Friday, 10 November 2017

Vespa’s first electric scooter is coming in 2018 with 62 miles of range arrested

Three-wheel MP3 gets a bigger, more powerful engine and a boost in performance

Vespa Elettrica studio front 3/4 view

Both plug-in and hybrid versions of the Vespa Elettrica complement this commuter’s compact, lightweight personality. The silver paint outlined in—what else?—electric blue distinguishes the eco-friendly propulsion from a great distance.

Courtesy of Piaggio

Vespa, the icon of the Piaggio Group, provided one of the biggest surprises this year at the EICMA show in Milan. First seen last year in concept form, the Elettrica has now reached production. This is a well-thought-out two-wheel project, conceived to meet the expectations of those who are seeking a state-of-the-art “green” urban commuter in the form of a compact, stylish, and rational scooter.

Based on the lightweight Primavera, the Elettrica has an electric motor that delivers 2 kilowatts for a range of 62 miles. On demand, peak power reaches 4 kilowatts. A full recharge from a household socket requires four hours. For those who suffer from recharging anxiety, a sequential-hybrid edition is available with a small four-stroke engine that doesn’t provide propulsion but instead drives a generator to keep the lithium-ion batteries charged and extends range to 126 miles.

eicma motorcycle show

EICMA Motorcycle Show 2017

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The Elettrica will be built at Piaggio’s Pontedera facilities beginning later this year. The rest of the company’s line of scooters receives only new graphics and finishing updates. Only the MP3 three-wheeler has undergone a significant upgrade, with Piaggio’s four-valve 350cc single replacing the much-milder previous 300cc package and producing more than 30 hp. The MP3 also comes in a revised 41-hp 500cc edition in both Business and Sport packages.

Check out the rest of our coverage of all the new motorcycles released at EICMA this year

Piaggio MP3 350 studio front 3/4 view

Piaggio MP3 350

Courtesy of Piaggio

Piaggio MP3 500 Sport front 3/4 view

Piaggio MP3 500 Sport

Courtesy of Piaggio

Vespa

Last year, Vespa announced that it was working on an electric scooter and today it has released some specs and an approximate availability date. The Vespa Elettrica is a silent, fully electric scooter with acceleration capabilities in line with those of traditional scooters, according to Vespa. It has a 62-mile range and can be fully charged in just four hours through a normal wall-mounted electrical outlet. The battery will reportedly last around 10 years, but will drop to 80 percent capacity after 1,000 charge cycles or so. The Elettrica comes in a chrome grey color, but buyers can choose between seven color options for the decorative trim.

Along with the Elettrica, Vespa is also releasing a hybrid version -- the Elettrica X -- which can be driven twice as far as the fully electric version on a single charge. The scooters are set to be available for sale sometime in 2018, but the exact date and pricing haven't been announced just yet.

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