Piaggio And BP To Work Together To Expand Electric Motorbike Services

On October 25, 2021, the Piaggio Group and fuel company bp jointly announced a plan to greatly expand electric mobility for two- and three-wheeled vehicles across Asia and Europe. What kind of services? Charging, battery swap stations, and additional Battery-as-a-Service and Vehicle-as-a-Service options are all on the table. 

Citing promising global EV statistics, the pair aim to do what they can to increase electric two- and three-wheel infrastructure and service in multiple markets. Already in 2021, the pair say that around 250 million two- and three-wheelers are electric, and they only see that number rising. By 2040, some estimates suggest that around 80 percent of the global two- and three-wheeled vehicle fleet will be electrified, so it’s no wonder that either company wants to accelerate its involvement. 

What, if anything, does this have to do with Piaggio’s existing swappable battery consortium agreement with Honda, KTM, and Yamaha? That’s not entirely clear yet. However, it’s worth remembering that agreement also began with a Memorandum of Understanding, which is also the type of arrangement that Piaggio and bp have just announced. Every project has to start somewhere.

“Working together with bp will help us deliver our idea and offer of a mobility revolution,” Piaggio Group chief of strategy and product Michele Colaninno said in a statement. 

“To achieve this goal, it is necessary to promote the widespread adoption of electric vehicles such as motorbikes, motor scooters and compact commercial vehicles equipped with battery swap technology or plug-in charging, thus encouraging a more sustainable life-cycle management of batteries and greater respect for the environment. Working with bp is an incredible starting point to enhance our strategy,” he continued.  

“The huge and fast-growing two- and three-wheeler market is already leading the way for electrification and we see great potential for continued growth across both Asia and Europe,” added bp senior vice president of future mobility and solutions Richard Bartlett. 

“Working closely with Piaggio Group – a world leader in this market – we will aim to develop and deliver the innovative services that customers will need. This will support the growth of rapid and truly convenient urban mobility using zero tailpipe emission vehicles, enabling reductions in air pollution and helping cities in their efforts to decarbonize,” Bartlett concluded. 

Under this MoU, Piaggio Group, bp, and affiliate Jio-bp will start rolling out some of these strategies in India. From there, they intend to shift focus to China, Indonesia, Vietnam, and eventually across Europe. 

Piaggio And BP To Work Together To Expand Electric Motorbike Services
Source: Philippines Election