 After World War II, when Italians could ill afford personal transportation, aircraft designer Corradino D'Ascanio, in 1947
, conceived a light and simple three-wheeled commercial vehicle, finding favour with Piaggio.The first model was a cabless adaptation of the company's two-wheel scooter, the Vespa, adding two rear wheels and a flat utility bed over the rear axle.Initial models featured 50 cc, 125 cc or 150 cc and more recently 175 cc engines.