Piaggio has been a pioneer of urban mobility long before such a phrase was ever fashionable. Although a brand in itself, the Piaggio Group also includes Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi, all of which have rich back catalogues in two-wheel transport. Piaggio was the first brand to introduce a three-wheeled light commercial vehicle, called the APE, and today it remains focussed on providing innovative solutions in lightweight, compact footprints.

Key highlights

The Piaggio APE is an iconic three-wheeled commercial scooter that has been configured into all sorts of kerbside coffee, sandwich and gelato stalls, and has now been rebranded as the fully electric EcoBee. Yet it’s the MyMoover scooter that represents a more modern take on a commercial vehicle three-wheeler, and has proven hugely popular with delivery businesses including the Italian Postal Service. It offers a load capacity of 95kg, while the double rear-wheel tilting system guarantees both stability and safety - and means you don’t need a motorcycle license to drive one. Regrettably, an all-electric version is yet to be announced.

EVs and Piaggio

Piaggio is slow to embrace the electric era, primarily because it feels its small capacity engines are cheap and efficient, if not clean. That said, there are a couple of vehicles that have embraced both electrification and last-mile delivery: the iconic APE has been re-branded the fully electric EcoBee, while multiple configurations of the zero emissions Porter microvan are also available.

Top models

The diminutive Piaggio Porter ElectricPower is an ideal workhorse for carving through narrow city streets, regardless of whether you need a van, chassis cab or tipper bed, and providing your loads are less than 500kg. It features a 17kWh battery with a range of 68 miles. The three-wheeled EcoBee provides just 25 miles of range from its tiny 2.75kWh battery, but boasts a swappable pack design, ensuring you can be back out of the depot in seconds.

Similar brands

Citroen is another brand at the forefront of commercial vehicle innovation. Not only does it have a folio of small, medium and large commercial vehicles, the Citroen AMI Cargo provides another take on compact, lightweight last-mile delivery.