MA-DE Studio | GIZMODO.cz

Vespa is a brand name that immediately brings an exact image to mind. All it takes is the word and we see Audrey Hepburn smiling from behind the handlebars of an original Vespa, cruising through the streets of Rome. Patented on April 23, 1946, the original Piaggio Vespa has sold over 18 million units in various editions and models up to the present day. Originally designed by aeronautical engineer Corradino D’Ascanio, MA-DE, an international award-winning design studio turned to the classics for inspiration in creating Vespa ELETTRA, a concept design for an electric version of the reimagined iconic scooter.

Based in Como, Italy, the makers at MA-DE are no strangers to giving Italian classics modern revamps. Looking to 1972’s Fiat 126 for inspiration, MA-DE contemporized the iconic three-door city car and designed their own modern-day Fiat 126, giving Fiat’s 1972 model a generally more refined look. Now, taking Vespa on, the co-founder of MA-DE, Andrea Della Vecchia, says, “I strongly believe in the movement towards electric mobility. It is only a matter of time, not only for cars but especially for scooters and small tools for urban mobility.” With electric means for transportation taking over cities across the globe, zero-emission buses in the works for Los Angeles, and electric subways in New York, it makes sense that MA-DE designed one of Italy’s more popular modes of transportation with electric power.

Vespa ELETTRA would operate on a fully-integrated 7kw electric motor with a torque of 240 Nm that would allow each scooter to reach a speed of up to 95 km/hr or 59 mph, an impressive maximum speed for Vespa. As a concept, Vespa ELETTRA runs on a 5.6 kw/h battery that, when fully charged, gives ELETTRA 140 kilometers of uninterrupted travel time. MA-DE also kept ELETTRA’s main electrical components hidden by keeping the dashboard clean of any digital displays, opting instead for a compartment where riders can store their phones. This virtual dashboard showcases navigation panels and other control software, such as the scooter’s app, which serves as an authentication key accessible through the rider’s smartphone. The Vespa ELETTRA subtly incorporates the conveniences of today’s technology while maintaining the classic style that Piaggio Vespa was once known for, I can still see Audrey Hepburn riding the ELETTRA, only now her smile’s brightened from her smartphone guiding the way.

Designer: MA-DE Studio

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Fiat is an icon for the Youngtimer era of cars and this quarantine period has led to MA-DE studio being inspired to create a concept design of the beloved Fiat to fit in our new world – the all-electric Fiat 126 Vision! Co-founder of the Italian design studio, Andrea Della Vecchia, is passionate about cars and lives by a famous Tony Gaskins quote “If you don’t build your dream someone else will hire you to help build theirs,” which led her to create the Fiat 126 Vision.

This all-electric car is actually Vecchia’s first automotive design project. It reimagines the popular Fiat 126 model from 1972 to fit in our current scenario where vehicles are headed towards a fuel-less future. Fiat 126 is a four-passenger rear-engined city car, introduced by the brand at the Turin Auto Show as a replacement for the Fiat 500; it was one of the most successful models with a total production of almost 4.7 million units.

Vision 126 has a balanced aesthetic of vintage and modern. While the concept has square headlights to resemble the original model, making it slightly slimmer would it a slightly more modern look and would take off some visual bulk from the front. Vision features radial vents in a way where they are integrated within the steel cap which is similar to the original wheel design. A Fiat enthusiast and automotive engineer suggested putting the side turn indicators back on the side fenders to keep a little more of Type 126 intact and perhaps redesigning the outside mirror stalk as a straight line which will form the base of the mirror itself giving it a more refined look.

The 126 Vision concept retains Fiat’s identity, rather its soul, while breathing new life into it so someday we can see it back on the roads with all the upgrades we now have in our cars. “With this 126 Vision, we have decided to preserve, adopting a new interpretation, the contour and some unmistakable stylistic elements, such as the roof tapered at the rear and the squared headlights dominated by the character line that surrounds the vehicle,” says Vecchia. The concept evokes nostalgia with a sleek design.

Designer: MA-DE Studio