Production off

Italy mourns the loss of the legendary Ape three-wheeler

(Bild: Andreas Praefcke)

Italy has to say goodbye to one of its road classics: The legendary three-wheeled Piaggio van called Ape - Italian for bee - will in future only be built in India. Production is cheaper there - as are the safety and environmental regulations.

The last "three-wheeled car", which is also one of Italy's national symbols, is due to roll off the production line at the end of the year at the company's home plant in Tuscany. According to the trade union, the workforce was informed of the end of production at home in the past few days.

With the complete relocation of production to India, sales in Europe will probably also come to an end. The new models will only be launched on the market in Asia and Africa. In Italy, only a few hundred remaining items will be sold.

Vespa on three wheels
The first such van rolled off the production line in the Tuscan town of Pontedera in 1948 - just two years after Piaggio had put its first Vespa scooters on wheels. It was developed by company founder Enrico Piaggio and engineer Corradino D'Ascanio. In principle, the working bee called Ape was nothing more than a Vespa (German: Waspe) on three wheels with a driver's cab and loading area.

The Ape 50 did not normally manage much more than 40 kilometers per hour. However, the standard model was able to transport loads of more than 200 kilograms right from the start. However, the comfort in the driver's cab is zero: There is neither heating nor a radio. Over the decades, larger and more powerful versions were also built, with payloads of up to 800 kg.

The Ape Car (from 1971) had a reasonably comfortable cabin, a 218.9 cc engine and a 550 kg payload as a transporter, 612 kg with a loading area.

(Bild: Camilla Giribardi)

In Italy, the tin boxes were a fixture of the streetscape for decades. However, the Ape has now largely disappeared from large cities such as Rome or Milan - you only see them in the vicinity of markets. In villages and smaller communities, however, the robust little things still rattle around: with a length of just 2.50 meters and a width of 1.30 meters, in many places the small Ape is still the only commercial vehicle that can squeeze through the narrow alleyways.

A piece of Italy
Piaggio has already had production facilities in India for several years. In the world's most populous country with more than 1.4 billion inhabitants, the Ape is already being produced as an electric model and also with a natural gas drive. The Italo transporters are competing with tuk-tuks in the hectic traffic there.

There is now great sadness in Italy. The newspaper "La Repubblica" wrote on Sunday: "The truth is that the Ape fits our national character perfectly, between unbridled individualism and a sense of family. You feel at home alone in the cab, with the goods or the tools of the trade behind you. But you can also ride in it as a couple, closer together and with a touch of intimacy. Or, despite all the regulations and safety considerations, for celebrating with friends."

Was a ride for everyone
For generations, the Ape was also the perfect vehicle for people who couldn't afford a car. Even a small family could be accommodated there, albeit rather cramped. There was often enough room for the children on the loading area. However, the price for the smallest model with 50 cubic meters is now more than 7000 euros.

Especially in the south of Italy, the tricycles are a cult among young people - which is also due to the fact that they can be ridden from the age of 14 and can be pimped with modest knowledge. They are also often used to take tourists and their luggage to their hotels.

Grief and anger in Italy
The grief in Italy is also mixed with anger, especially in the neighborhood of the Piaggio headquarters. The regional secretary of the UIIM trade union, Samuele Nacci, said that with the current EU regulations, there was no longer any room for production in Italy. "Perhaps some laws have been introduced a little hastily. It looks like only Europe cares about environmental protection, while the rest of the world doesn't give a damn."