"The idea for the project was to create a minimum vehicle for the city,"
the Vespa 1+1
That vehicle just had to be a Vespa, "not only because it is the spirit of Italian design, but because it marked a step in the history and world culture, which is also the first real minimum vehicle for the city."
Panarella also wanted to encourage a carefree Italian romance through transportation design. "The idea was a vehicle anti-conventional and [meant to] increase 'contact' between the driver and passenger," he said. "In Italy it's very important for a girl and boy."
The Vespa 1+1 is propelled by in-wheel electric motors that drive tiny tracks. A swipe of the fingerprint sensor starts the scooter, while the driver uses pressure sensors on the handlebars to steer, accelerate and brake.
The exterior is the result of Panarella picking and choosing various Vespa design elements and combining them into an "evolved" concept. "I analyzed the different characteristics of various Vespas, analyzing the points which have favor or not," he told Autopia. "I then tried to evolve my idea on the first model of Vespa."
To us, the 1+1 looks positively cubist, but we'd much rather navigate the narrow streets of Rome with it's tiny footprint -- especially with a gorgeous movie star as a passenger.
the Vespa 1+1
articolo Wired
