Italian Electric Scooter Startup WOW Releases Its First Two Scoots

In June, 2020, Italian electric scooter startup WOW announced its plan to release its first two scooters in Italy by the end of the year. Initially introduced at EICMA 2019, the company advertised these as no ordinary electric scooters. While other OEMs might be content to manufacture their scoots outside of Italy, WOW said it would both design and build its scooters within its home country, with an eye toward expanding its sales throughout Europe. 

Of course, 2020 did what it did, and everyone’s plans went straight out the window. That’s why, in June, 2021, WOW is finally able to release its first two scooter models to the Italian market. The WOW 774 and 775 offer several of the same features, except the 774 is a lower-powered, L1e-license-category model. It has all the same styling cues as its more powerful sibling, the 775, which is an L3e vehicle.  

The 774’s motor outputs 4kW of power, and can do a top speed of 45 kilometers per hour, or just under 28 mph. Meanwhile, the 775 outputs 5kW of power, and is capable of a blistering top speed of 85 kph, or just under 53 mph. Both offer pillion seats, the possibility of dual battery power, and 50 liters of underseat storage space thanks to the batteries being mounted like panniers usually are.  

Since you have 50 liters of storage under the saddle, WOW says, you may not even find yourself needing a top box, should you need to carry daily items on your commute. It’s a nice consideration, since one downside to many electric scooter designs currently in use is the distinct lack of usable storage space.  

Another particularly nice feature of both the 774 and 775 is their relatively large wheels, for scooters—16-inch alloys, to be precise. If you’re used to the ride qualities of tiny scooter wheels, those 16-inchers might just be a breath of fresh air, especially if the roads you ride every day are less than perfectly maintained. The 775 also offers a regenerative braking system that helps recharge your batteries while you’re braking, and it would be nice if more electric two-wheeler makers offered something similar. Auto makers have been doing it, but for some reason, it hasn’t been as popular an option on scoots so far.  

WOW just launched both the 774 and 775 in Italy at the end of June, 2021. Currently, the company plans to roll these scoots out to France, Spain, Germany, Holland, and Belgium before the end of the year. However, it hasn’t given any hard timeline as to when those rollouts should be expected to occur. They come in six colors: red, electric blue, petrol green, white, gray, and anthracite.  

Full price for the WOW 774 is 4,250 Euros, or about $5,058. Full price for the WOW 775 is 4,990 Euros, or about $5,939. Both full prices do not count any discounts from local electric vehicle incentives, so pricing may vary depending on what’s available when you make your purchase. Both models come with a 24-month warranty from the factory. 

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