GM and Segway working on new balancing 2-wheeler?
Click above for a high-res gallery of the GM/Segway Project P.U.M.A.
Please hold a moment while we check our calendars. Nope, it's definitely not April 1st. That must mean the stories circulating the internet tonight of a GM tie-up with Segway must be true. The Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project (P.U.M.A. for short) will reportedly seek to develop a self-balancing 2-wheeled vehicle that's capable of reaching speeds of 25 miles per hour, well above the Segway's 12 mph top speed.
Instead of the more common single track of a motorcycle, this electric vehicle will borrow the side-by-side arrangement popularized on the original Segway Personal Transporter. A lithium battery will store enough charge to allow the vehicle to travel for up to 25 miles on a single charge. Another interesting feature would be the ability for each machine to communicate with vehicles around it, avoiding accidents and regulating the flow of traffic.
Cost isn't yet set, but initial projections would place the total cost of ownership for the two-passenger autonomous vehicle at about a quarter of the price of a traditional automobile. The P.U.M.A. project will make its official debut at the New York Auto Show this week. Click past the break for the press release.
Gallery: GM/Segway Project P.U.M.A.
PRESS RELEASE:
GM and Segway Join Forces to Reinvent Urban Transportation
* Unique solution opens new horizons in personal mobility
NEW YORK – General Motors Corp. and Segway today demonstrated a new type of vehicle that could change the way we move around in cities.
Dubbed Project P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility), GM and Segway are developing an electric two-seat prototype vehicle with just two wheels, which could allow people to travel around cities more quickly, safely, quietly and cleanly, and at a lower total cost. The vehicle also enables design creativity, fashion, fun and social networking.
GM and Segway announced their collaboration, while demonstrating the Project P.U.M.A. prototype in New York City this morning.
"Project P.U.M.A. represents a unique solution to moving about and interacting in cities, where more than half of the world's people live," said Larry Burns, GM vice president of research and development, and strategic planning. "Imagine small, nimble electric vehicles that know where other moving objects are and avoid running into them. Now, connect these vehicles in an Internet-like web and you can greatly enhance the ability of people to move through cities, find places to park, and connect to their social and business networks."
Trends indicate that urbanization is growing, and with that comes increased congestion and more competition for parking. Cities around the world are actively looking for solutions to alleviate congestion and pollution. Project P.U.M.A. addresses those concerns.
It combines several technologies demonstrated by GM and Segway, including electric drive and batteries; dynamic stabilization (two-wheel balancing); all-electronic acceleration, steering and braking; vehicle-to-vehicle communications; and autonomous driving and parking. These technologies come together in Project P.U.M.A. to increase mobility freedom, while also enabling energy efficiency, zero emissions, enhanced safety, seamless connectivity and reduced congestion in cities.
"We are excited to be working together to demonstrate a dramatically different approach to urban mobility," said Jim Norrod, CEO of Segway Inc. "There's an emotional connection you get when using Segway products. The Project P.U.M.A. prototype vehicle embodies this through the combination of advanced technologies that Segway and GM bring to the table to complete the connection between the rider, environment, and others."
Project P.U.M.A. vehicles will also allow designers to create new fashion trends for cars, and to focus on the passion and emotion that people express through their vehicles while creating solutions that anticipate the future needs of urban customers.
The Project P.U.M.A. prototype vehicle integrates a lithium-ion battery, digital smart energy management, two-wheel balancing, dual electric wheel motors, and a dockable user interface that allow off-board connectivity. The result is an advanced and functional concept that demonstrates the capabilities of technology that exists today.
Built to carry two or more passengers, it can travel at speeds up to 25 miles per hour (56 kph), with a range up to 25 miles (56 km) between recharges.
Since the introduction of the Segway Personal Transporter (PT), Segway has established itself as the leader in the small electric vehicle space. Its approach to congestion and environmental challenges is balanced with a strong understanding of the functional needs of its customers, enabling them to do more with less. Segway has delivered more than 60,000 lithium-ion batteries to the market.
GM has been a leader in "connected vehicle" technologies since it introduced OnStar in 1996. Today, this on-board communications package connects six million subscribers in North America to OnStar safety and security services. GM has also pioneered vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications systems and transponder technology. These and additional connected vehicle technologies could ultimately enable vehicles that don't crash and drive themselves.
"Imagine moving about cities in a vehicle fashioned to your taste, that's fun to drive and ride in, that safely takes you where you want to go, and "connects" you to friends and family, while using clean, renewable energy, producing zero vehicle tailpipe emissions, and without the stress of traffic jams," said Burns. "And imagine doing this for one-fourth to one-third the cost of what you pay to own and operate today's automobile. This is what Project P.U.M.A. is capable of delivering."
# # #
General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM), one of the world's largest automakers, was founded in 1908, and today manufactures cars and trucks in 34 countries. With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 243,000 people in every major region of the world, and sells and services vehicles in some 140 countries. In 2008, GM sold 8.35 million cars and trucks globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's largest national market is the United States, followed by China, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Canada, Russia and Germany. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services. More information on GM can be found at www.gm.com.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Larry Miller 12:21AM (4/07/2009)
YGTBFKM.
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Curt 12:50AM (4/07/2009)
Use a bike, you fat asses.
