At the root of this conversation, a Vespa’s fuel mileage depends on the engine size and displacement. Fuel mileage is an important factor to consider, particularly if you are getting a scooter to save money. So how far can you expect to go on one?
Simply put, Vespa fuel mileage simply means how many miles a scooter can go on a gallon (or liter) of gas. This can be translated into how far you can travel on a tank of gas, too.
How Far Can A Vespa Go On A Tank Of Gas
The distance that a Vespa can travel depends on the Vespa’s fuel mileage which depends on the engine’s displacement.
There are different Vespa models, and they each have different engine displacements. Engine sizes and displacement are measured in cc, a short form of cubic capacity. CC is used to measure the engine size of a scooter.
The amount of fuel a scooter engine will burn will depend on the engine size. The bigger the engine size of a Vespa scooter, the more fuel it will burn, the lower the fuel mileage, and the more powerful it will be.
50cc Vespa Scooter
50cc is the smallest engine size a Vespa scooter can have. A modern 50cc Vespa scooter is highly fuel-efficient with electronic fuel injection, automatic CVT transmission and a 4-stroke engine.
A 50cc Vespa has a fuel mileage of up to 95 miles per gallon (mpg).
This means that it can travel a distance of about 95 miles using a gallon of fuel in optimal driving conditions. On average, a 50cc Vespa scooter should travel 30-40 miles per hour (mph) depending on if it has a speed governor to restrict the speed to 30 mph or not.
You can expect to go about 164 miles on a 50cc Vespa scooter if you were to run out of all of the 2.1 gallons of gas the scooter can hold.
However, it’s never good to let an engine run out of gas, so you’ll want to pay attention to the fuel gauge. Just know the 164 is on the very high side if you’re planning a trip or trying to eek out as much gas as possible.
150cc Vespa Scooter
A 150cc Vespa scooter can solidly travel at 60 mph.
According to Vespa, the fuel mileage of their 150cc models is 94.79 miles per gallon (mpg). A tank of fuel at the absolute maximum could theoretically reach 199 miles.
This means that it can travel almost 95 miles using a gallon of fuel, again, in optimal driving conditions. If you were to drain the 2.1 gallon tank dry, drive perfectly on flat ground, you can expect to make it 199 miles.
However, it is NEVER a good idea to let your scooter run out of gas, and that is under the absolute best conditions.
250cc Vespa Scooter
Vespa does not have a lot of scooters with a 250cc engine size. However, the mileage for scooters with this engine size is about 80mpg.
300cc Vespa Scooter
According to Vespa, models with a 300cc engine size will have a fuel mileage of 73.38 miles per gallon (mpg).
This lets you know that a 300cc Vespa scooter will move almost reach 75 miles using one gallon of fuel if you’re on flat roads with no heavy loads and modest acceleration and deceleration.
The Vespa GTS 300 has a 2.24 gallon tank, so if you were to run the tank dry in optimal riding conditions, you could, in theory, make it 164 miles.
It’s NEVER good on your engine to run out of gas, so pay attention to your gauge, and know that the best you can expect is the 164 miles on the high side.
You’ll get better fuel efficiency from your Vespa if you limit how often you are hard on that throttle!
Which Vespa Model Gives The Best mileage
Choosing the best fuel mileage can be as simple as picking the smallest engine size. However, electric scooters have now entered the scene, and Vespa has a model, too.
The Vespa Elettrica is the most fuel efficient Vespa as it is electric powered.
In general, a 50cc scooter gets better gas mileage than a 300cc, but read this guide on choosing a scooter to make sure you don’t get one too small for your riding needs!
In the past, Vespa advertised that their Vespa LX 125 had a fuel mileage of 105 mpg or 45kmpL.
A scooter that can travel a distance of 105 miles using just one gallon of fuel manages fuel efficiently and will certainly help you save on fuel.
The Vespa LX 125 model has a tank capacity of 7.4L. This shows that a scooter can travel for 333km on a full fuel tank. You can ride this scooter for a long distance without stopping for fuel once the tank is filled up before the journey.
What Type Of Gas Do Vespas Take?
Gas can be a tricky conversation on scooters, but most require a 95 octane gas. However, that is unusual at pumps in the United States, so the rule of thumb is to choose the highest you have access to.
However, your scooter likely has a sticker around the gas cap that tells you the absolute minimum that you can put into your scooter. You run the risk of voiding your warranty, so don’t ignore this sticker!
If you can’t find the sticker, your manual will have this information, as well.
Best Fuel For Vespa Scooter?
The best fuel for a Vespa scooter is the unleaded gas with an octane rating of 95. This type of gas is called the Premium at the pump, so expect to pay more.
Although the 95 octane rating gas price is higher, fueling your Vespa scooter will not hurt your pocket compared to the alternatives like a car because Vespas inherently have great fuel efficiency.
If you cannot get the 95-octane rating gas, you can use the highest octane gas you get, but it is advised that you do not fill the tank to the brim.
Ethanol free gas can also be beneficial to your Vespa.
What Else Can Impact Vespa Fuel Mileage?
A 50cc scooter has a fuel mileage of 80mpg. This means that it will consume a gallon of fuel over 80 miles. This assumes great, low-key riding and can be impacted by other factors like the following:
- Low tire pressure: When your scooter’s air pressure is below the required value, the engine will need to use more power to propel the scooter, making the engine use more fuel.
- Changing gear: If you’re on a Vespa with a clutch, the more you change gears during a ride, the more fuel your scooter will consume. Avoid changing gear unnecessarily while riding, but in general, you’re just going to use more gas as you increase your speed & change those gears.
- Heavy braking and accelerating: When you keep accelerating and breaking unnecessarily, the fuel mileage of your scooter can be reduced considerably.
How To Maximize Your Vespa’s Fuel Efficiency
Below are some tips on how you can Effectively manage your Vespa scooter fuel mileage.
- Do not practice unnecessary heavy accelerating
- Practice good riding habits
- Ensure that your Vespa scooter tire’s pressure is exactly what the manufacturers recommend
- Do not keep pressing the clutch while you are riding if you have one.
- Avoid parking your Vespa directly under sunlight because it will cause your gas to evaporate. Every little bit adds up!
- Do not step use the brakes when in motion unless you are literally trying to slow down or stop. Riding the brakes is no good for conserving fuel!
- Turn off your engine when you aren’t riding.
Final Words
Vespa scooters have great fuel mileage, and they are fuel-efficient. This will help you cut down on fuel costs. So do not be put off by how expensive a Vespa scooter is compared to other scooter brands, as it is a good investment. Aside from having good fuel mileage, Vespa is a good and reliable scooter brand.
