Electric scooters — and motor-assisted bicycles — are all the rage these days. Most do little more than integrate a battery-electric powertrain in a traditional two-wheeled form factor. But some go further, prodding the evolution of the species with arresting style, advanced technical features or both. The Ryno self-balancing electric unicycle is one of our favourites, as is the retro-styled Lithium Cycles Super 73. And this week, an oddly wonderful contraption from Singapore, unveiled at China's Shenzhen International Industrial Design Fair, joins the list.

Meanwhile, in Italy With Vespa Elettrica, Piaggio reboots the scooter

Not to be outdone in the segment it popularised, Italy's Piaggio aims to do some reinventing of its own. At this week's Esposizione Mondiale del Motociclismo motorbike show in Milan, the company will pull the wraps off its Vespa Elettrica project. Piaggio is calling the battery electric scooter a concept, but admits it will enter production during the second half of 2017. Specifications are forthcoming, but the bike, says Piaggio, "will, first and foremost, be a true Vespa, bringing the very latest in electric technology to a vehicle that will retain all the features that have been vital to its success."

Behold the Motochimp, created by newcomer Vanda Electrics (the company behind the outlandish Dendrobium electric supercar). “Motochimp really celebrates the indie spirit of spontaneous urban mobility," says Vanda CEO Larissa Tan. "It’s sustainable yet sassy, cost-effective yet cool, eco-friendly yet bursting with personality."

When Piaggio Vespa arrived in 1946, it was hardly the world's first motor scooter; such nimble machines — with small motors and small frames — had been available in one form or another for close to 50 years by then. But the Italian scooter was the first to emerge as a global phenomenon, and it did so thanks to a host of technical innovations and its cheeky looks. Motochimp aims to redefine the electric scooter in similar ways. “Our original concept was inspired by a sketch from a 10-year-old girl," says Tan, "We’ve really let our imaginations run free and we’re very proud of the results."

The look is indelible, but the Motochimp's appeal — at least on paper — is at least as great as its gimmick. The bike is designed to replenish its lithium-ion battery pack from a standard household outlet in less than an hour and cover 60km (37mi) on a full charge — ample for a day of urban errand-running. Like the original Vespa, the Motochimp uses a stress-bearing "body" — a metre-long rectangular tube of extruded 6061 aluminium alloy that can be finished in red, blue or yellow. Also like the Vespa, the Motochimp's small wheels and modest wheelbase (a scant 750mm) promise to give it skateboard-like agility in tight urban environments. A 350-watt hub motor in the rear wheel enables a city-friendly top speed of 30kph (19mph — really, would you want to go any faster on this thing?) And there is no "key": the Motochimp operates by recognising a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, similar to the passive transponder chips implanted in livestock and family pets.

Japan will be the first market to welcome the Motochimp, followed by other parts of Asia, Europe and the UK. And although the company quotes the scooter's price in US dollars (2,000 of them, in fact), it has announced no plans to introduce the bike to the States.

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