Piaggio And Zongshen Jointly Develop New 150cc Scooter Engine

You could certainly say that the humble sub-200cc single-cylinder engine is a major driving force in the economies of several Asian and European countries. Unlike what has become the norm in the U.S., motorcycles in Asia and parts of Europe are more than just toys and recreational equipment. You see, in Southeast Asia in particular, small scooters are the lifeblood of the economy, and are largely in charge of keeping life running smoothly.

As such, it isn’t really all too surprising that motorcycles vastly outnumber cars in terms of yearly registrations. It is in fact through the Asian market that several global players in the motorcycle industry make bulk of their profits, and it’s no surprise that innovation is rife in the small displacement scooter game. You’re certainly familiar with Piaggio, the parent company of Aprilia, Vespa, and the like. The Italian manufacturer has long been tied up with Zongshen, a popular Chinese motorcycle manufacturer.

In a report by Chinese motoring publication Mega China Motor, the two companies have jointly developed a new small-capacity scooter engine that will soon be seen in two-wheelers for the Asian and European markets. It’s been designated the G150S, and bears a similar architecture to the engines powering popular machines like the Yamaha NMAX, Honda ADV150, and other 150cc-class runabouts. It pumps out 15 horsepower, while torque is pegged at around 11 ft-lbs. The new engine features electronic fuel-injection and liquid-cooling.

As is the case with most premium small scooters and mopeds, the new G150S engine is compatible with a host of techie features including keyless ignition, silent start, as well as automatic engine cutoff in heavy traffic or at a stoplight. Given the fact that large manufacturers use the same engine across multiple platforms, we can expect to see this workhorse of a motor in several models, likely to be launched in the 2022 model-year.

Piaggio And Zongshen Jointly Develop New 150cc Scooter Engine
Source: Philippines Election