Today at CES in Las Vegas, Segway-Ninebot will try to make up for the damp squib that is the original Segway Transporter. It will unveil the Segway S-Pod, a smart transporting pod for enclosed campuses such as airports, theme parks and malls.
It is described as “a safe, self-balancing vehicle that is operated by an intuitive assistive navigation panel”. Most observers have pointed out that it looks like the floating chairs in the animated movie Wall-E, implying a sedentary future for all while they are being entertained. However, the intention is transport rather than relaxation.
“With an adaptive centre-of-gravity automatic control system, passengers can easily adjust the speed – up to 24 mph – by handling the knob to change the centre of gravity in the pod,” said Segway-Ninebot in an announcement ahead of the event. “The S-Pod spins and rotates by the centre smoothly for directional changes. The rider does not need to physically lean forward and back to accelerate or slow down. Also, since the ‘brake’ is placed by the shift of the centre of gravity, it eliminates the possibility of the S-Pod tipping over in any situation.”
The seating of the S-Pod offers wide-angle views that provides an expansive viewing field of passengers.
The announcement was imbued with a heavy sense of deja vu: “The S-Pod is also the first step in Segway working towards their goal of bringing new transportation options to cities.”
That is almost precisely how the original Segway device was described. With a fundamental difference. The product was inspired by the Gyrosphere vehicles in Jurassic World.
Since the original transporters, Segway-Ninebot has re-positioned itself in short distance transportation, and has been a technology leader in the urban scooter revolution.
Luke Gao, CEO of Segway-Ninebot, said: “Segway-Ninebot has established itself as a category leader in short distance transportation solutions, from innovative delivery robots to kickscooters now used in cities across the world. We are changing the way people move from place to place. With an eye towards the future of how cities will evolve, as well as the mobility needs in the off-road space, we are notching up our offerings heading into 2020 so that they will fulfill the mobility needs and expectations of the world of tomorrow.”
The Segway S-Pod will be introduced at Segway’s CES booth # 25602 at Las Vegas Convention Center today, January 7, at 11am PT (9pm South African time).
The Segway S-Pod is a first-class smart transporting pod for enclosed campuses such as airports, theme parks and malls. It is a safe, self-balancing vehicle that is operated by an intuitive assistive navigation panel. With an adaptive center-of-gravity automatic control system, passengers can easily adjust the speed – up to 24 mph – by handling the knob to change the center of gravity in the pod. The S-Pod spins and rotates by the center smoothly for directional changes. The rider does not need to physically lean forward and back to accelerate or slow down. Also, since the “brake” is placed by the shift of the center of gravity, it eliminates the possibility of the S-Pod tipping over in any situation. The seating of the S-Pod offers wide angle views that provides an expansive viewing field of passengers. The S-Pod is also the first step in Segway working towards their goal of bringing new transportation options to cities. Segway S-Pod is equipped with remote control system through the detachable built-in pad. Another interesting tidbit—the Jurassic World Gyrosphere serves as the inspiration for this product.
Additional innovative lines that Segway-Ninebot will introduce at CES 2020 include:
- Beyond the Last Mile Transportation Solutions: The company will showcase two new vehicles that can travel longer distances in an urban setting:
- Ninebot eScooter (E80C/E90/E100/E125/E200P): the Ninebot eScooter is the first eScooter introduced by Ninebot intended for mid to long range travel purposes. The five models under Ninebot eScooter have ascending range and speed options to fit users need. The E200P, the premium edition, provides 62.1 mph top speed with up to 124 miles range. Acceleration goes up to 24 mph in four seconds. Ninebot eScooter comes with ABS front and rear double disc brakes to provide extra layer of rider safety. Ninebot eScooter is also intelligent with the connectivity to Segway-Ninebot App to provide data dashboard for riders to check on riding stats, trip summary, OTA firmware update.
- Ninebot eMoped (C40/C60/C80): the Ninebot eMoped is a smart electric bike that can be used as a normal moped and also can be a scooter. The three different model offerings provide selections of ranges from 24.8, 37.2, and 46.6 miles for model C40, C60, and C80. One of the unique features of the Ninebot eMoped is the keyless Ninebot Airlock System that lets riders easily hop on the moped and unlock via phone/NFC—and then it’s ready to go! The triple GPS anti-theft system also provides extra layers of security via the Segway-Ninebot app to send alarm notifications and provide instant GPS location details for riders so that they always know where their eMoped is parked.
