Here’s a quick video I took on my BlackBerry of the PUMA in action. To recap – the PUMA is a two-wheeled Segway that can drive up to 35 miles on a single charge (35 cents per charge) and is capable of going up to 35MPH. Oh, I just overheard one of the higher ups say that PUMA will have a beefed up suspension to handle rough terrain like NYC’s pothole riddled streets. Check back later for a video of our very own test drive. I fear for my life. Heh.
It was a bit windy earlier so you might want to turn down your speakers. The second video has some commentary from the Segway rep, though.
And here’s the official video from Segway.
Oh, and a gallery!
Photo Gallery by Picturesurf
I’m not sure that bench seat is wide enough for your average American.
/average American
It’s like a mailbox meets a wheelchair. Except you can die in it.
And we don’t just buy a motorcycle because…
Motorcycle needs landing mechanism. When bike speed is below 10mph including 0, side wheels should be lowered – so that one need not use foot to hold it from falling.
Absolutely want… perfect for getting around the Los Angeles Westside.
There were a few larger individuals at the demo and they were unable to get strapped in.
$0.35 per charge? Add another $4.00 for the cost of the battery per charge, which is about $1/kwh.
Bummer.
I am reminded of Wall-e
That’s the first thing I said.
“We’re getting so close to the Axiom on Wall-e.”
LOL… that is EXACTLY what came to my mind.
What is wrong with a bike? It’s better for the environment and your personal health. If the Segway (or Puma) was practical everyone would have one by now.
“Here’s a quick video I took on my BlackBerry of the PUMA in action.”
After watching the PUMA in action my only response is..WTF…
That looks like a death trap why would anyone every want this? You’d be better off buying a Hover Round (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFrkChdVC-g) and duct taping an umbrella to it.
I had the same first reaction. It’s impressive technology but I’d be terrified to use on congested streets.
I think I heard it chirp the tires when it hit 2nd gear.
It’s going to be something else when someone riding one of these gets creamed on the highway.
I cant’ see how getting 2 failures together, Segway and GM, will help either one. Who at GM thought, “Hey, let’s get together with Segway!” Segway’s are awesome and the American public loves them!”
This thing is F#&@ing dumb! Is this what GM trying to do? You can buy a cat by tata at better and which will be more useful.
Who is going to use this but, overpaid tech guys???
I want one.
I think this is a definate failure as a product and another nail in the coffin of both GM and Segway, but I gotta say it does look fun. I’m glad you got a chance to drive it.
Anyone else think it looks a little like a wheeled recycling trash bin?
http://www.aepsolutions.net/images/products/detail/32%20Gallon%20Blue%20Recycling%20Bin.jpg
I’d love to see Michael Arrington buzzing around in Palo Alto in one of these :)
I Think this is the coolest golf cart ever. But I would never take this to the street… motorcycles seem way safer than this.
Hey Peter,
Did they say anything about price, or where they hoped the price would come down to?
No word on price or launch, Dave. They need a better enclosure before this hits the market.
Wow about a wind guard for the microphone.
What friggin moron shot this?
Just turn off the damn sound if it is going to be that shitty.
or you could just turn off your speakers.
Fancy golfcart
Finally something new. I love the concept: electric, small, for 2 people. Just needs some fancy design and voila’. Great.
Good grief, I OWN a Segway and wouldn’t set foot (read: butt) in the PUMA.
FAIL just leveled up. ding!
Whereas I think the nerd factor of the Segway is part of what’s made it so irrelevant. That and the street-or-sidewalk legal issues surrounding it.
Here you have a safety cage around a Segway that can do surface road speeds. No helmet required*, and the nerd factor is no worse than for any microcar built since about 1950. Only the emissions are better than they were for any of those. (* Yes, technically if it’s a motorcycle you need a helmet in many states, but police tend not to enforce it when they see a cage around you.)
Nay sayers need to realize this is closer to a bicycle than an automobile. In that respect, I can zip down to the grocery store and post office without needing to take my big, clunky, loud, stinky car.
yeah, i agree. that kind of technology could really change something in our transport system and start to kick off the clumsy cars that have so thoroughly deformed our city spaces. this amount of negative criticism here came as a surprise to me, but i realised that these are the car-savvy americans speaking here ;))))
er… Sinclair C5 anyone?
what about kidnapping?? will be easier to the pilferer to get what they look for.. or you can omit the lights in the streets?
this guys of GM are using the in-loan money from the Congress to build this #$%&! woow!
Well. I think Segway is fundamentally not the right design for normal transportation because it is by design statically unstable. Static instability is a great attribute when it is associated with a fighter airplane where agility is key, but not so great when safety is important. In the event of total sensor or electronic malfunction, this thing will just crash, in a bad way.
Looks like the Pope-mobile…;)
I would not fancy taking it down a typical potholed British road…bad enough in a car and would not be able to avoid them the way you can in a bike.
Fantasy Island maybe.
The comments on this blog post remind me of the reaction to the horseless carriage. People’s minds were stuck in having a horse pulling your carriage around so it took them a while to get used to the internal combustion engine. Now everybody wants the next car to look like a car. The Segvrolet is a pretty good idea for cities like Seattle, where parking downtown is extremely expensive if you ever find a place. Besides, it’s electric and relatively fast. Although it may not be the final solution, it’s an excellent stepping stone.
Nonsense. This is such a myth. Smart people weren’t stuck in that mode at all. The internal combustion engine was early on understood to be a significant new source of propulsion energy. Grab any random early article – i found one in NYT from 1895 (http://tinyurl.com/cpho8j) in just a few minutes searching.
he-he, smart people see the potential of this new vehicle type also in 2009! :)
People are dismissing this as a possibility too early. This may be a publicity stunt but it also may be the beginning of some real brainstorming. Naysayers….comment on failblogs and leave the rest of us to come up with solutions.
I agree with Sam. This is just a prototype but I think it shows some really exciting new ideas for personal transport. Using this vehicle would mean a lot less time stuck in traffic or looking for a parking space.
The facts are simple 1) Our planet is dying because of our use of oil and 2) Even if that doesn’t matter to you the oil is running out anyway. So the times they are a changing whether we like it or not. I think we need to embrace the change rather than cling to the past.
I agree though that this prototype obviously isn’t ready for production. It needs doors for a start!
In the meantime Ill be getting one these bad boys for my daily sweat free commute http://www.wisper.kellsoft.net/905se-Sport.php
Paul
you are so dum dums
it’s soooo a cute car !!!