An Italian Alternative Vehicle: APE 50
An alternative to car or motorbike? Ape 50!!
Anyone who’s spent time on Italy’s roads will have encountered these tricycles, hurtling around cobbled streets. If you come to Abruzzo you will see many of these little, cute vehicles, sometime in bright colours and funny details. The Piaggio Ape is a link between car and motorcycle. This three-wheeled light commercial vehicle, first produced in 1948 by Piaggio, is basically a Vespa with a flat-bed structure supported by two rear wheels. Developed in Italy just after World War Two, Italians needed cheap transport and this curious little motorized tricycle would go on to help rebuild the Italian economy. The Fiat 500 would not arrive for another decade.
Ape is Italian for Bee but it is pronounced “Appy” and not “Ape”, which is a primate. The classic Italian vehicle that is versatile, adaptable, handy and yet cute and stylish. Italy’s iconic three-wheel vehicle started with the Piaggio Ape 50 and grew into the much-loved Ape range, that now includes the Piaggio Ape Classic and the Piaggio Ape Calessino. The Ape 50 is one of the smallest vehicles on the world nevertheless, it can be loaded up to 205 km. With Ape 50 it is possible to drive in very narrow step roads, like in the historic centres of many Italian villages, in countryside dirt roads and even in the city centre.
To drive Ape 50 is not necessary a car driving license, it is enough a motorbike license and it is possible to drive it from the age of 14. Ape 50 costs only 5.000,00 euro including VAT and the insurance is nothing compared to a normal car. The best thing about Ape 50 is that it is possible to personalise it in so many different and funny way.
The design that powered Italy's economic growth is still working hard after 70 years on the road and now the Ape 50 is also available as an all-electric power version.