So you’re passionate about coffee, you’re thirsty for success, and you’re ready to launch your mobile coffee business, but there’s something missing – you need the perfect cart!
With so much choice out there, it can be difficult to know where to start, when it comes to selecting the right vehicle.
One of the most popular coffee carts out there is The Piaggio Ape – which has found favour with industry professionals worldwide. In this post, we take a look at this fantastic coffee cart, and find out why it could be the ideal option for your new business.
What is an Ape?
The Ape is a three-wheeled light commercial vehicle produced by Italian two-wheeled vehicle specialists Piaggio – the firm behind the iconic Vespa brand of scooters.
The word ‘ape’ means ‘bee’ in Italian, and refers to the vehicle’s work ethic and light-commercial heritage. The Apé was developed in 1948, and started out life as a Vespa (‘vespa’ means ‘wasp’ in Italian) with 2 wheels added to the back – in an effort to create a useful, nimble and lightweight vehicle to help rebuild Italy after WW2.
It quickly found favour in Italy, and soon, Apes were being exported all over the world. Today, you’ll find them in use across the world for a huge range of different purposes – from tuk tuk taxis across Asia and Africa, to city delivery vans and pickups in cities worldwide.
Flexibility
Perhaps the biggest benefit of the Ape is its flexibility – there’s so much you can do with them.
When it comes to using them as coffee carts, there’s a huge amount of choice, with an Ape to suit virtually every business. They’re available in a range of sizes, with petrol, diesel and electric models to choose from.
They can be configured in a large number of different ways, integrating a wide variety of different coffee machines and equipment needed to run a successful mobile business.
Everyday performance
Dependable and cost effective, Apes are great for everyday business use. The range includes a selection of engines, from 50cc up to 220cc – and whilst they aren’t going to win any races, they do have enough torque to tackle the steepest hills in any UK city.
In terms of efficiency, the small engine on the Ape makes it really cost-effective to run, and there’s even an electric version that’s ideal for city-based businesses.
Another great thing about the Ape is that you can drive it on a motorbike license, and with the smaller 50cc engine, you can drive it on L-plates from 16 years old.
Perfect for city use
The Ape was originally designed as a light commercial vehicle – designed for making deliveries in the narrow streets of Italian cities, and ideal for parking in the smallest of spaces.
These same benefits make the Ape the ideal coffee cart for the modern city environment. They’re easy to drive; you can take them down the narrowest streets and park them on the smallest pitches. The small dimensions also make them easy to store at home in the garage.
The look
Another benefit of the Ape is the unique look. Its iconic and eye-catching 3-wheel design is a great way to turn heads and attract customers – which is why it’s proved so popular as a mobile advertising tool.
The unique, quirky appeal of the Ape is a great way to set your coffee business apart from the competition. Its traditional design sends out all the right messages for a boutique, independent coffee business.
Your Ape from Big Coffee
At Big Coffee, we’re the only authorised importer of Piaggio Commercial Vehicles within the UK. Our unrivalled experience in converting the Ape means that whatever your requirements, we can create the perfect coffee cart for your business.
Check out our range of Ape mobile coffee vans today.
We don’t just offer Apes – we specialise in converting all kinds of vehicles into mobile coffee vans. Our previous projects have included everything from Smart Cars and bespoke trailers, right up to VW Transporters and Ford Transit vans.