MV Agusta has long been considered one of the most exclusive boutique motorcycle manufacturers in the world. The Italian motorcycle maker, indeed, has some of the most visually striking motorcycles with impressive performance to boot. However, given the changing tides of the motorcycle industry, particularly the shift towards lightweight electric machines, it’ll certainly be interesting to see how MV Agusta will adapt.
In July, 2021, we got a glimpse of what MV Agusta’s future could look like in the electric world with the launch of the AMO RR and RC. The electric mountain bikes were the company’s first foray into the wonderful world of electric mobility, and it seems that they’re not stopping there. You see, MV Agusta now joins Aprilia, with the eSR2, and Ducati, with the Pro III Evo, with its own electric stand-up scooter. It’s called the Rapido Serie Oro, and one glance at this fancy machine makes it clear that it wants to stand out from the competition.
It’s clearly modeled after MV Agusta’s high-performance machines such as the Superveloce retro sportbike and the Brutale naked streetfighter. It features a round, LED headlight which gives it a bulky, muscular stance. The headlight is shod in a fairing which flares on each side, reminiscent of winglets found on hypersport machines. The front fork, although rigid, is shaped to match the scooter’s bodywork. Beneath the sporty exterior lies a lightweight magnesium alloy frame—a major step forward from the competition’s aluminum units.
The Rapido Serie Oro gets top-of-the-line equipment such as 10-inch alloy wheels with wide tubeless tires, front and rear disc brakes, and a large, four-inch LCD instrument panel. Power is supplied by a 48V, 10.4 Ah lithium-ion battery which is hooked up to a 500 W brushless electric motor which is integrated into the scooter’s rear wheel. It delivers a claimed 24 Nm of torque, and propels the scooter to a top speed of 38 kilometers per hour, or 24 miles per hour. It’s equipped with four riding modes, accessible via the instrument cluster.
Battery charging time from zero to full takes around six hours, with a claimed 50 kilometers, or 31 miles of riding range on every charge. The Rapido Serie Oro, just like most other e-scooters, can be folded for easy storage and transport. It retails for 999 Euros, or the equivalent of around $1,160 USD. However, MV Agusta is offering it at a discounted rate of 849 Euros, or $983 USD, until Christmas.
