Perhaps best-known as SPA, Societá Piemontese Automobili was one of the first Italian car companies, founded in 1907. The brand made aircraft engines, cars, and trucks in their Turin factory, and, because of their dedication to creating both military and civilian vehicles, they became the leading name during WWI. After the war, however, they suffered from economic fallout, and they were consequently taken over by Fiat in 1926. The new ownership helped SPA survive for a number of years, but they eventually stopped producing in 1949.
Today, this piece of Italian history is being revived by designer Alessandro Camorali and lawyer Julianto Imprescia. The new SPA takes inspiration from its predecessor and brings it to a different industry: electric bicycles. Their first e-bike, the Bicicletto, was presented at Esposizione Mondiale del Motociclismo 2014. Borrowing from car and motorcycle typology, the head-turning design features an upholstered storage and display “tank,” an LED headlight, and a battery and engine built into the glossy black carbon frame. Elegant and powerful, the ride perfectly translates SPA’s aesthetic into a contemporary e-bike, the first of what we hope will be many, many more to come.
Via urbancycling
