ChocolateCitySkin Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 GM and Segway unveil new two-wheeled urban vehicle Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., drives a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., drives a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (Jin Lee - AP) Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., drives a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., drives a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (Jin Lee - AP) Pedestrians look on as Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., drives a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) Pedestrians look on as Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., drives a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (Jin Lee - AP) Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., drives a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., drives a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (Jin Lee - AP) Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., drives a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., drives a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (Jin Lee - AP) Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., sits in a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) Mike Gansler, Director of Core Technology with Segway Inc., sits in a Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project prototype vehicle in New York's Times Square on Sunday, April 5, 2009. Segway Inc. and General Motors Corp. announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop the two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks in an urban environment. (AP Photo/Jin Lee) (Jin Lee - AP) Tuesday, April 7, 2009; 1:38 PM NEW YORK -- A solution to the world's urban transportation problems could lie in two wheels not four, according to executives for General Motors Corp. and Segway Inc. The companies announced Tuesday that they are working together to develop a two-wheeled, two-seat electric vehicle designed to be a fast, safe, inexpensive and clean alternative to traditional cars and trucks for cities across the world. The Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility, or PUMA, project also would involve a vast communications network that would allow vehicles to interact with each other, regulate the flow of traffic and prevent crashes from happening. "We're excited about doing more with less," said Jim Norrod, chief executive of Segway, the Bedford, N.H.-based maker of electric scooters. "Less emissions, less dependability on foreign oil and less space." The 300-pound prototype runs on a lithium-ion battery and uses Segway's characteristic two-wheel balancing technology, along with dual electric motors. It's designed to reach speeds of up to 35 miles-per-hour and can run 35 miles on a single charge. The companies did not release a projected cost for the vehicle, but said ideally its total operating cost _ including purchase price, insurance, maintenance and fuel _ would total between one-fourth and one-third of that of the average traditional vehicle. Larry Burns, GM's vice president of research and development, and strategic planning, said the project is part of Detroit-based GM's effort to remake itself as a purveyor of fuel-efficient vehicles. If Hummer took GM to the large-vehicle extreme, Burns said, the PUMA takes GM to the other. ad_icon Ideally, the vehicles would also be part of a communications network that through the use of transponder and GPS technology would allow them to drive themselves. The vehicles would automatically avoid obstacles such as pedestrians and other cars and therefore never crash, Burns said. As a result, the PUMA vehicles would not need air bags or other traditional safety devices and include safety belts for "comfort purposes" only, he said. Though the technology and its goals may seem like something out of science fiction, Burns said nothing new needs to be invented for it to become a reality. "At this point, it's merely a business decision," he said. Burns said that while putting that kind of communications infrastructure in place may still be a ways off for many American cities, the automaker is looking for a place, such as a college campus, where the vehicles could be put to use and grab a foothold in the market. There's currently no timeline for production, Burns said. The ambitious announcement also comes at a time when GM's future is hanging by a thread after receiving billions of dollars in federal aid and is in the midst of a vast restructuring that could still lead to a filing for bankruptcy protection. Meanwhile, the ongoing recession has resulted in some of the lowest industrywide vehicle sales in more than a quarter century. But Burns argued that some of the most revolutionary ideas have been born out of tough economic times. "The next two months, and really 2009, is all about the reinvention of General Motors," he said. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/07/AR2009040701226.html?hpid=artslot ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- wow a couple creative firings and all of a sudden they are thinking progressively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnyderShrugged Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 LOL, a failing company and a failed company combine "brainpower" to create another failure product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMike619 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 and they said there was no thinking going on at GM. IN YOUR FACE TOYOTA!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 LOL, a failing company and a failed company combine "brainpower" to create another failure product. let the markets work it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibbsFactor Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 and they said there was no thinking going on at GM.IN YOUR FACE TOYOTA!! Can't wait for the racin'!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sacase Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Honestly not a bad idea, but I don't think urban streets are up to par for them to be comfortable rides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No_Pressure Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 That thing would be a hit in Europe. American consumers worry about their sexuality however Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky21 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 That thing is ugly as sin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BurntToast Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 Let me get this strait they want to build a two wheeled golf cart and try to sell it for 8+ thousand? I wonder when this Idea spectaculars fails they'll ask for another bail out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateCitySkin Posted April 7, 2009 Author Share Posted April 7, 2009 frankly i don't see why one of these companies doesn't pair up with the aptera -- i and my friend both stated we would buy an aptera if they were available outside of california... but frankly that upstart company doesn't have the resources to expand their markets... gm does... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky21 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 frankly i don't see why one of these companies doesn't pair up with the aptera -- i and my friend both stated we would buy an aptera if they were available outside of california... but frankly that upstart company doesn't have the resources to expand their markets... gm does...Just checked out the aptera on-line. They say they'll get 300 mpg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stophovr6 Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I don't get it personally. It looks like a two seater segway. The Segway was supposed to revolutionize the way we get around. It failed, hardcore. I still remember the clip of it's unveiling on some morning show, and how the hosts of that show were like...WTF? This thing looks just as lame. I'd rather pedal a bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I think I'll buy the more stable, 4-wheeled version of this vehicle...also known as a golf cart. Good Lord this looks stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 also known as a bicycle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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