The Piaggio Ape initially marketed as VespaCar or TriVespa,is a three-wheeled light commercial vehicle, manufactured and marketed by Piaggio as an adaption of the company’s Vespa scooter. Currently two model ranges are offered: the “Ape 50” with a 49.8 cc petrol engine and the larger “Ape TM” which comes available with a 218 cc petrol engine or a 422 cc diesel engine.
source/image: Steven Dawe
Vehicle enthusiast Steve Dawe decided to transform his own tiny Piaggio Ape into a campervan, possibly one of the smallest ones out there.
source/image: Steven Dawe
He opted for a Piaggio Ape MP600, restoring its scooter base, flatbed trike, and engine before fitting it with a custom-made and demountable pod that transforms the trike into a tiny but practical campervan.
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Here is a 5-minute presentation of my project where I restored a Piaggio MP600 flatbed truck and then made a removable, self-contained, camper pod that turns the ape into a self-contained camper van for two.
It has a sink with hot and cold running water, a draining board and three-burner hob, which can be used in situ or rolled outside and used on legs. It has its own solar-powered electric system.
The pod weighs less than 200kg fully ladened, which is a third of the payload capacity of the vehicle. I have made a video from the photos I’ve taken during the project. I hope you like it.
