Vespa Introduces World's First Hybrid Scooter

Italian scooter giant Vespa has announced plans to market a hybrid version of their Granturismo scooter starting in 2007. The model carries a price premium of only $1337 over the regular gasoline machine. Vespa engineers incorporated a rear-wheel drive 3850W electric hub motor and an innovative 3-stroke diesel engine to create a machine capable of hitting approximately 136 mpg (versus 55 mpg for a standard 4-stroke gasoline unit) in city driving.

The new design appears outwardly identical to the standard model except for a special rear hub and a small LCD panel on the instrument panel that provides an addictive readout of fuel efficiency. The only thing you give up is underseat storage for your helmet, since that's where the designers hid the patented LiOn plasma battery pack.

The incredibly compact hybrid system was designed by Toyota and is manufactured exclusively by Vespa at their facilities in Venice. Part of this new hybrid's secret comes from an innovative oil-premix system that enables the radical new three-stroke diesel engine to approximate the efficiency and performance of a much smaller powerplant - it requires that riders premix WD40 (or something like extra virgin olive oil in a pinch) at a 1:50 ratio. This possibility of using biofuel helps to qualify the vehicle for a $4250 alternative energy grant in California.

My guess is that a flock of Hollywood stars will soon be adding a motorcycle endorsement to their licenses in anticipation of cruising Mulholland Drive in stylish packs to prove how Earth friendly they are.

[Update: an astute reader points out that this isn't really the first hybrid scooter. That honor goes to Honda, who unveiled a neat little hybrid prototype in 2004.]

Vespa GT Hybrid Diesel-Electric Scooter

Comments

[Daniel Rutter]

Nice :-).

Shouldn't the power be specified in jigowatts, though?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/trivia

I'm not sure how many of those it'd get to the hogshead.

[jps]

There's a "good" april fools entry, and a "bad" april fools entry.

GOOD:
- funny
- obviously a joke

BAD:
- not funny
- not obviously a joke
- interspersed transparently with other not-joke entries

The last item I feel is most important, although the fact that this is not even at all funny, except maybe to YOU, is also worth noting.

Anyway, nice going, har har, moving along with life now.

I apologize for being a total dick, but honestly I really hate this holiday.

[Cory]

Jps, let me buy you a drink, I think you need a break. You seem... stressed.

[james]

jps: I second Cory, especially since he's buying. :)

[Michael Walters]

Great! Maybe I could buy one and swap the engine out of my '65 Dodge M37 and get better gas mileage... or not.

Funny, Happy April 1st James!

[Guy]

Vespa (Piaggio) aren't in Venice, they're at Pontadera.

a 3-stroke deisel.......oh,come on.