Vespa Elettrica electric scooter test

Menus

• Equivalent boosted wasp 125
• 100 km of range, 4 hours of full charge, 4 kW, 200 Nm of torque
• Discovery
• In the saddle
• Contact
• In the city
• On the device
• On small roads
• Braking
• Comfort / duo
• Convenient
• Autonomy
• Video test
• Conclusion

Equivalent boosted wasp 125

100 km of range, 4 hours of full charge, 4 kW, 200 Nm of torque

I love Vespas! The test started badly! Could I be objective! I like the line of these wasps and this, almost in all the variations and all the colors. It is perhaps because of the Dolce Vita but especially for the lines. Timeless, they are a journey through time in themselves. But here we are talking about the past. The future is electric! Say what you want, we will end up going through it or you have to hurry to buy the thermal models when there is still time. Well that’s good, the Vespa is now electric !

The concept of the electric Vespa dates back to four years ago. And we naturally tried the first model in its 50cc equivalent version last year. But there, Vespa returns this year, not with an evolution, but with the ultimate result: the Vespa Elettrica but in an equivalent version 125 and for an almost identical price. What to go against the BMW C-Evolution but with the look and more for half the price? The electric grail in a way? Test…

Electric scooter Vespa Elettrica

Discovery

Where is the wolf? The 125 version looks like the 50 cc version in all respects. In short, it’s a Vespa, in the purest tradition and my heart pounded in the chest in front of its line. I just always wonder why many electric scooters need to use neon colors to stand out. Almost fluorescent yellow lines indeed draw the dress of the Vespa. Only experienced connoisseurs will notice the red front shock absorber spring that distinguishes it from the blue of the 50 version, a red that is discreetly found on the engine block. For the rest, everything is almost identical, including the weight, of 130 kilos (including the 25 kilos of batteries).

LED front light and tie

No plastic here! We find a traditional sheet metal hull, with these characteristic curves, even more underlined by this long two-seater saddle..

Under the hood, there is a Piaggio brushless electric motor with a KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) braking energy recovery system, powered by a 4.2 kWh lithium battery with a capacity of 86 Ah incorporating LG cells. Chem. The charger is integrated here, allowing recharging from the mains in 4 hours. In fact, it is a battery of the same size and weight as the 50 version but with new components associated with different management and settings, which allow to increase the power with a higher top speed..

Piaggio brushless electric motor with KERS (red color reminder)

Note the absence of a side stand, for safety reasons. Like any electric two-wheeler, no noise is heard when the engine is started. On the other hand, the rotation of the handle causes an automatic start. On a side stand, the two-wheeler would quickly have left at the slightest request; come on, a kid who wants to have fun with the handle while you talk … At least, on the center stand, the wheel is off the ground and the scooter is not likely to take off on its own. On the other hand, this means that you have to systematically crutch and unpin the central unit, including when you want to enter your garage but you have to open the door by hand..

Fortunately, the scooter is light and the center stand is easy..

LED rear light

In the saddle

Even in the saddle, nothing distinguishes the 50 from the 125, the screen being identical. Both feet are almost entirely on the ground, with this saddle at 790mm. A nice animation on the 4 "3 TFT screen signs the start, without noise. The screen is very readable and is placed on a white background or black background depending on the ambient light (day or night, or especially day or tunnel ). Remaining range in kilometers, remaining energy gauge, instantaneous power, trip and partial trip, speed (roughly in the center), clock and exterior temperature, everything is there, including the chosen driving mode.

Because yes, there is the Power mode to take advantage of the full power of the engine and Eco mode, which makes it possible to limit consumption and then a Reverse mode, more anecdotal, which allows to engage a reverse gear.

Fully digital dashboard with day / night lighting

Like the vast majority of electric models, you can connect to the mobile application, here Piaggio Mia, to have plenty of information on your smartphone. It is especially the GPS geolocation that can be useful if you forgot where you left it the last time. But the application also tells you the duration and distance of the last trip, the percentage of battery charge, the instantaneous power used, statistics on the last 30 trips, push notifications linked to the state of charge of the battery. or the number of charging cycles performed but also the display of calls received on your smartphone on the central screen.

