Adiva unveils all-electric CARGO3 tilting three-wheeler

If there is one thing that electric motorcycles are ideal for, it is for ferrying deliveries around congested urban centers quickly and efficiently. And that's just the market Italian-based Adiva has in its sights with the CARGO3 scooter it displayed at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. Similar to the newly electrified Honda Canopy, the CARGO3 is an all-electric tilting three-wheeler (one front, two rear) that features a rear deck to accommodate an optional rear mounting box, plus a roof, deflectors and wiper-equipped wide windscreen for protection from the elements.

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Measuring 2165 mm (7.1 ft) long, 805 mm (2.64 ft) wide, 1,805 mm (5.92 ft) high and with a seat height of 720 mm (2.36 ft), the CARGO3 weighs 180 kg (397 lb), boasts a 100 liter+ (26.4 gal US) trunk capacity and can carry a load of up to 60 kg (132 lb). It is driven by two 0.5 kw electric motors, each providing a maximum torque of 180 Nm, with power supplied by a LiFePO4 battery that can be charged in around six to eight hours and gives the vehicle a maximum range of 50 km (31 miles).

Adiva has over a decades worth of experience in producing enclosed scooters and received an international patent for its innovative foldable roof in 2004. That design can be seen on previous Adiva models, including two-wheelers and three-wheelers in both one front, two rear and two front, one rear configurations. Like the Yamaha EC-Mui that was also on display in Tokyo this year, the CARGO3 follows the one front, two rear set up that Adiva says combines the agility of a scooter with the safety of three wheels.

Adiva's claims that the CARGO3 is ideal for delivering newspapers, letters and small parcels have already helped the company secure two major buyers in the form of the Japan Post Service and French Post Office.