Pope Benedict XVI was ready to use an electric popemobile, which would be "a sign of his concern for ecology," said Giovanni Lajolo, the president of the Vatican City state governorate.

"If one proposed to him an electric popemobile that was efficient, safe and a reasonable size, what interest would he have in preferring a petrol popemobile?" said Lajolo during a presentation of a book on the Vatican's solar power generation.

Milan Nitzschke, the head of the company which installed the Vatican's solar panels, said discussions were underway over an electric vehicle.

"But the services in charge of the pope's security are a bit reluctant to modify a piece of equipment which they know," Nitzschke said.

The Italian media has dubbed Benedict the "green pope" for his strong emphasis on the defence of creation, and the well-being of humans and the environment.

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