The screens and information of the Vespa Mia mobile application
Electric yellow color, which can be found on the hull edging

The hands fall naturally on the handlebars, like all Vespa and / or Piaggio models with this truly natural ergonomics that makes you feel good there, especially with the legroom, far from the apron. The older ones will appreciate. The weight seems low and in any case the Vespa does not seem heavy, being exactly the same weight as the equivalent 50cc version..

Electric scooter equivalent 125, the solution ?

Contact

No noise. But it takes a long press in fact to start, without noise, in order to see the word ‘ready‘be displayed on the dashboard. That’s it. You can speed up! And it’s instant.

There are very few small-displacement petrol two-wheelers with so much responsiveness! You barely touch the throttle grip and instantly share with all the torque immediately available. 200 Nm of torque at the wheel! It still speaks no ?

This immediately available couple is also one of the major interests of the electric. There is no need to go up the towers to have torque. Suddenly, at the green light, we can often rush in front of everyone … without noise! On many electric motors there is a sort of hum. Nothing like that here. We can hardly be quieter and it’s nice.

Smooth acceleration in the city

In the city

It’s a Vespa and a scooter with small wheels. Suffice to say, that the handling is at the rendezvous. We slip naturally, especially since the Vespa has a bit of pep at startup. We are immediately at 50 km / h, which immediately sets this version apart from its 50 equivalent, which peaked at 45 km / h. The mirrors are well placed and do not interfere. Suddenly, we sneak everywhere, quickly, but with a smooth acceleration and progression in traffic. The Vespa is really pleasant in the city.

The agility is so great that the center stand will be able to touch in turns, including solo.

Agility … and the center stand touches

On the other hand, we remain permanently in Power mode, Eco mode reducing speed to 30 km / h, which is just horrifying in two-wheelers, even in town (unless you are in a 30 zone). And then, if we want to stay at 25 km / h, we rather buy an electric bike.

Solo and duo comfort

On the device

Vespa announces a 125 equivalence to us and we therefore rush with pleasure on the peripheral to reach 70 km / h, or even the 72 km / h counter! And then we are knocked out! Yes, Vespa advertises a 125 equivalence, but the Vespa does not go faster than 72 km / h! Damn !

In the meantime, the stability is there, the handling also if necessary, with soft but clear acceleration. The purr of the engine can hardly be heard under the helmet unless you strain your ears, but it is on hold. You are at maximum speed, which allows you to take the device, but no more. You won’t risk taking the highway with it. We saw electric scooters at 90 km / h on the A86 motorway, we won’t see this Vespa there..

72 km / h max. on departmental

On small roads

But 70 km / h is often enough to drive on small roads and thus make peri-urban if necessary, especially since the Vespa has a little autonomy, allowing up to 100 km. The machine then swings willingly from one turn to another, effortlessly, with docility and even pleasure to appreciate the sweet life and its environment. Go into the forest roads and you will hear the birds chirping.

On the other hand, if we can reach 72 km / h … on the flat, the speed drops noticeably as soon as a hill arrives and even more in duet. I have not far from home, two sides, one where it is difficult to be at 90 km / h with a thermal 125 scooter and another where it is difficult to be at 70 km / h with the same 125. With the Vespa, the speed falls respectively in these two configurations to 60 km / h and 40 km / h in solo and a little less still in duet. !

Vespa Elettrica electric scooter test

Braking

Admittedly, the Vespa has some pep at the start, but at 70 km / h maximum, it is not a lightning of war either. In this game, the machine is almost oversized in terms of braking despite a single disc of 200 mm at the front and 140 mm at the rear. This brakes very well and even hard if necessary, without having to take the levers in an exaggerated way. I even prefer its braking to the softer one of the Medley 125 at Piaggio.

