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First Plug-in Hybrid In America…Is A Scooter?

March 23, 2009 by 12 Comments
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Vespa scooter maker, the Piaggio Group, says they will be selling a plug-in hybrid scooter in the United States by early 2010.

According to HybridCars.com, if they do make good on their plans, the plug-in scooter will be the first manufactured plug-in on American soil – beating out the Chevy Volt by six months.

In an interview with HybridCars.com, Sebastian Schepis — chief editor of zoomilife.com and the founder of Zoomiscooters LLC — said, “The Piaggio scooter will be the first plug-in hybrid personal transporter. If it has a top speed that’s freeway legal, it will appeal to a lot of people who need to get on the freeway [for their commute].” Schepis also believes that the Piaggio plug-in hybrid scooter will have “street cred in green circles.”

Well, with a combined fuel economy of 140 mpg, and an acceleration of 0 to 60 in 5 seconds…I don’t see why not. The scooter’s all electric range is still unknown but it will use regenerative breaking to recharge the batteries. It can also be charged from a standard 110 volt electrical outlet.

The scooter will use a parallel hybrid design similar to the technical approach used by most of today’s hybrid cars.

Paolo Timoni, president and CEO of Piaggio Group Americas, committed to the early 2010 release date, in an interview earlier this month on the Fox News Car Report. He also noted that Piaggio is currently going through the certification process for the scooter with the National Highway and Transportation Safety Association. It is also scheduled to go on sale in Europe later this year.

Click here for the full interview with Paolo Timoni on FOX Car Report LIVE!

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About Jerry James Stone

Jerry is a web developer, part-time blogger and a full-time environmentalist. His crusade for all things eco started twenty years ago when he ditched his meat-and-potatoes upbringing for something more vegetarian-shaped.

He currently works at Care2 and also blogs over at Treehugger. His passions include green tech, eco politics and smart green design. And while he doesn't own a car anymore, he loves to write about those too.

Jerry studied at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA. During his time there he was a DJ at the campus station KCPR and he also wrote for the campus paper.

Jerry currently resides in San Francisco, CA with his cat Lola.

You can stalk him on Twitter @jerryjamesstone.

  • Uncle B

    Love it! the break-through is happening! Next, a three wheeler, tandem mounted rain proof, pave-rash-proof, super-commuter, just in time for high mortgage pay-offs, a winner for sure for Mr. Suburbia in need of cheap fast transportation to and from work! Next, the factories will build dorms, and let workers bunk in them three or four nights in a row, take out the plug-in scooters for the long weekend at home, put a huge dent in the bills and survive ever after! Gotta get one for the Mrs. too! She can work, even part-time and show a profit with cheaper transportation like this! School? Way to go! now make classes a full day, for nine day weeks and get some long weekends in for homework or debauchery, your choice, but cheap independent transportation for each family member has tremendous possibilities doesn’t it!

  • Uncle B

    Love it! the break-through is happening! Next, a three wheeler, tandem mounted rain proof, pave-rash-proof, super-commuter, just in time for high mortgage pay-offs, a winner for sure for Mr. Suburbia in need of cheap fast transportation to and from work! Next, the factories will build dorms, and let workers bunk in them three or four nights in a row, take out the plug-in scooters for the long weekend at home, put a huge dent in the bills and survive ever after! Gotta get one for the Mrs. too! She can work, even part-time and show a profit with cheaper transportation like this! School? Way to go! now make classes a full day, for nine day weeks and get some long weekends in for homework or debauchery, your choice, but cheap independent transportation for each family member has tremendous possibilities doesn’t it!

  • Uncle B

    Love it! the break-through is happening! Next, a three wheeler, tandem mounted rain proof, pave-rash-proof, super-commuter, just in time for high mortgage pay-offs, a winner for sure for Mr. Suburbia in need of cheap fast transportation to and from work! Next, the factories will build dorms, and let workers bunk in them three or four nights in a row, take out the plug-in scooters for the long weekend at home, put a huge dent in the bills and survive ever after! Gotta get one for the Mrs. too! She can work, even part-time and show a profit with cheaper transportation like this! School? Way to go! now make classes a full day, for nine day weeks and get some long weekends in for homework or debauchery, your choice, but cheap independent transportation for each family member has tremendous possibilities doesn’t it!

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  • Jim Fowler

    regenerative braking…

  • Jim Fowler

    regenerative braking…

  • Pingback: First Plug-in Hybrid In America…Is A Scooter : GoWally.com

  • Yesim Erez

    The first available plug-in is not Piaggio but the freeway legal, all electric Vectrix bikes. Vectrix has been available since 4/2007 and already has 97 dealers/points of distribution in the US.

    - It has patented (!) regen braking incorporated in the throttle

    - Now available at 70mph (with upgrade by dealer)

    - 0-50miles in 6.8 sec

    - Batteries will last 10 years or 50,000 miles

    - Comes with a 24 month warranty

    A viable, no emission solution is already here. See http://www.vectrix.com for dealer locations for a test ride

  • Yesim Erez

    The first available plug-in is not Piaggio but the freeway legal, all electric Vectrix bikes. Vectrix has been available since 4/2007 and already has 97 dealers/points of distribution in the US.

    - It has patented (!) regen braking incorporated in the throttle

    - Now available at 70mph (with upgrade by dealer)

    - 0-50miles in 6.8 sec

    - Batteries will last 10 years or 50,000 miles

    - Comes with a 24 month warranty

    A viable, no emission solution is already here. See http://www.vectrix.com for dealer locations for a test ride

    • http://Web Steven m

      The Vectrix is not a hybrid. It is a fully electric scooter or step through motorcycle. The Piaggio talked about here is a hybrid using both electric and gasoline. Big difference when you start talking range in miles. Like a Chevy Volt, this thing will keep going after the batteries are in need of charging, whereas the Vectrix would leave you at the side of the road begging for a 110 volt outlet to recharge.

  • Todd

    Nothing new, been seeing these things all over Europe for a while.

  • Todd

    Nothing new, been seeing these things all over Europe for a while.