Modern Vespa

Piaggio calls the Primavera Elettrica a moped

https://www.vespa.com/en_EN/models/primavera/primavera-elettrica-electric-moped-2024/

But where's the ped?

Dumbing it down for the ignorant. For some bizarre southern reason, smaller scoots around here are called mopads. Go figure...

and the 70kph version is called a Motorcycle

https://www.vespa.com/en_EN/models/elettrica/elettrica-70-3-6-kw-electric-motorcycle/

Not only in Eataly - 50cc combustion engined 2-wheelers are called mopeds here too. Their electric equivalents have somewhat inherited the tittle.

I don't know the Southern etymology, but around here this was a mixture of the earlier 'mopedi' (that's an easy one to guess...) and later 'mopo'. The latter is an appreviation of 'moottoripolkupyörä' = motorized bicycle.

Cleverly, this leaves the 'pedal or not' question on the background, giving less room for those annoying nitpickers who always jump up to swing their sword to cut the sprouts of a living language...not something to take place in this forum, of course

We are of course now legally obligated to explain to all Elettrica owners that they don't have a scooter

In Germany, large motorcycles are often nicknamed "Moped" or "Mopete" (a portmanteau of "Moped" and "Trompete", the German word for trumpet).

One advantage to the perception that a scooter is a moped is that you can get away with stuff you can't on a motorcycle, as in busting moves through tight odd spaces and parking at the bicycle racks. People who don't realize it's a registered and insured little motorcycle with a license plate that requires a special endorsement to ride just don't notice what you're up to.

There is a legal definition of moped in the UK; from https://www.gov.uk/ride-motorcycle-moped/bike-categories-ages-and-licence-requirements :