Piaggio’s 141 mpg MP3: World’s first mass-produce plug-in hybrid

The first mass-produced plug-in hybrid won’t be by GM or even Toyota. Italian scooter-maker Piaggio, who owns Vespa, says their plug-in hybrid MP3 scooter will get up to 141 mpg and will be on the roads as early as next year.

The parallel hybrid system of the Piaggio MP3 works just like Toyota’s Prius but provides additional mileage via an electrical cord that you can plug into a traditional wall socket. If Piaggio’s timeline is met, the scooter will be the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid.

Power comes from a 125-cc gasoline engine mated to an electric motor allowing for a 0 to 60 mph time of 5 seconds. Piaggio says it has been working on its HyS hybrid powertrain for more than year. The hybrid system allows the MP3 scooter to travel 12.5 miles on electric power alone. Oh and it’s three-wheel easy-to-ride structure keeps you grounded and allows up to 40 degrees in turns.

Check out Jay Leno’s Piaggio MP3 250 review after the jump.

 

 

Source: Autopia