Whoo-hoo! I was invited by Vespa to test out their BEAST machine, the Vespa Elettrica. With more than 563hp it… I’m kidding! Yes, it’s totally different than a motorcycle, but it’s brand new technology which made me super curious. So hang on, because I’m sure you’ll like what I have to say!
Let’s start with a tiny bit of history. Vespa launched their first scooter in April 1946, Rome, Italy. With its iconic design and look, it immediately hit the market on the right spot. The years after, Vespa kept renewing their scooters with new tech, and in 1957 it even brought a Vespa car into the market. With only 30.000 cars (Vespa 400) to be sold, Vespa quickly got back to their beloved two wheels. For me, the word Vespa is linked to scooter, or the other way around. It’s common to call an action camera a “Go Pro”, and a tablet “iPad”. I have always said that if I would get a scooter, it has to be a Vespa. The style, design and the whole look and feel gives me Italian vibes – and I adore that.
For the Vespa Elettrica launch, I went to the Sofitel Legend The Grand Hotel in Amsterdam – which is a very classic and chique hotel. The breakfast was super Italian, which made me get into the Italian vibes easily. We got some explanation about the scooter and it’s technology behind it. This is the first electric scooter that Vespa has brought to the market. Fun fact: The designers are so keen on keeping the Vespa a Vespa, that they even added an exhaust to the scooter!
After a short walk-and-talk around, I got curious and started to ask questions. As some of you might have noted, the Vespa comes at an RRP of €6.629 (Dutch retail price). This is more than other electric scooters, soooo I asked them: Why?
The Vespa Elettrica is… A VESPA! That means that it comes with a legacy. It is 100% European made, the frame is made out of steel and it has a 25kg battery. Next to that, the Vespa has a full LCD screen and the used technology is quite some steps ahead of it’s competitors. Buying a Vespa (Elettrica) is an investment. I compare it to buying a designer bag; most of them are Italian made, expensive yet they have a WOW-factor.
LCD display – Vespa Elettrica (Photo: © Tycho Müller | Tycho’s Eye Photo) 
Vespa Elettrica (Photo: © Tycho Müller | Tycho’s Eye Photo)
Well, enough tech-talk, let’s tell you something about the ride! So we went from Amsterdam tooooo… Utrecht! The first Piaggo brand store opened in Utrecht, so we went and visited the spot. The shop looked amazing and it even had small, cute Vespa goodies that you could buy. Lol I’m such a nerd for cute things – if I ever get to buy a vehicle, please inform the dealer to remove all the cute keychains and toys because I’ll buy it all…
The ride itself was 1 hour and 30 minutes. My bike was charged, with 78% remaining. At the end of the trip, I still had 43% left! I was actually scared that the battery wouldn’t hold up. Yet you can ride about 100km with the scooter before charging it. A good point of information (ya girl asked some serious questions!), is that the lifespan of the Vespa battery is around 1000 full cycles of charging, meaning that you can ride up to 70.000km with the scooter.
Hope you’ve enjoyed this reviewed as much as I enjoyed not being able to ride any faster than 50km/h lololol! I really did!! Until next time.
xoxo Beauty Biker