APD Concept further develops the vision presented in 2022 by the two brands, prefiguring a future production model; leverages a low aerodynamic drag coefficient that has positive incremental effects on the performance and riding range of an electric two-wheeled vehicle.
08 Nov 2023 | 3567 Views | By Autocar Professional Bureau
Vmoto has unveiled the all-electric APD Concept scooter, developed in collaboration with the Centro Stile Pininfarina, at EICMA 2023, the world’s leading two-wheeler trade fair held in Milan. This is the first new model of the brand specialised in urban electric mobility. The APD Concept by Pininfarina will be on ...
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Vmoto has unveiled the all-electric APD Concept scooter, developed in collaboration with the Centro Stile Pininfarina, at EICMA 2023, the world’s leading two-wheeler trade fair held in Milan. This is the first new model of the brand specialised in urban electric mobility. The APD Concept by Pininfarina will be on display for the entire duration of EICMA 2023 at the Vmoto stand (I46 in Hall 11).
The Vmoto Soco Group, which has a production capacity of more than 300,000 high-quality electric vehicles, has inked a collaboration with the Italian styling house to realise a cross-cutting programme designed for electric mobility.
The APD Concept will drive the development of a new scooter model that Vmoto will introduce in its range in the near future, thus opening up to a sector that it had not engaged in until now – maxi scooters. To do this, Vmoto has once again decided to rely on the prestigious signature of the Centro Stile di Pininfarina, whose pencils have over the years sketched masterpieces that have entered the history of design and continue to shape the future by designing iconic objects.
The APD concept represents the natural development of the vision presented at EICMA 2022 and which inaugurated the collaboration between Vmoto and Pininfarina. Like the first styling maquette, the latest version of the APD puts the aerodynamic study at the centre of its development process, considered a determining element for the design of the vehicle but also for obtaining the best performance in terms of dynamic performance and range.
SCULPTED BY THE WIND
Benefitting from Pininfarina's know-how in the field of aerodynamic studies and the hours spent developing the model in the Pininfarina wind tunnel, a final design has been achieved that Vmoto prefers to call 'Sculpted By The Wind'.
Concept leverages a low aerodynamic drag coefficient that has positive incremental effects on the performance and riding range of an electric two-wheeled vehicle.
As per Vmoto, there is a “complex interweaving of surfaces, which give the volumes a three-dimensionality that is also highlighted by the use of different finishes for painting the surfaces. The bright colours, which focus on a brilliant blue, not only echo the colours of the Vmoto brand and those of the original 2022 concept, but also bring to mind some of Pininfarina's most famous creations of the past.”
Aerodynamics is also recalled by two elements that define the styling of the APD Concept. In fact, the scooter has a strong horizontal development, underlined by the LED light accents, which ends in a truncated tail reminiscent of the automotive Kammbacks – an expedient both aerodynamic and aesthetic that Pininfarina has used in the past on some of its most famous designs, confirming Pininfarina's unique ability to combine style and aerodynamics.
Form and function, in the APD Concept, constantly find a meeting point. For the same reason, Pininfarina has developed a specific bag that is placed on the tunnel that rises from the rider's footrest: a refined, elegant accessory, with a modern design that links up with that of the scooter thanks to the use of the same materials used by the Pininfarina Saddlery to cover the seat of the APD Concept, but at the same time increases the level of practicality and usability of the vehicle in everyday commuting.
Graziano Milone, President, Strategy & Business Development & CMO of Vmoto International, commented on the launch of the APD Concept: "We are extremely excited to be able to present the new APD Concept at EICMA 2023, the world's most important motorbike show. The partnership with a historical firm like Pininfarina is a source of pride for our entire company and I believe that the final result is absolutely extraordinary: a scooter that is not only beautiful, but also innovative and performance-oriented, combining Vmoto's electric technology with the Italian trait of Pininfarina's designers."
"We are happy and honoured to continue our strategic partnership with Vmoto, providing the typical Pininfarina design trait of combining aesthetics, innovation, and performance. Vmoto's APD Concept, designed and built in our Cambiano workshops, has allowed us to express our skills in the aerodynamic field to the fullest, being able to count on the excellence of our Wind Tunnel," said Giuseppe Bonollo, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing at Pininfarina.