Ape, Italy’s Long Seller 3-wheeler
A short story of the little mighty bee.
If you've ever been to the Italian countryside, you may have seen the Piaggio Ape, an auto tricycle still going strong 75 years after its introduction. The brightly colored Ape tricycles are so cute that when they trot up a hill with bags of soil or shrubs of plants in the rear cart, you can't help but wish to give them a big cheer!
Piaggio is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Europe, making the world-famous Vespa scooter. After WW II in poverty-stricken Italy, the Piaggio Ape (“Ape”) was developed to market to the Italians who could not afford private cars. When the first Ape was sold in 1948, it was called the "Vespa Car" or "Tri Vespa" because it had two wheels and a stand attached to the back of the Vespa scooter. Eventually, a driver's cab with doors on both sides was installed to accommodate the driver’s safety and has evolved to the shape seen today. Ape is a one-seater, but it is possible to squeeze in two persons (provided that both are either petite or very slim!). I often see a couple or a parent/child duo jammed into the tiny car compartment. It must be cosy inside…
Ape at the antique market in Arezzo, picking up furniture pieces for delivery. Very handy as cars/trucks cannot enter the city centre.
Ape" means "bee" in Italian, as they run around the small spaces and roads with a buzzing sound like a bee. The 50cc engine Api (plural form of Ape) is the key player in the historic centre of Orvieto - they are relied upon by the supermarkets, pasta shops, and even junk collectors in town, and freely roar through the narrow and winding streets of the old medieval city. The maximum speed of the 50 cc engine is about 60 km/h; however, the speed is super slow when carrying a heavy load. Often, one will see the Ape buzzing right along the side of the road as if to say, "Excuse me for being so slow; please pass right ahead…”.
Ape that buzz around the town of Orvieto collecting whatever needs to be transported.
The sign on the windshield says “Can load metal”.
When I could no longer legally drive with my foreign driver's license or international driver's permit and was desperate, I played with the idea of obtaining a bike license and driving an Ape instead of a car. Although I’ve (miraculously) managed to obtain an Italian driver’s license, the thought of getting a used Ape to transport garden supplies, little objects, etc., still entertains my mind. And if found, an ape with a bright red color like an Italian tomato would be fantastic!
