Photo courtesy of Piaggio.
The famous three-wheeled “Ape” or “bee”, so beloved of Italian fruit and vegetable vendors, may soon become a vehicle of the past, reports ANSA: Piaggio, the inventors of both the Vespa and the Ape, unveiled their new NT3 four-wheeled urban transporter on Tuesday, calling it the “Ape of the future”.
Two versions of the new vehicle, a hardtop and a convertible top, were presented at the EICMA Motorbike Show in Milan.
Both are three-seaters and, as the passenger seats are removable, can be used to transport both people and goods. The vehicle will be offered with a 200cc, 300 cc or with a 300 cc electric hybrid motor. The 2.4- metre- long and 1.5-metre- wide NT3 meets all European safety standards and comes with an airbag. The conventionally powered vehicles can reach a top speed of 80 kilometres per hour and the electrically powered version can travel at 30 kilometres per hour.
Piaggio Chairman Roberto Colannino said that the new vehicle is remarkable for its low fuel consumption and, like its predecessor, “ incredible agility in traffic”.
The NT3 has been developed specifically for the European and Asian markets.
Will you miss seeing the Ape?
