Scooter manufacturer Piaggio plans to launch a three-seater city car aimed at congested Asian and European cities.
Chairman Roberto Colaninno said that the new NT3 car would not compete directly with the world’s cheapest car, the Tata Nano , but there are similarities in appearance and Piaggio are expected to sell the car for around £4,000.
The NT3 seats its two passengers behind a single driver’s seat upfront – the same configuration as the T.25 city car , the brainchild of former McLaren designer Gordon Murray.
Power for the NT3 will come from a scooter-sized 200cc engine offering a top speed of 40mph, or a more powerful 300cc motor with hybrid option.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “The market in Europe for small and efficient city vehicles such as the NT3 depends on them competing in price with large scooters rather than small cars.”
Will cars and scooters meet in the middle?
The idea of using tiny engines in tiny cars is nothing new. If you are prepared to forgo a little speed, it is perfectly possible to use a motorcycle engine to power a practical, fuel-efficient and environmentally-friendly city car; the Piaggio Ape (pictured above) is a three-wheeled commercial vehicle powered by a small 50cc petrol engine that is used throughout Europe.
The Piaggio Ape is aimed squarely at the commercial vehicle market, but a growing number of manufacturers are combining the fuel efficiency and practicality of scooter with the stability and improved braking of cars to to tempt commuters out of their cars.
The Peugeot HYbrid3 Evolution has no gears and is powered by a 300cc engine driving its single rear wheel and two 3 kW electric motors – one mounted within each of its two front wheels motors.
The trike offers a range of 10km running on electric mode, but a combination of battery power and stop-start technology delivers 141mpg.
Other concept vehicles blur the boundry further still, adding doors, windows and another wheel; the Peugeot BB1 has electric motors in its rear wheels and replaces a regular car’s steering wheel and pedals with handlebars and side-by-side motorcycle seats. The result is a highly efficient and maneuverable city car reminiscent of the bubble cars of the 1960s.
ralph panhuyzen
Will cars and scooters meet in the middle? Yes. As a matter of fact, it is beneficial for a number of reasons: economy, practicality, space efficiency, even self-driving capability. More info: new-isetta.com