![]()
The makers of Segway come up with a solution for urban traffic congestion
It looks like a electrified Tuk Tuk, the Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility (PUMA), however Segway and General Motors see it as a solution to many issues surrounding transportation in cities.
PUMA is a two-seater that is claimed to be cost-effective, fast and with a much lower carbon footprint than cars and trucks.
Weighing in at 138kg, the unit would also free up a lot of parking space, and runs on a lithium-ion battery. Where Segway comes into the picture is the use of its balancing technology, and the two electronic motors. It can travel over 50 kilometres and hour. However, one of the drawbacks is its range, which at this stage is only 56 kilometres. You wouldn’t want to go on a trip around Australia, but for city dwellers it could fit the bill. There is also talk of the units using GPS and other technologies to allow it to drive itself.
At this stage, expected costs up to one third of the price of an average sedan, which would be within the realms of most budgets. Like most concepts, GM says there is no current plans for it to go into production, but executives believe it is only a matter of time before they do.
