Exactly twelve months after Vespa announced its
intent to unveil an all-electric scooter, the Italian company has done just
that, unveiling the Vespa Elettrica at the Milan Motorcycle Show.
Piaggio, the parent company of Vespa, says the
Elettrica has a range of roughly 100 km and that it will take four
hours of charging from a normal wall outlet to completely recharge the battery.
Piaggio admits that future buyers
should only expect 10 years of life out of the batteries. Additionally, 1,000
charge cycles will reduce the battery to 80 per cent of its original capacity.
In terms of the scooter’s design, the example
pictured is immediately identifiable from other Vespa models with a silver
paint job and bright blue accents. For customers looking to express their
personality, six other colors will be available.
A prominent 4.3-inch TFT color display is also found
between the handlebars and displays all important scooter information. The
screen also includes Bluetooth, allowing owners to pair their phones and have
the screen display text messages and incoming phone calls.
Soon after the Vespa Elettrica lands in showrooms, a
hybrid version with a petrol-powered generator, dubbed the Elettrica X, will
arrive with a 200 km range.
