The recession of the Thirties fails to slow Piaggio down as it continues to take on new talents in its R&D department in the form of Giovanni Pegna, Giovanni Gabrielli, Giovanni Casiraghi and Corradino d'Ascanio. The latter immediately makes his mark in 1930 when, together with other inventors, he produces one of the world’s first helicopter prototypes. From then on, his genius will be forever linked to Piaggio’s story with the creation of a host of vehicles, including the PD1 and PD2 (Piaggio-d’Ascanio) helicopters.

The love for two wheels continues to grow

During the Sixties, popularity continues to increase, along with the number of vehicles produced. 1967 sees the introduction of the Ciao, a scooter closely resembling a bicycle designed by d’Ascanio 12 years earlier. It will remain in production, almost unaltered, until 2006. There is also the acquisition of Gilera in 1969 and with this, Piaggio’s standing as the benchmark in the motorbike sector is sealed.

Towards a more sustainable future

As part of its commitment to emission reduction, Piaggio creates the MP3 Hybrid, a three-wheel scooter with combustion engine and electric battery combination. Its variety of riding modes offer different types of interaction between the two units to optimise performance and range. Last, but not least, Piaggio continues its work with slowing down emissions with the introduction of the Vespa Elettrica. With a riding range of 100 km and requiring just 4 hours to fully charge, it is completely silent, respects the environment and delivers a performance that beats that of a traditional 50 cc scooter.