Piaggio tricycles arrive in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The name Piaggio is not totally unfamiliar to Brazilians. The homonymous group is responsible, among several brands, for the classic Vespa scooters.

Outside, however, it even has a commercial vehicle division. Now two work-oriented Piaggio models will start to be marketed in Brazil.

The importation is being done by the 2W Motors group, an importer of Husqvarna motorcycles since 2015 and owns some Royal Enfield dealerships here. The Piaggio Commercial Vehicles brought to Brazil are the classic tricycles of the Apé line, in cargo or passenger options.

The Piaggio Apé goes back to the 1950s when the company started making Vespas with a two-wheel rear axle and bucket. The Apé Cargo and Apé Passenger will be brought here.

Both will have the option of a conventional combustion engine or 100% electric propulsion. 2W Motors has not yet officially fixed the prices, but they should be between R$35,000 and R$40,000 for the gasoline models.

The Piaggio Apé Cargo is equipped with a 305 cm³ single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine, capable of delivering 14 hp of power at 4,100 rpm and 2.4 kgfm of torque at 3,100 rpm. It is coupled to a 5-speed mechanical gearbox with reverse gear. Despite its 10-inch wheels and drum brakes, the tricycle can carry 557 kg of load.

The Piaggio Apé Passenger can carry three passengers plus the driver. Its engine is a bit smaller: 230 cm³ air-cooled. It delivers 12 hp at 4,500 rpm and 1.8 kgfm at 3,100 and has a four-speed gearbox with reverse.

Both are about 2.7 meters long, and 1.92 meters between the axles and are equipped with a 9.5-liter tank. 2W motors says that this is enough for both to run about 285 km between fuelings since the maximum speed is only 60 km/h.

The electric Apé, for both cargo and passengers, has motorization developed in partnership with the Brazilian company WEG. The engine delivers 32 hp (24 kW) and 7.3 kgfm of torque in the Apé E-Cargo, or 20 hp (15 kW) and 5 kgfm in the Apé E-Passenger.

Both come with 16 kWh lithium-ion batteries that provide a stated range of 90 km. 2W Motors claims that recharging time can reach 4.5 hours on a home outlet.