One of the most unique looking modes of transport was the original Segway Personal Transporter. The self-balancing scooter was announced back in 2001, by the company with the same name. And now, just shy of two decades later, the company is announcing the imminent retiring of the scooter.
Fast Company reports that the Segway brand will retire the original Segway PT. The plant that makes it will stop operating on 15 July, and 21 employees will be let go.
Ironically, one of the reasons the Segway PT is being retired is because it’s too good. Brand owner Ninebot says that the PT is made with multiple redundant systems to keep it working even id some of its parts fail. This meant that there are users using the same scooter for over 12 years, with 100,000 miles (~161000km) to its use history. As a result, the company only sold 140000 of the PT in total, over the course of about 19 years.
For what it’s worth, the Segway name will still remain. Under the brand, Ninebot has over 1000 active patents on self-balancing tech. The company is making use of this for other e-scooters and hoverboards, as well as other mobility devices like it.
(Source: Fast Company. Image: Segway)
