Game changer? The new electric Piaggio 1 from just £2000 | ROAD TEST

Piaggio may be a little late coming to the electric commuter scooter market but boy was it worth waiting for. The Piaggio 1 is going to be a game-changer.

Not only is the new Piaggio 1 a very nice looking and well-built machine but it’ll come into the country in two variations to cater for different licencing requirements and is priced to literally fly out of showrooms. Could this be the first e-scooter to be a hit with not only the regular commuter but also with the X-Box generation? At a starting price of just £2011 (including plug-in grant), it deserves to be. Yes, you read that correctly, this is a top-spec electric scooter from a mainstream brand at an affordable price.

We’d seen a spy shot of the scooter at the beginning of 2021 and there was no mistaking where the design inspiration came from. This is a reincarnation of the popular Piaggio Zip. And that’s no bad thing, the Zip has always been a great little fifty. It handles well, is light etc. There’s a reason Zips have been used for racing since day one and that’s because the whole package works so well (and they’re tuneable). Sadly time is running out for the conventional moped. Sales of illegal stand up e-scooters have already helped accelerate an ever-shrinking market but the threat of confiscation may start to make people think twice about owning one. That’s where a smart-looking, legal and affordable electric scooter fits in nicely.

A new era

Enter a new age, a decade when there’s no escaping the environmental time bomb. The world is changing rapidly and for the moment at least, electricity seems to be the saviour. It’s time for a cost-effective transport solution to replace fossil fuels for owners with shorter regular journeys.

The Piaggio 1 models

Starting at the bottom, the standard Piaggio 1 version’s hub motor makes 1.2 kW and can be ridden on a moped licence. It has a retail price of £2500 but that’s before the plug-in grant comes into play. The actual cost to you will be around £2011!

That model has a range of up to 27 miles (55km) in ECO mode and 26 miles (43 km) in Sport. It’s restricted to 28mph (or 45km/h) to fit in with moped licencing. Not a huge range but more than most people do a day on a moped.

Piaggio 1 Active

We road-tested the 1 Active, this model has a 2 kW motor so you need to be 17 years old (or over) to ride it. It’s not massively quicker than the 1 but has a top speed of 38mph. It has a range of 52 miles in Eco mode or 31 miles in Sport mode. The Active has a retail price of £3000 but with your 20% plug-in discount, it’ll only cost you £2411.

I’d like to see a version that makes the same power as 125 , this would open the 1 up to even more riders and make it a serious proposition for owners with a longer commute.

Have a look at the video above for our thoughts from the saddle…

All for one and 1 for all

The Piaggio 1 comes in a choice of six colours, we rode the Forever White. It’s the only Piaggio 1 we’ve actually seen in the flesh and I was pleasantly surprised, it looks great close up, the quality was excellent and the styling is bang on as well. I’m not usually a fan of white scooters but the paintwork really pops against the gloss black wheels, horncast, clock surround and that nicely designed front mudguard. The scooter also has some tactile detailing on the front legshields and side panels, a touch that adds a bit of something to the overall design. The LED lights include an eye-catching front running light with integrated indicators, modern tech extends to the full-colour and informative dash. The dash has a choice of single colour day mode, or multicoloured night mode and will change automatically depending on ambient lighting. It’s good to look at and gives you plenty of warning about battery power etc. The scooter also comes with a USB point, customary bag hook and for added practicality, it still retains some space beneath the seat (unusual on an electric scoot). The battery lives under there but sits low in the frame. It can be charged in situ or removed for home charging (charging takes around six hours). The charger also fits under there, along with a chain and rain cover. According to the brochure, it’s possible to store an open-faced helmet under there if you like.

If white’s not your thing, other colour choices are available; Forever Black, Forever Grey, Sunshine mix – a blend of grey and yellow, Arctic Mix – white and blue and finally Forest Mix – grey and green. I’m pretty sure it won’t be too long before a few tasty styling mods are also available for this scooter, it’s certainly a machine for people to put their own stamp on, just as a scooter should be.

In the city

Riding this scooter in its natural habitat helped me to realise that the two riding modes can be quite useful, even on a 38mph scooter. Obviously, Eco is designed to prolong battery range and dim the power. The scooter will do 18mph in that mode and it’s perfectly adequate for riding through busy traffic in London (or elsewhere). Press the map button on the right handlebar and you can switch to Sport. This gives full power but eats into your battery. It’s the go to mode though for most riders. Like with many electric scooters there’s also a reverse to help when backing out of a space.

London is the perfect place for a scooter like this and I had a good few hours riding around like the tourist that I am, ‘ooh, there’s Big Ben!’

Are you Active?

The 1 Active is basically like riding a derestricted moped. The extra 10mph is well worth having and gives you a bit more confidence, for the extra £400 I’d go for this model (if your licence permits it). The scooter accelerates better than most 50cc scooters and you’ll soon see 30 mph on the clock and it’ll top out at 38.

There’s a lot to like about the Piaggio 1, although it’s not at all expensive in comparison to other electric scooters it doesn’t feel like corners have been cut to save money. For instance, it comes with keyless ignition. There’s front and rear disc brakes with a combined braking system operated by the rear lever. The scooter also benefits from KERS – Kinetic Energy Recovery System, which basically puts some charge back into your battery every time you use the brakes. You also get dual rear suspension and a sporty single-sided front fork. The 5.5″ dash is modern and classy, the overall finish is superb and the cast swinging arm is pretty to look at, lots of other e-scooters just have an ugly box section swinging arm to attach to the rear wheel – Piaggio have gone to town on making this scooter not only affordable but also attractive and that makes a big difference.

It seems to me like the Italian scooter giants have really thrown down the gauntlet to other manufacturers. If they can produce a scooter this well spec’d at this price point there’s no reason why others can’t follow. I think they’ve nailed it. If you’re thinking of switching to a greener solution, or swapping your current mode of transport altogether and have a need for something that can cover a few miles with no fuss I’d be beating a path to my local Piaggio dealer. Stock is due to arrive in November and I reckon these will sell faster than petrol during a panic.

Words and photos: Iggy

Extended warranty

In addition to the manufacturer’s standard warranty, there’s also an extended warranty available. Full details above.

The battery is capable of full efficiency for at least 800 charge cycles. After this it still retains 70% of its capacity and can still be used as normal.