and Giovanni Zappia in collaboration with the Club Car Group, and met with the Pope at the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo.
The two electric vehicles are based on an electric model produced by Garia and come "handcrafted with meticulous technical and artisanal work".
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|Pope Leo XIV arrives by electric car in Piazza della Libertà in Castel Gandolfo to celebrate a Mass in the St. Thomas of Villanova church
The vehicles do not produce any environmental or noise emissions and have the highest safety standards.
They are for the private use of His Holiness, particularly during his papal journeys around the world.
When the Pope travels, the vehicles can be transported safely and conveniently without needing to be taken apart.
Engineers at Exelentia designed the vehicles to be suitable for manoeuvrability and agility when navigating between tight crowds.
READ MORE: Pope Francis granted 'wish' by Mercedes with electric Popemobile just months before his death
VATICAN CITY STATE
|The Exelentia team met with Pope Leo XIV to personally deliver the electric vehicles
The Gendarmerie at the Vatican requested the project and validated each step of the development of the vehicles, with the engineering team meeting with the Pope earlier this month.
In December, 20 fast charging points were installed in the Petriano parking lot inside the Vatican on 10 charging columns, in addition to two ultra-fast chargers on another column.
This is part of the Vatican's Ecological Conversion 2035 programme which aims to reduce its carbon emissions to zero.
The Vatican stated that there is a possibility that the chargers could be used by employees of the Governorate and the Holy See.
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VATICAN CITY STATE
|20 new electric vehicle chargers have been installed in the Vatican
This is not the first time the Vatican and the Holy See have made efforts to decarbonise through the use of electric vehicles.
Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 in April, was supplied with a new electric Popemobile in 2024 from Mercedes-Benz.
The German brand has been supplying cars to the Vatican for 94 years, with the popular G-Class being the design standard for the Popemobile since 1980.
Commenting on the delivery of the electric Popemobile, Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing design, said the brand produces the perfect Mercedes for every customer, including the Pope.
MERCEDES-BENZ | Pope Francis met with Mercedes chairman Ola Källenius outside St Peter's BasilicaShe added: "We are overjoyed to be able to fulfil the Holy Father's wish for an electric Popemobile and are particularly proud to be able to build the vehicle according to his requirements.
"This cooperation at eye level honours us deeply and is a valuable symbol of sustainable change together."
The 2024 model was developed "in close cooperation" with the Vatican as the first electric vehicle developed for the Pontiff.
Chairman of Mercedes-Benz, Ola Källenius, said: "This is a special honour for our company, and I would like to thank His Holiness for his trust. With this Popemobile, we are also sending out a clear call for electromobility and decarbonisation."