So what with a need to come up with something of a paradigm shift to qualify for the extra gazzillions in handouts from the US Governmint, GM has come up with this in association with Segway.



The PUMA, like the Segway, is a two-wheeled vehicle, balanced by gyroscopes.

PUMA will be powered by rechargeable batteries, and can reach a top speed of 35 miles per hour - nearly three times the speed of the Segway scooter.

This means that in most states the PUMA will not be able to drive on highways, or on any roads with a speed limit higher than 35 miles per hour.

A three-hour charge on the PUMA will cost 35 cents. The battery will allow the PUMA to travel up to 35 miles on a single charge.

PUMAs are intended for city dwellers who need a vehicle for short trips beyond walking distance - we already have a vehicle for this function: a bike. PUMAs aren't intended to hold much more than their human cargo.

GM and Segway hope that the PUMA will reach the market by 2012. 2012?? FFS the segway wheelchair is already out there and all they've done is make it faster and chuck a surround on it! another 2.5 yrs to do that?

Though the price is to be determined, it's estimated that a PUMA will cost one-third to one-fourth of the cost of a traditional vehicle.

The PUMA weighs 600 pounds.

Each vehicle will use OnStar to communicate with other equipped vehicles to minimize congestion and prevent collisions. GM says the eventual result will be "autonomous driving and parking."

The PUMA shows that GM is thinking smaller. “We were the S.U.V. company, and we accept that,” said Larry Burns, GM’s vice president for research and development and strategic planning, to the New York Times. “We want to become the U.S.V. company — known for ultra-small vehicles.”

Haa haa haa haa.. this is what they come up with when they go cap in hand!!


2 out of 10/must try harder...

Bring on the carnage!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaK8Pfhefl0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Evorb%2Eorg%2Enz%2Fsegway%2Dand%2Dgeneral%2Dmotors%2Djoin%2Dforces%2Dbring%2Dyou%2Dthe%2Dpuma%2Dt94654%2Ehtml&feature=player_embedded

Anyone ridden one? Segway that is

I had a chance to in CHCH but there was a fair queue and couldn't be sodded waiting. Looked fun, but a toy (at $18,000) non the less. I rode my bicycle ($600) home.

I just don't see the point of the segway for able bodied people. It's trying to fill a niche that the bicycle fills already and that's probably the biggest reason for it's limited success. It has toy appeal and that's about all. The wheelchair version on the other hand does solve accessability problems.

Haven't heard much more of the other Dean Kamen (segway inventor) invention that came out at the same time as the segway, which was a suitcase sized super water purifying machine that could purify 1000s of litres of water a day and was powered by puppy dogs dreams or something.. Three years ago he touted this thing as the salvation of the planet. Obviously there was no way to make a lot of money out of the poor that needed it.

I've ridden a Segway a few times too, they're fun...but as a toy to play, like a skateboard, or rollerblades, not like a alternative transport like the car or bike. We setup a course and raced around it, as fast as possible, it was great fun!

Whats wrong with V8's?