Vespa is the latest brand to “go green” and move into electric vehicles.
The Piaggio Group – owners of the Vespa brand – unveiled its Vespa Elettrica Concept at the EICMA show in Milan.
Vespa Elettrica ConceptNot much information has been made available about the Vespa electric scooter, other than it is destined for production and release for sale in the second half of 2017.
Piaggio’s press release describes the electric scooter as the “mobility of the future”, and says it will take the “most elegant and beloved two-wheeled brand in the world into the future in complete consistency with the values that have accompanied its history”.
What we’ve always associated with Vespa will remain – style, agility, ease of use and of course the culture that surrounds the brand – it’ll just have the very latest in electric drive technology.
On that note, the company is currently assessing potential global partners to develop innovative electric motor solutions together.
They’ve also hinted at “connectivity solutions” but haven’t elaborated on whether that refers to connection to smartphones, the internet or surrounding vehicles and infrastructure.
The Vespa brand has a 70 year history, and under the Piaggio banner has continued to grow.
Despite sales of scooters declining in Australia, they are booming in Europe.
The Piaggio Group is the European leader of the two-wheel segment with a total market share of 15.5%, it has 25.9% of the scooter segment and sales of the Vespa brand in particular have grown by 3.2% in the first 9 months of this year.