Fans of the well-known scooter brand Vespa are likely
familiar with its parent company Piaggio. The Pontedera, Italy-based company
produces multiple Vespa and Piaggio scooter models for worldwide distribution. Green
vehicle fans looking to run errands and get around without bulky cars will be
able to buy the Piaggio MP3 Hybrid Scooter soon than later. The company
announced last week that the MP3 Hybrid will be sold in Europe starting in
August 2009 with American distribution by April 2010.
This three-wheel scooter features a 2.6 kW electric motor,
lithium-ion battery and sizable gas engine capable of producing 11kW of power. The
lithium-ion battery is rechargeable using a standard household outlet with an
expected charge time of three hours. Riders choose from an all-electric mode
for short trips and a gas-electric hybrid mode with a 447 mile range for commutes. The
scooter’s dashboard controls and monitors allow easy switches between driving
modes as well as quick checks of available battery power. Piaggio blends an
efficient engine, high-powered battery and regenerative braking to extend this
scooter’s range beyond the competition.
The Piaggio MP3 Hybrid’s performance statistics should ease
concerns about performance, mileage and scooter emissions. The MP3 Hybrid reaches
60 miles per hour from a dead stop in five seconds, an impressive stat for any
scooter. Piaggio claims that the MP3 Hybrid achieves a fuel mileage rating of
141 MPG in hybrid mode. The hybrid and all-electric modes on the MP3 Hybrid are
projected to decrease greenhouse emissions by 50% compared to traditional scooters.
The emissions issue is important in deflating the argument by city councils and
green vehicle advocates that scooters create excessive emissions.
Piaggio’s European retailers will sell the MP3 Hybrid for
$12,500 USD later this summer. The American rollout will feature a price tag to $8,000 to $9,000 USD. Piaggio is filling a gaping hole in
the niche vehicle market with its MP3 Hybrid. Scooters may seem secondary to cars, trucks and SUVs in the suburbs but diminutive
vehicles like the MP3 Hybrid decrease traffic congestion in major cities. Piaggio’s
creation of the MP3 Hybrid is not only an effort to improve its green bona
fides but attract consumers outside of their loyal base interested in cheaper,
cleaner and smaller vehicles.
