The Piaggio Ape three-wheeled delivery vehicle has been in production since 1948.
Piaggio introduced the Ape in postwar Italy as a practical commercial adaptation of the Vespa scooter. Designer Corradino D’Ascanio’s concept added two rear wheels and a load platform, creating a compact vehicle for merchants and tradespeople who needed affordable transport.
The earliest Ape A, produced from 1948 to 1952, used a 125cc engine and a wooden pickup bed. Later versions increased engine capacity and gradually added features such as enclosed cabins. The Ape C, launched in 1956, was the first model with a closed cab, while the 1964 Ape D brought a 175cc engine and other refinements.
A common mix-up is confusing 1948, the beginning of the Ape line, with the dates of particular generations. Production also expanded beyond Italy: Piaggio eventually shifted Ape manufacturing largely to India, where the vehicle became especially associated with autorickshaws and small urban deliveries.