Piaggio in the Piazzas of Italy

Better known in North America for its Vespa (Wasp) scooters, Piaggio has been making Ape (Bee) pickup trucks and panel vans since 1948. In Italy, they are ubiquitous at piazza markets and shops as their size and versatility are ideally suited to the needs of vendors and navigating narrow streets and tight parking spots.

smart Roadster, Padova, Italy

smart produced about 43 000 roadsters between 2003 and 2006. Sales were meeting projections but warranty claims due to leakage problems halted production. This one we spotted in Padova, Italy has a removable Targa roof. An electric powered soft-top was another option available. With a six-speed automatic transmission and rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout the roadster's fuel economy is about 45 miles per Imperial gallon.

Business smarts 54: Sm+ools, Padova, Italy

Sm+ools is a private, gaming club in Padova, Italy.

Business smarts 53: Fondo Casa, Monza, Italy

Fondo Casa is an Italian real estate company with offices in several cities. This smart belongs to their Monza office. 

Car-free Zermatt

We arrived in Zermatt via the Glacier Express train and were greeted at the station by a fleet of electric taxis, the only vehicles allowed in town. Our hotel was in walking distance so we didn't need to catch a lift. Tourists wishing to visit this ski resort town by car will find that they need to part 5 km away at Täsch and continue their journey by train.  These transporters are manufactured in Switzerland by Stimbo,  and Jumbo-Garage and Italy by Simai .

Swiss Post delivers via electric scooter

In a bid to reduce CO2 emissions, Swiss Post aims to replace its 7500 scooters with an electric version, like the one above spotted in St Moritz, by 2016. These funky looking 3-wheelers are safer, have larger carrying capacity and can go 20 km (12.4 miles) on a single charge. Photo by RLT.