Vespa's New Electric Model: Coming to USA 2019

credit: Piaggio

Two years after Piaggo announced the new Vespa electric model, buyers can finally expect it in American dealerships early 2019. European buyers can already preorder the scooter as of October, for the hefty $7,300 price tag.

Piaggio claims that this model is perfect for “cities.” With only 4 hours of charge in any wall outlet, the new Elettrica model will have a range of 62 miles. While this is considerably less than other models, which boast 170+ miles of range. The scooter is said to last up to 10 years worth of riding, and comes with a 4.3 in TFT color display between the handlebars. Its stats are similar to that of a 50cc scooter: a brushless DC motor rated for 2 kW (2.7 hp) continuous and 4 kW (5.4 hp) peak power and a torque rating of over 200 Nm (148 ft-lbs).

Vespa isn’t the first scooter on the market. In China, Niu released a considerably cheaper model specifically for its European market, which started at around $4,000. Scooters are also gaining popularity in the US, but many of these electric options are not available for American buyers. W’ll see if Vespa is able to appeal to the American market despite the high price tag, however with the rise of ride-share scooter companies like Bird and Lime and the already small market for mopeds, one can only wonder if Americans will shell out $7,000 for a personal scooter.