Piaggio Group has commenced a new development phase for its presence in India’s commercial vehicle sector. During the last quarter of the year sales of the new three wheeled Ape (pronounced ah-peh) City Passenger will be launched, equipped with a new 200cc engine entirely developed by Piaggio. The engine will be available in different fuel versions (Petrol, CNG and LPG), and offers “new levels of high fuel economy and low pollution emissions”, the company states.
Introduced for the first time at the 2012 Delhi Auto Show, the new vehicle is now in production at the Piaggio Group Baramati plant, reaching 100% production capacity from 2013.
Piaggio says the new Ape City Passenger vehicle will allow it to make a bold entrance into the three wheel city passenger sector, which sector represented 80% of the Indian three-wheel market in 2011 with more than 415,000 units sold. Within this amount is the “small body” segment of more that 200,000 units sold per year, wherein fits the new Ape City.
(This article compiled using information from a Piaggio & C. S.p.A. press release)
