Just one little thing--The rules say Vespa will own your video submissions and you will retain no rights. Is a chance to win a scooter a good trade-off?

Wait, a scooter without a catalytic converter is somehow good for the environment? Look at all the things other than CO2 this machine spews.

I agree with Ben. What people don't understand is that these small, high MPG engines are usually totally unenforced when it comes to their emissions. With no catalytic converter these small engines are producing a large amount of pollutants. So yes, they use very little gas to propel it around the streets...they also do so very inefficiently.

Things like the average gas mower or roto-tiller will produce more CO2 emissions and other horrible pollutants per litre used then per litre used in most vehicles.

Get, informed first!

Cheers,

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author's note:

Many modern scooters, including the Vespa GTS shown, do have catalytic converters. It also has EPA and CARB certification. In addition, many modern scooters also have cleaner-running four stroke engines and even the two stroke engines are cleaning up their act. It is true, though, that this is something to look at carefully when purchasing a scooter.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but the Vespa GTS 250i.e. engine specs materials say this: "...a liquid-cooled engine and electronic injection system with three-way catalytic converter...". What's this about not having a catalytic converter?

Things like the average gas mower or roto-tiller will produce more CO2 emissions and other horrible pollutants per litre used then per litre used in most vehicles.

The amount of CO2 emissions per litre of a given fuel is constant, not variable.

Modern scooters are some of the cleanest, most fuel efficient modes of transportation you can currently purchase. While older scooters do pollute with their uncatalyzed 2-strokes these engines all but disappeared during the mid-80s when new laws were enacted. These laws actually lead to Vespa's absence from the US market for over ten years until they came out with their current generation of low-emission four stroke Vespas, which like as the author has stated, even meet stringent California board standards. Vespa even developed a cylinder injected 2-stroke for the 50cc market (making it virtually as clean as a 4-stroke) and catalyzed their aging PX150 2-stroke scooter which has been in production since the late 70s.

And while vintage scooters are hardly clean, they have seen improvements with the development of synthetic oil which practically everyone in the scene uses.

The only scooters to watch out for these days are the cheap chinese pieces of crap that get imported by the container load. Among the many other problems these scooters have is the fact that many are coming across with forged EPA and CARB certifications and in fact do not meet them, many of them lacking the necessary emissions controls.

65mpg out of a 250cc engine doesn't sound that great to me.

I love it when people accuse others of not understanding, while themselves getting the facts wrong.

It doesn't get much greener than a vespa, even if the "only" get 65-90 miles per gallon.

Emission standards for motorcycles and scooters are much more lax than for automobiles, trucks, and SUVs. The carbon monoxide limit, for example, is 19.3 grams per mile, whereas the worst emissions category for autos, trucks, and SUVs is 4.2 grams per mile. NOx isn't even regulated below 280cc, and things like PM aren't regulated no matter the engine size.

My 125cc scooter, which is CARB rated and does have a catalytic convertor, gets over 80mpg.

Even if it emits four times the NOx and particulate per gallon burned of a car that gets 20mpg, it's still better than that.

And a lot more fun to drive!

My 33,000 mile 1991 Honda 750 cc Nighthawk gets 45-50 mpg. I think it's about 400 pounds by itself.
My bicycle on the other hand . . .

Good Luck
vsk

VespaMatt - where can I find more info on the catalyzed engines? I have an old vespa that I don't ride because of the emissions from the two stroke engine. If I could convert it, I'd be back on it in a second!

Buy electric. It is way better for the environment.

I just started reading treehugger and I will stop very quickly if they run these types of contests. You're making advertising dollars from it and the product is damaging the environment.

If treehugger continues to have these types of contests for items that damage the environment I am gone and will tell everyone I know and cares.

What a scam!

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author's note:

Just for clarification, this contest is not run by or has anything to do with TreeHugger. We were simply highlighting Vespa's Go Green contest. And, I for one would love to see more, better and affordable electric scooters.

Buy electric. It is way better for the environment.

I just started reading treehugger and I will stop very quickly if they run these types of contests. You're making advertising dollars from it and the product is damaging the environment.

If treehugger continues to have these types of contests for items that damage the environment I am gone and will tell everyone I know and cares.

What a scam!

Thank you for the "authors note on clarification" and I am happy to have such a quick response.

If a product is not ideal for the environment (which the Vespa is not) and it consumes gasoline and emits a large carbon footprint then you should not be showing it on this site (in my mind.)

