GM and Segway Partner to Build Urban Vehicle - 4/20/09

GM and Segway believe the solution to urban transportation comes in a two wheeled vehicle.

The two companies are working together to build a two wheeled, two seat electric vehicle that will be safe, inexpensive and clean.

It will be called the Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility or PUMA. The project would include a communications network that allows vehicles to interact with each other to prevent crashes and smooth the flow of traffic.

The prototype is 300 pounds and runs on lithium-ion batteries. It uses Segway’s two wheel balancing technology with twin electric motors. It can travel up to 35 MPH and can run 35 miles on a full charge.

The two companies have not released a cost for the vehicle, but did say they wanted the total operating cost to be one fourth to one third of a traditional vehicle.

The communications network part of the vehicle would use transponders and GPS technology that would basically allow them to drive themselves while avoiding pedestrians and other cars preventing crashes.

This announcement comes when GM’s future is in question after receiving billions of dollars in federal aid.

Larry Burns, GM’s vice president of research and development believes this is one step in the reinvention of General Motors.

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