Piaggio MP3 300ie Hybrid - 141 mpg - game changing ?

[yorkie_chris]

Not that I know much about energy or units or anything.
But if it's running on electricity how the tw*tting hell can they give it any MPG number?

[pookie]

I think they measure the mpg when combining electric assistance. The method of recharging is by regenerative braking and not plugging into the wall, similar to the prius as opposed to a full electric vehicle which need external power to recharge

This model is not purely electric, its a Hybrid.

Its got a 278cc petrol engine and a small little electric motor and battery pack. The electric motor helps with reeving parts, pulling away, hard acceleration. I think the engine cuts out when you stop at traffic lights as well as regenerative breaking. Did nobody bother to read the link ?

The MP3 Hybrid works on four power modes selected from a button on the handlebar. ‘HYBRID CHARGE’ uses the internal combustion engine and recharges the battery on the go, sapping a little power along the way. ‘HYBRID POWER’ propels the bike with both internal combustion and electric engines, so it feels more like a 400cc than a 300cc, with the best fuel consumption in class. ‘ELECTRIC’ uses power from the battery, and ‘ELECTRIC REVERSE’ lets you reverse feet-up into small parking spaces with the suspension locked.

Link to interesting History of the design. It originally comes from the Italjet designer
http://www.thescooterscoop.com/2007/...ed-by-italjet/

Scoot fans review - gets a bit carried away.
http://www.justgottascoot.com/piaggiomp3.htm

Official Piaggio page, nice pictures of the tilt mech.
http://www.italiaspeed.com/2006/cars...5/mp3/mp3.html

What is quite clever is that looking at the tyre arrange head on, basically you have 3 wheels, each creating a different track equally spaced in the road, obvious implications for road holding.

Its seems the thinner wheeled Piaggio mp3 250 seem to have the better handling.

A quick link to a UK owners forum site.
http://mp3scooterclub.co.uk/cgi-bin/...show.pl?bid=16

There seems to be issues with electronics in the UK climate, but then again thats a given.....

Talking to a mate about this exciting tech, my positive about the equally spread wheels became his negative, "I bet you get loads of punctures". He might have a point though.

This years model is the "Yourban" which is possibly the best of the non hybrid models ? Its an evolving design and its lost 15kg on the earlier models.
http://www.scootering.com/news/first...-in-the-cities

I`ll buy one when it can Wheelie , comes with an in-built Fleshlight (Tera Patrick) and a Beer Cooler (not next to each other)