Auto Expo 2018: Piaggio Unveils Vespa Elettrica In India

Piaggio has recently unveiled the Vespa Elettrica electric scooter concept at the ongoing Auto Expo 2018. The Vespa Elettrica has already made its global debut at the EICMA show last year and now it has made its India debut as well. This is the first time that the Italian two-wheeler manufacturer has brought an electric vehicle on the Indian soil, and the while right now the company hasn't revealed any plans for an India launch, the production model of the Vespa Elettrica is expected to go on sale in Europe later this year. Having said that, seeing the wave of electric two-wheelers expected to hit the Indian market in the next couple of years, it is possible that Piaggio might also consider launching the Vespa Elettrica is India.

Vespa Elettrica is set to be launched in Europe later in 2018

Also Read: Top 5 Concept Two-Wheelers Showcased At The Auto Expo 2018

The Vespa Elettrica will be offered in two variants - the standard version with a 100 km range and the Elettrica X with over 200 km range. The Vespa Elettrica comes with an electric motor powered by a 4.2 kWh Lithium-ion battery that offers a maximum power of 4 kWh (5.4 bhp) and develops 200 Nm of peak torque. The Elettrica is powered by a lightweight lithium-ion battery and is good for 1000 cycles, which should see a life of between 50,000 and 70,000 km. The scooter has two riding modes as well - Eco and Power - with the Eco mode's top speed being limited to just 30 kmph.

The Elettrica follows traditional Vespa scooter design

On the features front, Piaggio's Vespa Elettrica comes with a 4.3-inch TFT dash which can be connected to your phone. The system displays a lot of information and interactive options, including notifications of incoming calls and messages, as well as speed, residual range and remaining battery charge. There is also a joystick on the right handlebar which can be used to operate the multimedia system and the rider can also use voice commands to operate a phone when connected to a headset.

The Vespa Elettrica has a 4.3-inch TFT screen with multimedia options

Currently, Piaggio offers a range of Vespa scooters in India, operating in the 125 cc and 150 cc premium scooter space. As for the Piaggio-owned Aprilia, which so far only had two offerings in the scooter space, has been working on expanding its scooter line-up. The company introduced two new 125 cc scooters at the Auto Expo - the SR 125 and the Storm 125.