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Brian R 2:11AM (4/07/2009)
Oh how foolish you are...
you're absolutely right. I should take my bike 20 miles to my job, arrive smelling of BO, and potentially get killed. Yeah, sounds great!
Saying something as moronic as "ride a bike you fat asses" shows just how narrow minded you are. A bike has it's place. A car has it's place. THIS has it's place. Take your skin-tight pants and what's left of your privates and get lost.
Duncan Watson 1:05AM (4/07/2009)
So sad, this is a stupid idea. I already dislike the Segway, now making it go faster?!? I am sure they will try to get it to use bike lanes and other bike facilities. What a festering pile of @%!#. A bike or an electrified bike is so much better, especially as it still is using human power even if electrified.
Even from the picture above you can see how this device will be prone to endos. I am disappointed.
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ziv 12:11PM (4/09/2009)
The thing can go 35 mph, which is a useful speed, not 25 mph, and has a range of 35 miles. Not many of us can bike up to 17.5 miles to work in the rain and snow at a normal commuting speed.
This is an interesting option, if only as a backup. I am a Realtor, but there are days when I don't have a client in the car with me. I could definitely see using this vehicle to preview homes or to do errands. The Volt would be better, but there might not be a GM in November 2010, let alone an ER-EV I can afford.
Duncan Watson 11:37AM (4/07/2009)
There are some pretty simple electric kits for bikes. Their range is much greater than 35 miles since you pedal them as well as use the electric power. An electrified bike wouldn't be so prone to end-over-end crashes as the segway ev pictured. If you are looking for something covered there are a number of velomobiles commercially available ( http://www.velomobiling.com/velomobiles ). Many velomobiles can come with electric assist from the manufacturer. The stability and speed of a velo is much greater than a segway. The aerodynamics of a velo are also superior to the segway pictured. That translates to lower energy cost, both in human power and battery.
I might point out that a Velomobile can be pedaled at 25mph quite easily; any velo with an electric assist is quite fast. Segway is working to solve a problem that doesn't exist again.
Tohe 1:25AM (4/07/2009)
This doesn't help GMs case for existence.
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Markus 2:30AM (4/07/2009)
It's looking like a wheel chair not two wheeler.............
Mark
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emdee 2:30AM (4/07/2009)
This will be a nice wheelchair for the overweight masses in the US.
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Chris M 2:38AM (4/07/2009)
Hmm, better than a simple scooter or motorized wheelchair, but Toyota has already done it better and more elegantly, and is much closer to actual production.
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Luke 3:15AM (4/07/2009)
Toyota has been working on similar technology for a while, with slightly different configuration and no windshield (that I've seen). If this gets people out of their cars, I'm for it. I think they would be more useful it they had enclosed sides (for the rain).
(Brian R. LOL!!!!)
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contact 5:06PM (4/07/2009)
I'd buy one. Not because I'm fat or lazy or even have a commute. What ever happened to just plain ole fun on two goofy wheels? The little pocket bike craze just proved that americans will spend decent money just to goof off on something quirky like this.
Sure it may be more expensive but it's also more functional. That would be fun as hell to drive down to the movie store 4 miles down the road and back. Sure I could bike it but bikes aren't fun. They're just cheap.
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Mark 3:28AM (4/07/2009)
Oh, and once again the ignorant masses come out en force on the internet tech blogs to bash the Segway brand once more. Sighh... if any of you owned a segway in a city, you might actually be qualified to comment.
And if anyone cares to actually learn something about life as a Segway owner, and not just to belittle it or the brand out of pure ignorance, you can read my account of the last 2 years here: http://tinyurl.com/dg4w8w
-2 years as a segway owner and 3700+ miles traveled.
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emdee 9:33AM (4/07/2009)
A Segway can't do anything your feet can't do just as well or better so unless you have an affliction that limits your movement I still don't see the point.
If you're disabled then it's obviously a different matter.
Luke 10:09AM (4/07/2009)
Your feet can run 12 miles and hour for 12 miles? Wow!
Snowdog 8:03AM (4/07/2009)
This seems a lot more practical than a Segway. This is really all many people need in a city commuter. The energy use would be minuscule.
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Tim 8:57AM (4/07/2009)
HA HA HA HO HO HO HO HO HE HE HE… SNIFFLE
BOO HOOOOO HOOOO HOOOO…
(how much have we given GM?)
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Brian 9:14AM (4/07/2009)
I see one HUGE problem with this... It's intended for city dwellers, right? I live in the city (Philly). I'm sorry, but when you park on the street, there aren't too many places to plug in an electric vehicle. So, how am I supposed to actually use it.
Electric vehicles will only really work for suburbanites who have a garage where they can plug in their car at night. In the city, bicycles, buses, and subways need to be the solution.
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sidewinder 10:02AM (4/07/2009)
A Segway that doesn't fall over when the power is off & that doesnt have a high center of gravity & narrow wheelbase?
Where's the fun in that?
BTW - this particular design looks pretty awful too. Ever seen a Jeepney accident?
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Chris 10:01AM (4/07/2009)
First off, I see 6 wheels... Although, I'm pretty sure you hope to never need the front ones.
Imagine hitting the back of a short-stopped cab (at 35mph) in this thing... at least the clean up will be easier. :(
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