From the Costa del Sol to the Vatican. The surprising Spanish company building the Popemobile

When Pope Leo XIV steps into Madrid’s massive Santiago Bernabeu stadium next week, he won’t be in a traditional armoured SUV. Instead, the Pontiff will be riding in a highly customized, ultra-secure electric golf buggy, engineered by Green Mowers, a sports turf and light electric vehicle company with roots right here on the Costa del Sol.

One of the most extraordinary commissions in Spanish automotive history has been fulfilled by the firm, which operates a key local office in Estepona. Green Mowers received the surprise order from the Holy See during the very year it celebrates its 25th anniversary, a double cause for celebration that the company describes as “both a gift and a privilege”. While their head office is in Burgos, the company’s presence in Estepona, Ayamonte, Barcelona, and Alicante has established them as a leading reference in their sector across Spain and Portugal, supported by a dedicated workforce of around 60 people.

An electric golf buggy fit for The Pope

Pope Leo XIV will use this specially adapted electric golf buggy during his tour of the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on June 8, as part of a major diocesan community gathering taking place in Madrid. While it may resemble an ordinary golf cart at first glance, every detail has been engineered with papal security and dignity in mind.

Finished in off-white with dark beige leather seating and the pontifical coat of arms embossed on the bodywork, the vehicle features a lithium battery, electromagnetic braking, and advanced turf technology designed to handle different stadium surfaces safely. Green Mowers worked closely with their regular supplier, E-Z-GO of Augusta, USA, on the build. While the buggy can reach standard golf vehicle speeds, it will be up to the Holy See to determine how fast the pontiff actually travels during the Bernabeu event.

To allow the Pope to greet the crowds, he will stand on an open rear platform reinforced with a galvanized steel anti-slip structure, complete with a supportive backrest added for stability throughout the journey. Discrete weather protection measures have also been built into the design.

A commission that arrived out of the blue

Commercial director Alberto Ruiz is reported to have said that when the commission arrived, roughly a month ago, through a contact connected to the event, the team felt a distinct degree of vertigo at the sheer responsibility involved. From that moment, however, technicians and mechanics got to work “from minute zero” on the design, with final delivery scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday this week.

Green Mowers’ vehicle is actually one of three specially built popemobiles for this highly anticipated papal visit to Spain. A second, larger vehicle will arrive directly from Rome for use in Barcelona, while a third is currently being developed in Tenerife based on plans provided by the Vatican.

A Papal secret hidden in plain sight

Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Spain runs from June 6 to 12, taking in Madrid, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, and Tenerife.

But perhaps the most fascinating part of the story happens after the crowds leave. Once the historic visit concludes, the buggy will quietly return to the company’s facilities in Burgos. There, it will be stripped of its papal modifications, converted back into a standard golf vehicle, and put up for sale. It will re-enter the normal commercial sales line, meaning its next owner, likely a local golf course or resort, will almost certainly never know that their everyday ride was once the official transport of Pope Leo XIV.