Piaggio showcased its Vespa Elettrica at the Auto Expo 2018. The concept is a combination of retro Vespa styling and a modern electric powertrain. The electric scooter will be manufactured in Pontedera, Italy, and will start selling globally this year.
At the heart of the scooter is an electric motor capable of delivering continuous power of 2kW and peak power of 4kW and Piaggio states that its performance will be superior to a traditional 50cc scooter, especially in terms of initial acceleration.
The standard version of the scooter has a range of around 100km, while the 'X' variant doubles that to around 200km. The X does this by placing a small four-stroke petrol engine alongside the electric motor that serves solely to charge the battery, doubling its range. It does not help in the propulsion of the scooter. Piaggio claims four hours for a full charge.
The Elettrica will also get a multimedia system with smartphone connectivity, which can be operated through a new colour TFT display. The Vespa Elettrica, when made available, will be offered in a chrome grey finish, around which the customer can choose to customise details.