For scooter aficionados, the brand Čezeta will surely ring a bell. Born in the 1950s, the historic Czech brand produced small-displacement scooters similar in ethos to those of Vespa. In terms of styling, Čezetas were very distinctive, featuring a full metal body and a recognizable elongated nose. On top of all that, following a war-stricken Europe, scooters like those of Čezeta were a practical and efficient way of getting around town.
While a lot of parallels can be drawn between Vespa and Čezeta, it’s clear that one of them went on to define multiple generations of scooters, while the other would end up falling into obscurity. Čezeta didn’t really see much expansion over the course of half-a-century, with the last hurrah from the brand coming in 2018 and 2019, where Čezeta Motors s.r.o produced a limited run of an electrified version of the Type 506 scooter. Nevertheless, the wheels of the project never really left the ground, and the brand now finds itself closed.
Back in 2020, we talked about how the company’s CEO Neil Eammonn Smith was looking to sell the brand. At the time, the world was dealing with a global pandemic, and it’s understandable that this news could have fallen on a lot of deaf ears. Now, some three years later, Čezeta has yet to find a new owner, and is still looking for a someone – be it an individual or a corporation – to take over the production of the iconic scooter, as confirmed by our friends over at The Pack.
Back in 2020, Smith stated, “I have worked hard for the past seven years to bring Čezeta back to life and restart the Czech motorcycle business. We have created one of the best light electric vehicles around with the assistance of our staff and crowdfunding investors. During the last year, however, it has become evident that we need fresh investment and partnership opportunities in order to realize the full potential of Čezeta’s scooter. Thus, I have made the difficult decision to sell the company.”
Whoever does end up taking ownership of Čezeta is indeed in the midst of a rapidly growing electric motorbike market. The addition of a heritage-focused electric scooter will surely be welcome in the lifestyle segment, and provided that it’s marketed the right way, could leverage on Čezeta’s colorful history and unique designs. After all, the purchase of the Čezeta as a brand would also include EU trademarks for both the Čezeta word and logo, as well as an extensive collection of Čezeta memorabilia.
