Piaggio MP3 HYS

Always considering environmental problems, Piaggio presented a inovative solution destinated to change for ever the way we comute in crowded cities.

Year after year the cities become more and more crowded and with personal transporting becoming a must, somebody had to find a solution. You will probably thing that it was found together with the two wheels but not everybody will agree with you. Many people are scared of getting on two wheels and this is where Piaggio comes in.

After recently releasing Piaggio MP3, the President of Piaggio expressed its intentions to release a hybrid version of the vehicle that will result in providing solutions for congested cities.

The scooter is scheduled for release for the European at the end of the month and it will use Piaggio’ HYS technology.

The Piaggio HYS uses ingenious technical solution and still can be ridden with the usual controls (accelerator, brakes and additional handlebar commands) as well as a specific switch to choose one of four operating modes: standard hybrid, high-charge hybrid, low-charge hybrid and electric only.

In the first three modes the HYS manages power output from the two engines, thermal and electric, using a drive-by-wire system: the electronic management system (SGE) interprets the rider’s request for more torque and selects the assist ratio on the state of the system. During deceleration and braking, the control system recovers and accumulates power that is lost on normal vehicles with battery.

In standard hybrid mode the battery charge is maintained at optimum traction levels (batteries at 75%). In view of “electric only” use, the rider can, however, choose the high-charge hybrid function, geared to maximize the range of the electric motor (batteries at 95%).

On the other hand, if the rider wishes to recharge the batteries by plugging them into a power outlet, he can use the low-charge hybrid mode (batteries at 20%) to obtain maximum performance with minimum consumption.

In electric-only mode, the Piaggio HYS shuts down the combustion engine and turns into a silent, zero-emissions electric vehicle.

Drive-by-wire technology not only allows the control system to optimally manage the combined power output of the two engines but also “forces” the terminal engine to work when it can be most efficient, thereby reducing specific consumption, with obvious advantages in terms of lower consumption and emissions.

Piaggio Launches Two Plug-In Hybrid Vespa Scooters

Piaggio, the Italian manufacturer of the iconic Vespa scooter, has introduced two plug-in hybrid prototypes based on the standard Vespa LX 50 and X8 125 models.

The HyS (Hybrid Scooter) models are parallel hybrids, combining four-stroke combustion engines with electric motors. The electric motor provides power assist, supplying a 25% boost in power for acceleration over the first few meters (a good feature for lunging through urban traffic), while at the same time supporting a 20% decrease in fuel consumption.

The rider uses all the normal controls (accelerator, brakes and additional handlebar commands) as well as a specific switch to choose one of four operating modes:

Standard hybrid
High-charge hybrid
Low-charge hybrid
Electric-only


In the first three modes the HyS manages power output from the engine and the motor using a drive-by-wire type system. The electronic management system interprets the rider’s request for more torque and selects the assist ratio based on the battery’s state of charge.

Regenerative braking recharges the batteries.

In standard-hybrid mode the battery charge is maintained at optimal traction levels (batteries at 75%). The high-charge hybrid function is geared to maximize the range of the electric motor (batteries at 95%).

If, on the other hand, the rider wishes to recharge the batteries using the 220V battery charger by plugging into a power outlet, he or she can use the low-charge hybrid mode (batteries at 20%) to obtain maximum performance with minimum consumption. (Charging time is about three hours.)

In electric-only mode, the Piaggio HyS shuts down the combustion engine and turns into a silent, zero-emission electric vehicle—an important consideration for those European cities that are increasingly placing restrictions on emitting vehicles.

The control system not only manages the combined power output of the engine and motor, but also forces the engine to work when it can be most efficient, thereby reducing specific consumption, with advantages in terms of lower consumption and emissions.

The traction batteries are hidden in the under-seat storage space, which is sufficiently large on the X8 125 HyS to also hold a helmet. The Vespa LX 50 HyS hybrid prototype comes with a top case to hold the helmet.

More News on Piaggio HyS

Piaggio Australia announce plans for the HyS hybrid range of scooters in 2008.

Piaggio Australia

Italian manufacturer Piaggio, the maker of Vespa, has launched an environmentally friendly hybrid scooter by mechanically and electronically linking a traditional combustion engine with an electric motor.

The new design, which has a working title of HyS (Hybrid Scooter), allows the petrol engine to work as 'normal', but whenever the rider needs to accelerate more aggressively, the electric motor kicks in, providing about 85 per cent extra performance. The grouping of petrol and electric provides significant reductions in fuel consumption and C02 emissions.

In this dual drive-by-wire type system, a sophisticated electronic management system interprets the rider's request for more power, and selects the level of assistance based on the current level of battery charge. During deceleration, the battery is then recharged, which can also be achieved via a regular electricity source, taking about three hours.

As well as the hybrid set up, riders can also toggle between two other modes on a HyS scooter: electric and petrol. In electric, the combustion engine is completely shut down, and allows a range of up to 20km.

"Scooters already enjoy a low environmental impact and soon owners will be able to further reduce their footprint on the earth," said Piaggio's Brand Manager Simon Gloyne. "Our studies have revealed that potential owners want to do the right thing, but are reluctant about electric-only scooters due to their limited range and inability to take on fresh energy at the drop of a hat. The HyS models will enable owners to have their environmental cake and eat it too."

Piaggio has already produced prototypes of the HyS, based on the Vespa LX and Piaggio X8 and three-wheeled MP3 scooter families. The HyS versions are visually identical to the standard scooters, with the batteries housed in the underseat storage space. There is a battery charge indicator on the respective dashboards.

Piaggio Australia is planning to introduce these new models, although a release date for the revolutionary HyS scooter is yet to be determined.