For decades the little Apé tricycle scooter, with a cab for the driver and a cargo body over the back wheels, has been a symbol of Italy. Now it’s headed for a new lease of life in Asia.
The Apé – the name is Italian for bee – is buzzing off to India where cheap, short-distance haulage is in big demand.
At the end of 2024, after more than three quarters of a century, the last Apé model rolled off the production line at Piaggio’s main factory in Tuscany. The last models retailed for €7,000 (US$7,200) each.
In future, assembly will only happen in India, and the vehicles are only for customers in Asia and Africa.
Fans of old-school transport have been marking the demise of one of the world’s most basic urban commercial vehicles with nostalgic tributes.