I have been looking for a site like yours with the hopes of it actually portraying what it's name means but I am already having second thoughts. If you are going to have contests for Vespas because it directly targets one of your marketed age groups I am gone. Why not call up an electric bike company or better yet a bicycle company to do a contest and set an even better example or even better just ask people to walk.

Your name, treehugger, advocates to me that you are serious about the environment and having Vespa contests portray that you are not.

Michael,

Perhaps you're not clear on who's giving away the Vespa. Vespa is giving away the Vespa. Treehugger.com isn't, and it's not their contest. They're just writing a news story about it. This is similar to when a newspaper reports that a local businessperson is running a contest...the newspaper isn't involved except in reporting it.

Now, maybe Vespa paid Treehugger.com to promote the contest. If they did, then there's a conflict of interests. I'm not aware of this being the case, though. If you want to comment on the fact that Treehugger.com shouldn't be promoting Vespa's greenwashing of their vehicles, you've got plenty of room to talk, but Treehugger.com isn't running this contest. They're just linking to it.

For the record, I'd rather see a sea of Vespas than a sea of cars, though.

Yes, I am sorry to repeat what I said in my first posting. I do know that treehugger is not putting the contest on. I did not mean to put that in again.

I apologize for mentioning this again.

Some of you who think you are actual treehuggers because you log on to treehugger.com are a bunch of self-righteous whiners.

Here's my faves:

"...What people don't understand is that these small, high MPG engines are usually totally unenforced when it comes to their emissions. With no catalytic converter these small engines are producing a large amount of pollutants. So yes, they use very little gas to propel it around the streets...they also do so very inefficiently."

-inefficient? Getting 65-90 mpg is pretty effing efficient to me! Unregulated? Hardly! Maybe if you live in BF Oklahoma. It's not like its a SUV with crummy CAFE standards".

"Emission standards for motorcycles and scooters are much more lax than for automobiles, trucks, and SUVs. The carbon monoxide limit, for example, is 19.3 grams per mile, whereas the worst emissions category for autos, trucks, and SUVs is 4.2 grams per mile. NOx isn't even regulated below 280cc, and things like PM aren't regulated no matter the engine size."

-I'll assume you are correct, so what? How many motorcycles and scooters are clogging up the freeways jamming all this crap into the air? Which makes your argument totally insignificant. Why bother jacking up the motorcycle manufacturers when the SUVs are sitting there ruining our air anyway? So your argument is SUVs better than scooters for the environment?

"65mpg out of a 250cc engine doesn't sound that great to me"

-How does this sound then "Light trucks that exceed 8,500 lbs gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) do not have to comply with CAFE standards. These vehicles include pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and large vans." We are talking less than 10 mpg!

"Buy electric. It is way better for the environment."

-Were is all this free energy coming from there Michael? There is an impact to you plugging your car in.

"If a product is not ideal for the environment (which the Vespa is not) and it consumes gasoline and emits a large carbon footprint then you should not be showing it on this site (in my mind.)"
-I drive a 4T Bajaj Cheetak wich gets around 90 mpg. I bet my carbon footprint is smaller than yours! Even if you take the bus! What would the carbon footprint of a building a bunch of power plants to power your electric car be?

Help the planet:
Move closer to your work, walk, bike, public transportation. Stop breeding. Do yourself in.

One of the problems with scooters, aside from the potentially bad emissions is that a lot of folks who might get one (like me) are not replacing with it a car, but instead will ride their gas burning scooter instead of walking, riding a bike, or using public transportation.

There are scooters other than Vespa being produced that are FAR more efficient, you just might not get the same hipster points. If you're willing to put the environment before your ego, check out the Yamaha C3 or Vino. 4 strokes with catalytic converters, both get around 110 miles per gallon. Both can be had for $2000. There's also a 125cc version of the Vino, 4 stroke, that gets around 85 miles per gallon and looks much like a Vespa. Also check out the Honda scooters as well. I purchased the Yamaha C3 about 6 months ago and only use my car for longer trips now. Call me crazy, but I'd say getting 4x the gas mileage and producing 1/3 the amount of Co2 is a damn good start.

Apologies, in my previous post I stated "Both can be had for $2000." I meant to say "Each can be had for $2000".

I have searched and searched and nowhere does it say how much they cost. Can anyone help me?