The classic Vespa takes on the electric trend

When we think of the crowded streets of Italy, we can’t help but imagine hundreds of scooters rolling around. The Vespa is probably the most iconic and best-known scooter.

The Vespa was created in 1946 and immediately got popular all over the world. It is a symbol of style, fashion and mobility. However, Vespa’s manufacturer Piaggio thought it was time to update the world’s most famous scooter.

This week, Piaggio announced that it will start producing an electric version of the iconic motorcycle: the Vespa Elettrica. The Vespa Elettrica will have a battery with autonomy for 100 kilometres. It recharges in four hours and with 4KW of power.

The Elettrica is also more powerful than the traditional 50cc scooters. It features LED headlamp light and will allow you to charge your mobile phone or any other device thanks to a USB input.

The Italian manufacturer also designed a clever hybrid scooter named Elettrica X for riders who want more freedom to leave the city. It’s an evolution of the Elettrica as it features a gasoline-powered generator that tops up the battery on-the-go.

How it works: the generator automatically kicks in when the battery’s charge falls below a certain threshold. The brand has not yet released prices, but Piaggio said that prices will be similar to the most expensive Vespas today, around 6500 euros.

You will be able to order the new scooter in October, on Vespa’s website.