Red shock absorber spring, distinctive sign of the model 125

Comfort / duo

The Vespa is comfortable, whether solo or duo, thanks in particular to the thick, well-padded saddle. The passenger has practical grab bars. And as the management of the acceleration remains gentle, the ride is possible with all the necessary comfort. The passenger footrests, on the other hand, are a bit far away and bring the tips of the passenger’s feet to naturally touch the driver’s calves..

But if the Vespa is already not very fast in solo, especially in hill, the speed collapses quickly in duet, able to go down to 46 km / h in duet hill where we go to 60 km / h in solo ! And there, we find it really slow unless you want to extend the journey time with a pretty hitchhiker.

Comfortable solo and duo seat with chrome grab handle

Convenient

There is a real trunk under the saddle, but less than on many Vespa or Piaggio which accept two helmets. Here, we place a bag (the camera bag goes with the reflex camera, the 200mm zoom and the wide angle) or a full face helmet but no more. On the other hand, the floor – almost – flat can be used to place a large bag, even in pairs..

The apron houses a USB socket in the left storage compartment at the front, which allows you to recharge your smartphone.

Storage compartment in the front apron, locked with USB socket

The scooter is placed effortlessly on the center stand and fortunately, since there is no side stand.

Autonomy

When the 50 version allowed more than 70 km of autonomy, the 125 version allows 100 km. Well, in fact, it’s 100 km in Eco mode and 70 km in Power mode, which the on-board computer indicates once the scooter is 100% charged. But that roughly matches reality. The Vespa indeed loses about 15% of battery every 10 km in Power mode (if the terrain climbs a little) and a little less if you are more inclined. The good thing is that the estimate of the number of kilometers remaining shown on the dashboard is realistic until the yellow battery indicator is displayed when there is less than 10 kilometers of range (and 15% dump). And it is still possible to use the Power mode, while some electric scooters automatically switch to "degraded" mode (understand Eco) on the last kilometers.

But, this surplus of autonomy is enough from day to day to make several round trips home in the week, without being afraid of the breakdown; unless you are a duo and if the breakdown is justified.

4 kW peak power

The important point is the possibility of recharging from a normal wall outlet. Vespa announces 4h, but hesitating to let the battery discharge completely, I recharged in 3h, when there was still 15% of autonomy. Just pull the cable under the saddle and plug in. The cable is a bit short and in most cases you will need an extension cord, especially if you want to charge from the first floor, as we did in the editorial staff..

The battery is guaranteed for up to 1,000 complete recharge cycles, i.e. from 50,000 to 70,000 km, or approximately 10 years of use of the vehicle, knowing that at the end of these thousand cycles, the manufacturer ensures that the battery retains 80% of his capacity. The price of the Elettrica like all electrics is essentially based on the price of its battery, which may explain part of the existing differential with other models on the much cheaper market..

Battery capacity 86 Ah, fully recharged in 4 hours

Video test

Conclusion

The Vespa Elettrica is in the tradition of the Vespa, pretty, pleasant, comfortable, with excellent braking to make it an ideal machine for the city. If the 50 version is overpriced, this version just 300 euros more expensive at 6,690 euros, is more reasonable, while still being "expensive", in a market where you can find a number of more efficient and less expensive machines. … but without that inimitable look. In fact, it would need 20 km / h more top speed and 100 km of range in power mode to be "perfect" today. It remains to add the aid for the purchase of an electric vehicle which significantly reduces the bill. Otherwise, it will be more for lovers of the brand, who can afford it at the rate of 99 euros per month. If you fall for it, you have to choose among the 4 possible finishes between lightning yellow (basic finish visible on our test model), electric blue, chrome or black and then necessarily take the associated helmet in terms of color and integrating especially Bluetooth headphones in order to connect to the Vespa via the app.

Strong points

• look
• comfort
• braking
• Loading time

Weak points

• motor
• autonomy

The technical sheet of the Vespa Elettrica

Test conditions

• Itinerary: small varied roads + interurban highways
• Motorcycle mileage: 200 km

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