It seems like GM is trying to remake its name and image in the eyes of a certain niche of consumers, by making smart decisions for the future and ensuring a place among electric car manufacturers.
This time, GM has made a partnership with Segway, the famous two-wheeled recreational vehicle producer, to make something that had never been done before: a two-wheeled segway-based car, weighting 300 pounds and being propelled by lithium-ion batteries. It will have an autonomy of about 35 miles with the maximum speed of 35mph. It will use the same balancing technology as Segways.
The thing, because it doesn’t have a generic name yet, is part of a project called “PUMA”, which stands for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility. Since the prototype vehicle doesn’t have side doors, I wonder what should the user above 0do if it rains outside… This vehicle is probably mostly suited for areas where precipitations are at their low, or the manufacturers would have to design some form of lightweight doors for them, like it’s pictured in their sketch below:
#1 by gary silver on April 8, 2009 - 12:55 am
generic = electripod
#2 by Treadmill Traci on April 22, 2011 - 7:42 pm
That would be a great vehicle for the desert areas of St. George, Utah and other South Western places.
I wonder why there is a door problem in the first place.
#3 by Sarah on June 4, 2011 - 5:12 am
This looks like so much fun! Going only 35 MPH they may wnat to look into a new name…
I would love to see one on the road, or even better, give one a test drive!
#4 by Josh on June 15, 2011 - 2:06 pm
This must be the future car of the next generation. But I kinda doubt if its front is hard enough to keep you safe when hit by another car.