- Segway Gets Dirty – Segway is putting the “fun” in functional with an e-dirt bike and other ATV items amping up adventurous mobility offerings.
- Segway SSV-Villain: As the signature product of Segway’s Powersports series, the SSV-Villian captures the adventurous exploration of new challenges and does so in style. The visual massing, seen in the broad shoulders and sweeping hood, shows that the vehicle is planted firmly to the ground and capable of carrying heavy loads. All the while, the sleek and flowing lines, extending upward from the front to the back of the vehicle, highlight that the vehicle is quick and nimble. Subtle details, like the pillion seat break, show how focused the design is on creating the ultimate passenger experience. A priority for this new vehicle as well as others in the Powersports system is extreme safety and durability in harsh and changeable driving environments. The Segway SSV-Villain and all Segway’s Powersports vehicles are equipped with a high-strength chrome-molybdenum steel frame, standard engine braking, four-wheel hydraulic braking, vehicle braking failure warning, off-seat unparked warning, tire anti-detach, and other high safety configurations.
- Segway Dirt eBike (X260/X160): the Segway Dirt eBike is an eco-friendly electric-powered dirt bike that has superior off-road performance. Built to be a performance electric dirt bike for all user types, Segway Dirt eBike is designed to be a hybrid between a mountain bike and dirt bike. It’s compact, lightweight, affordable, easy to maintain, learn and master. The Segway Dirt eBike makes it possible for more people than ever to participate in exciting off-road adventures that they could only dream of before.
- And of course—more scooters – Segway innovated this category and will continue to do so taking scooter tech to the next level with smart automation advancements.
- Ninebot KickScooter Air T15: Ninebot KickScooter Air T15, a CES 2020 Innovation Award honoree, is the most compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient kick scooter ever introduced to navigate a city environment. The unique design is a perfect fit for all urban lifestyles and is best for last-mile transportation needs on commuting, carrying on mass transportation and storing in cars. The innovative regenerative brake system turns your e-scooter into an electric vehicle powered by electricity and recycled energy from riding. Energy will be collected from regenerative braking and distributed when you need a boost.
- Ninebot KickScooter T60 Powered by Segway: the T60, a CES 2020 Innovation Award honoree, is a revolutionary product, namely “roboscooter”, designed with a reverse trike chassis sharing the same form factor used for shared scooter business partners, the sturdy body, powerful drivetrain, excellent maneuverability, long-lasting range and wireless charging capability are all inherited to the consumer version. It is developed exclusively for global scooter sharing service providers. It allows the operator to move several scooters at once through a cloud system to supply the constant shifts in demands at any given time and place. All KickScooter T60 in service can be organized and coordinated at the hub or control center to lower both operation and maintenance costs. The T60 wants to bring electric kickscooter to the next level for better riding experience, better portability, sleek and sturdy design, and smart capacity.
- KickScooter Max 2.2– KickScooter Max 2.2 was specifically engineered to address the challenges of an urban fleet, featuring bigger wheels, a built-in IoT device, hidden cables, and other sturdier design that makes it more stable, durable and easier to control Max 2.2. also comes with a swappable battery, which makes scooter sharing safer and more efficient to operate. Operators can simply swap out the battery pack on site, keeping scooters in operation all of the time.
- Ninebot Kids KickScooter – Ninebot Kids KickScooter are tailor made to fit the needs of kids and teens. It is lightweight and foldable. It’s ideal for kids and teens to use it as an alternative to walking. Ninebot Kids KickScooter also features superior battery waterproof rating of IP67 and BMS smart battery management system for top of the line design safety.
The lead-up to CES has been an amazing time for Segway-Ninebot. In July 2019, Segway-Ninebot again revolutionized the urban mobility space with the Ninebot KickScooter MAX, debuted via an Indiegogo Campaign that exceeded more than $4 million in funding. The company also amped its marketing efforts this year to include a marketing campaign for the KickScooter MAX on New York City buses.
Segway-Ninebot will display all of their latest products at their CES booth in the Las Vegas Convention Center South Hall, # 25602.