Let’s face it, petrol has become ridiculously expensive right now.

South African motorists are definitely feeling the crunch of the recent – and unbelievably steep – petrol price hike. They’re forking out loads of cash for fuel that often doesn’t last all that long, especially if they’re navigating jam-packed roads daily.

Paying more than 700 bucks to fill up your tank, only to fill it up again less than two weeks later? My Lord, that’s enough to get the tears flowing.

Maybe you need to switch things up, and now is as good a time as any. Speedy, capable of weaving through traffic and incredibly low on petrol, the Vespa range of scooters are the ideal solution if you’re looking for alternate means of transport.

In fact, they’ve even got a nifty calculator on their website that shows you much you could be saving on fuel costs if you switched over to a Vespa:

Super simple with an easy-to-use interface – let’s roll.

The amount of money you save by using a Vespa is based on the kilometres you drive per day, what your car’s fuel consumption is per 100 kilometres, and the current average fuel price for the month.

We’ve tested this calculator out based on Damon’s driving stats, and this is what we got.

A 20-kilometre round trip each day, with fuel consumption of eight litres / 100 kilometres, and you’re saving almost R500 a month:

Wowsers. What a difference riding a Vespa can make.

Maybe it’s time you took the test to see how much you could save – head over to Vespa’s fuel calculator and start keying in the figures pronto.

Hint: it’s a lot, and we could all use the extra cash.

If you like what you see and want to consider getting yourself a Vespa, email Seth at editor@2oceansvibemedia.com with the subject line “Vespa me now” – that way, he’ll hook you up with a discount.

Or, if you want to meet like-minded Vespa riders who are already saving on their fuel costs, then mosey on down to the Glenwood Bakery in Durban on Saturday, June 9 for the Vespa Riders’ breakfast.

Happy trails!