So, GM is supposedly trying to switch gears from the monstrous hummer to something a bit more eco-friendly. On the drawing board is a collaborative effort with Segway to make a two-seater electric vehicle that balances on two wheels.
The vehicle would be able to reach speeds of 35 mph and a charge would allow the vehicle to travel for 35 miles.
People will need to make a fundamental shift in thinking for this to be adopted. The shift might occur when the gas prices rebound again. The next bump is likely to be harsh in it's speed and intensity and will probably catch a lot of people off guard but that's a different story for a different post.
Two things will have to change for the new Segway to make massive inroads.
First, we'll need to get the Hummers off the road. The Segway has very limited safety equipment. It's a shell over a larger version of the Segway you see pictured and has a seat. No airbags, no side impact anything, and very little to keep the grill of an Escalade from crushing it like an aluminum can. I'm probably exaggerating but not by much when you consider the Segway will weigh about 300 pounds.
People are not going to feel safe driving these things if they have to share the road with 4,000 pound hulking monsters.
Second, suburbia has to die or public transportation has to be expanded. People can't drive the Segway and commute 60 miles to work. They could commute to a train station that serviced their area but through choice and manipulation by oil companies, we haven't expanded public transportation to service outlying areas.
Don't get me started on how stoopid the GM folks are for waiting until bankruptcy before they started thinking about how to compete in an oil deprived world. I suppose we'll have to pay extra taxes so that they can retool plants where they can build these things. Don't get me started on that either!
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