The 'Piaggio: Ape' was originally made in Italy, but over time production gradually moved to India. On 16 October 2013, 'Piaggio' announced that Italian production of the 'Ape' would end and construction would move entirely to India. In India, the 'Ape' is most commonly found in the form of an auto-rickshaw.
The 'Piaggio: Ape' ('Ape' is Italian for 'bee') initially marketed as VespaCar or TriVespa, is a three-wheeled light commercial vehicle, manufactured and marketed by 'Piaggio' as an adaption of the company's 'Vespa' scooter (vespa being Italian for 'wasp'). It has been in continuous production since its 1948 introduction and offered in numerous body configurations, serving a range of utilitarian functions.