Vespa Elettrica Scooter Reaches Production

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.

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