A step ahead
With a maxi-scooter and an electric Vespa displayed at the Auto Expo 2020, Piaggio Group has big plans for India
PIAGGIO GROUP WAS ONE OF THE two mainstream bike manufacturers (the other being Suzuki) at the 2020 Auto Expo. Piaggio decided to reveal Aprilia’s all-new maxi-scooter – SXR 160 along with BS6-compliant models of the whole Aprilia and Vespa range.
Aprilia’s latest offering, the SXR 160 has been under development for the last two and a half years for the Indian market. The SXR will be available with the 160cc and 125cc engines now seen on the SR range. Aprilia will possibly alter the tuning of the engine and CVT to match the SXR’s requirement. It gets 12-inch wheels with a disc brake at the front along with ABS.
The SXR range gets twin LED illumination, with the fascia resembling Aprilia’s large capacity maxi-scooter, the SRV 850 but with a hint of the RS 660 in the headlamps. Being a maxi scooter, it boasts of a large storage capacity and a glove box at the front. There are features like a digital console and USB charging along with optional connectivity features.
The scooter will be available in four colours and bookings will commence in August 2020.
The group had the limited-edition Vespa Racing Sixties along with the 2020 Vespa Red, SXL and VXL at the Expo. An interesting product at the Piaggio stall at the Expo was the Eurospec Vespa Elettrica.
The styling of the Vespa Elettrica is very similar to the ICE counterpart, but distinguishing it are the neon accents. The e-scooter also gets a 4.3-inch TFT console, displaying riding parameters and even journey statistics, complete with smartphone connectivity with the controls located on the switchgear for ease of use.
The Elettrica boasts of a 100km range and a charging time of four hours using a 220v outlet. The peak power on this e-scooter is 4kW while the continuous power output is rated at 3.6kW. The maximum torque generated at the wheel is 200Nm. The e-scooter tips the scales at 130kg, with the battery weighing 25kg.
The Elettrica also comes with a bunch of accessories, including a Bluetooth-enabled half face helmet and a rucksack with removable top box bag and an integrated back protector.
Though Piaggio hasn’t revealed any plans of launching it in India, the brand believes that electric mobility will have strong market growth in the next three to five years. The group is already evaluating an electric product for India which will be developed in-house, including the battery and powertrain.