This is the sort of story that might have passed for an April Fools’ joke a few days ago, but it is the real deal: personal transporter pioneer Segway has partnered with beleaguered U.S. automaker General Motors to develop a new working concept of an electric vehicle under the moniker Project P.U.M.A.. The PUMA (the acronym stands for Personal Urban Mobility & Accessibility) is an evolution of the technology found in the Segway Personal Transporters—but instead of being kind of a motorized two-wheeled pogo stick, the PUMA offers seats for two passengers, can move anywhere from 25 to 35 miles per hour, and offers a range of 25 to 35 miles on a single charge of its lithium-ion batteries. And, most welcome to anyone who’s ever pondered riding a Segway in the rain—it has a canopy and a windshield…although the sides are still open.
