Tag Archives: Asia

Ikea’s new India store offers delivery by solar-powered tuk-tuk

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ikea_rickshawOriginally based on the Indian version of a Vespa Ape, the three-wheeler rickshaw is ubiquitous throughout the Indian sub-continent, and indeed Asia. Ikea is using a solar-powered of these as at least 20% of their delivery fleet for their new Hyderabad flagship store.  The Ikea version will be charged at the store, running off of solar power harvested from 4,000 panels on the roof. Any excess energy gathered will be used for lighting and inside the store.

Link to the original story on Curbed.

Just to add some Lambretta flavour, here’s a  couple of (very) short videos of the Lambretta version of the three-wheeler commercial vehicle, The Lambro.

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What’s the Buzz?

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IMG_9050What’s the Buzz? The Buzz is the future. It’s electric. And it’s Vespa shaped. Aiming to do for the scooter market what Tesla have done for cars, Buzz is recreating yesterdays scooter style with tomorrows technology.

Based in Vietnam, where there’s a lot of love for vintage scoots, Buzz are ‘British Engineered’. My guess is it’s the guys at the Saigon Scooter Centre who are behind this initiative, but I may be wrong!

IMG_9056The images shown are prototypes – the final design promising to morph into a ‘more modern take on this classic shop’ – well, I for one hope they don’t change too much. You know what side of the fence I sit on in the Vespa vs. Lambretta debate… but Vespas are the second most beautiful scooters ever made – so this retro styling looks pretty good!

Of course, it comes down to more that just good looks. These vehicles have got to perform. But with claimed top speeds of 120 kph and a 0-100 kph of under 4 seconds (for the 5000W Buzz1 model) it’s not something to worry about. Even the more modest 2000W models top end of 80kph is fine for commuting and city riding.

IMG_9065The two big ‘pain points’ with electric vehicles are range and charging. The Buzz scooters have a range of 240km – nearly 150 miles in old money. Pretty impressive. And improvements in battery tech could boost that to 400km. If your riding any more than that between charges, your doing some serious level scootering.IMG_3909

Charging should be just as pain free. Plug in overnight for a slow charge (6 hours), or, if you’re in a rush, fast charge to 80% capacity in just 12 minutes.

IMG_9084There’s even an option with a removable roof system – featuring built in solar panels – the goal being you ‘ride for free’ and never have to plug your scoot into the grid. To be honest, I’d rather plug my scooter in once a day than ride around with a roof, but I think this would work well for delivery vehicles. Delivery vehicles in sunny places!

Being 2017, all Buzz bikes will have connectivity to your phone. A RFID system means that you’ll never worry about losing your keys again. You’ll also be able to locate your bike, and check your battery status on your phone.

So, sounds pretty good right? If only it was Lambretta shaped! Well… rumours reach Lambrettista towers that (as well as some other exciting news) an electric Lambretta Vendetta is in the pipeline. Watch this space.

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Find out more on the Buzz website.

Via OffTheClothBoff and Modculture.

Scomadi Latest

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Remember the rather tasty modern incarnation of the Lambretta GP, The Scomadi, that I wrote about way back in November last year, here?ScomadiWell there’s an update on the ScooterNova site. At the recent Morecambe Pre-Season Rally, PM Tuning held an open day at their shop, where a couple of Scomadi’s were on display, including a prototype of the forthcoming 50cc Turismo Leggera production model.ScomadiScomadi are now transitioning from making a few one offs, to full scale production… with manufacturing in Asia. Regualr reader and Lambrettista corespondent Ian pointed me in the direction of this site… Hanway Motors, who are either producing the Scomadi for Lambretta Innovations, or ripping them off…

Anyway, it’s all good in my humble opinion, and I’m a classic Innocenti man. The Scomadi is a modern version of the Italian original, in the same way as a modern Vespa, and the modern Vespa clones (LML etc) encapsulate the spirit of older classic Vespas. Alongside the LN, it can only be good for the whole Lambretta scene.

Scomadi pricing and delivery to finalised. Keep up to date on their website, or Facebook page.

Lambrettista – Read in over 40 countries on 6 continents!

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Lambrettista-CoverageMapWow. Since moving my blog over from Posterous to WordPress I’ve been able to see a lot more data about who’s visiting, and where from. And it just goes to show that interest in Lambrettas is truly global. I kind of expected some readers from the UK and Italy, as well as Spain and the US… but it would be easier to say where the blog isn’t read! (Come on Africa, China and the Middle East – you’re letting the side down!) I got my first reader in Egypt yesterday, so I’ve got a little bit of a nibble into Africa…

So a big thank you to all my vistors. It makes this little personal project well worth while.

If you check out my links page you’ll see there are Lambretta Clubs in over 30 countries. If I’ve missed where you live, apologies, let me know and I’ll post a link.

EDIT: We’re past 50 Countries now… and going strong! FURTHER EDIT: Make that 60 Countries. From the Aland Islands to Uruguay!

Lambretta Helicak

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An unusual Lambretta/Rickshaw type contraption from Indonesia, these Helicaks (because they look like a Helicopter, presumably) are one of the odder Lambretta conversions I’ve seen.

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They were introduced in Jakarta in the early ’70s, but by the late ’80s were deemed unsafe, as in an impending accident, the drivers tended to abandon ship, leaving the passengers trapped in the fibreglass cab to take the brunt of the collision.

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