A wee update on this particular story... Peugeot have announced they will be releasing this machine, a 300cc petrol supercharged version at the end of 2010 followed up with a hybrid in 2011 so if you want a reverse trike scooter with some enviro electro this may be a viable alternative to Piaggio's extremely popular MP3.
I'm not really sure that this is exactly a scooter but either way this new concept from Peugeot gives an exciting insight into where the scooter (and automotive in general) market is heading. The HYmotion concept features a 20hp supercharged petrol engine along with a 5hp electric motor in each front wheel. The combined output is 29hp which is a very respectable output which should allow easy highway comuting with all propulsion engaged and near free around town work using just the electric motors. This combination should explain the proposed 117mpg fuel consumption figure that Peugeot is talking up.
Further proof of the already huge and still expanding love for scooters downunder is the integration of the first ever "Australian Scooter Festival" into the existing format of the Australian Motorcycle (and PWC) Expo. On the weekend of the 20th -22nd of Feb 2009 the show will be housed in the Gold Coast convention centre. This venue doubles display space on previous years and shows the growth in the Scooter and Motorcycle markets in Australia.
"Forever Vespa" is a festival only film, and at only 54mins runtime essentially a short. Basically it examines the life and times of Vespa from conception to current day. The film maker has accessed vast tracts of archive footage from the Piaggio group along with interviews of the major players and enthusiasts alike. It is screening in New Zealand as part of the "Italian Film Festival" and there are limited showings, if you want to catch one best to book soon. For a Synopsis and screening times hit the "Read More" button.
This one is only relevant to the Kiwi readers but it is probably useful for you to know that the government is currently taking submissions on a few new traffic rules. A few of these are immediately relevant to the local scooter contingent... one is not a bad idea at all... the other... well it takes the foolishness of restricting "mopeds" aka 50cc scooters to 50kph to an even more ridiculous extreme...
