The end of the line for the Vespa PX
It's a sad day scooter fans. Piaggio has announced that it will end production of the world's most beloved and iconic scooter -- the Vespa PX. Due to rising European emissions standards, the Vespas' old-fashioned buzzing 2-stroke engine has become a thing of the past. While the company could equip the scooter with the proper pollution scrubbing components, it would cease to be a cost-effective operation.Vespa scooters are well know for being easy on the pocketbook when it comes to filling up the tank, the problem lies in the engine's design. Two-cycle engines burn a gas/oil mixture that results in a bunch of extra carbon emissions. That's why the 2-cycle engine itself is becoming an endangered species. Motorcyle manufacturers are under increasing pressure by environmental groups to phase out the dirty machines, and it looks like it won't be long before we've seen the last 2-cycle roll off the line. The future of 2-wheelers might look something like this electric dirt bike.
[via Autobloggreen]
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