GM,Segway Join Forces To Produce 2-Wheel Personal Transporter
07 April 2009 - 5:02AM
Dow Jones News
General Motors Corp. (GM) will on Tuesday make another push into
the realm of alternative vehicle technology through a joint venture
with Segway Inc. to produce a two-wheeled upright personal
transporter.
The auto maker is targeting a 2012 launch for its
electric-powered PUMA transporter, which would also employ wireless
technology to allow users to navigate in urban areas and avoid
traffic congestion.
However, GM faces a crowded field of contenders in the
alternative vehicle space which, like Segway's iconic but
commercially-unsuccessful people mover, have to overcome the
challenges of cost, convenience and public indifference.
With a clock running down to a June 1 deadline that could push
the company into bankruptcy protection, GM is using the unveiling
to try and demonstrate that it retains prowess in new vehicle
development having already seen its much-hyped Volt electric car
described as unviable by the U.S. auto task force. A prototype of
the PUMA - which stands for Personal Urban Mobility and
Accessibility - will take to the streets of Manhattan this week
during the New York auto show.
"Imagine small, nimble electric vehicles that know where other
moving objects are and avoid running into them," said Larry Burns,
GM's vice president of research, development, and strategic
planning, in a statement.
The Segway Personal Transporter launched in 2002 failed to meet
lofty sales goals and, despite a cult following in the technology
sector, has languished as a novelty for tour groups, police forces
and shopping mall security staff.
GM has adapted the original design, adding an enclosed cabin and
more powerful motor delivering a top speed of 35 miles-per-hour in
a bid to attract a more mainstream customer base. The Puma would
run on lithium-ion batteries with a range of about 35 miles.
GM and Segway won't disclose the Puma's likely selling price, if
launched commercially. However, he said the cost of acquiring and
running a Puma would be one-third to one-quarter that of a
traditional vehicle.
Segway Chief Executive Jim Norrod said the PUMA will target
fast-growing urban centers in developing nations, where congestion
and pollution are major concerns.
"There are cities the size of Chicago popping up in China, and
they're saying 'We must resolve this issue of congestion,'" he
said. Nerrod said the company pitched the idea of a car-like Segway
to Burns and former GM Chief Executive Rick Wagoner a year and a
half ago.
Segway will provide the batteries and drive system, while GM
will design the body and provide communications technology.
By Sharon Terlep, Dow Jones Newswires