Piaggio has revealed a 278 cc version of its hybrid MP3 three-wheeled scooter. The company had only last year revealed the world’s first hybrid scooter, the MP3 hybrid. The new scooter has been christened the Piaggio MP3 hybrid 300ie.

The new scooter is a 278 cc version of the original. The MP3 hybrid 300ie has a 278 cc petrol engine instead of the MP3 hybrid’s 124 cc powerplant. The engine is mated to a synchronous brushless permanent magnet motor in a parallel hybrid configuration. The transmission is a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) unit. The scooter has also been equipped with a regenerative braking system to increase the range.

The scooter has four drive modes, two hybrid and two electric. The hybrid power mode has been designed to optimize performance of the scooter and the electric motor aids in this by supplementing power to the petrol engine, thereby delivering an instantaneous response from standstill.

The hybrid charge mode sacrifices some performance, by using the engine to charge the scooter’s lithium-ion batteries.

In the scooter’s fully electric mode, the scooter becomes a zero-emission vehicle by using only the electric motor for propulsion. The scooter is also equipped with a reverse mode, for parking the vehicle and maneuvering it in tight spaces.

The scooter also possesses a ride-by-wire throttle system, which helps in regulating the amount of power that is being drawn from the engine as well as the electric motor. The rider of the scooter can also change the drive mode of the scooter on-the-fly, by the help of a toggle switch mounted on the right handlebar.

Piaggio claims that the scooter is capable of traveling 20 kms on a full charge in the fully electric mode. When using a combination of 65 % Hybrid Power Mode and 35 % Electric Mode, the scooter can deliver a range of 227 kms, which is twice that of a conventional petrol powered scooter, while producing less than half of the CO2 emissions.

The scooter uses electric current from a 12V socket to charge its batteries. The batteries of the scooter require 3 hours to attain a full charge, while charging them for 2 hours fills them  up with 85 % of the total charge. The batteries of the scooter are located underneath the seat of the scooter, while leaving sufficient room for a helmet and other odds and ends.

The scooter is also fitted with a quadrilateral front suspension system which alongwith the two front wheels provides the scooter with the same cornering ability as that of a conventional two-wheeled vehicle. The scooter weighs 257 kgs, partly due to the weight of the hybrid system. The scooter has been priced at 7990 Euros (Rs. 4,56,300).

The hybrid two-wheeler market in India is currently virtually non-existent with only a single manufacturer by the name Eko Vehicles having a presence with their Eko Hybrid scooter. But, this could change in the near future with TVS already having showcased the TVS Scooty Streak Hybrid at this years Auto Expo and also having said that they will definitely launch the Scooty Streak Hybrid, but only when they feel that the market and the consumers are ready for such a product. Could Piaggio also join TVS with their Hybrid offerings in the Indian two-wheeler market, after re-launching the Vespa brand in India?

Piaggio MP3 Hybrid 300ie Gallery

Source – Auto Motto