Autoblog

We've covered all manner of Ferrari products that have little to nothing to do with the firm's actual road cars or even its championship-winning formula racing program. These include laptop computers, PDAs, stereo systems, cell phones... you name it. Those are just the electronics, and just a few of them at that. But this... this is just too much. Ferrari, in its unquenchable thirst for more licensing opportunities, has teamed up with Segway to offer this special-edition scarlet scooter.

Okay, we'll concede that Ferrari employees actually use Segways to get around the ever-growing factory in Maranello, and heaven forbid they should use anything that isn't emblazoned with the Prancing Horse emblem. So while they were at it, the two companies at polar opposite ends of the wheeled transportation spectrum evidently decided to offer these Italian hybrids to the public.

And so the Segway PT i2 Ferrari Limited Edition was born, complete with Rosso paintwork and leather handlebars. Otherwise it's completely stock, so don't expect to be out-running anything with, you know... an actual engine, or other Segways for that matter. Like the standard Segway, it's designed to fit into the trunk of a car (maybe of a Scaglietti) and turns as instinctively as Kimi Raikkonen on the apex at this past weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Don't think this makes the geek's alternative to walking actually cool or anything, and it's no faster in any way than an ordinary Segway. But if you're filthy rich and you've wisely invested your wealth in a massive collection of Ferraris old and new, it may (and we'll stress may) make for a nice way to get around the garage. (We'll walk, thanks.)

Thanks to James for the tip.

[Source: Sybarites]

Visitors to the 2007 International Security Convention West show (ISC West) in Las Vegas had a chance to get up close and personal with the future of police patrol vehicles. On display was the new three-wheeled chariot from T3 Motion. Sort of a Segway with sirens, the T3 Series security model boasts a top speed of 18-25 mph. That should be good enough to catch a fleeing suspect, but the T3 will most likely show its benefit in keeping officers fresh for when they have to dismount and really start a pursuit.

Powered by two rechargeable batteries, it will cost about $8,000 but offers a much lower per-mile cost than just about anything this side of a bicycle. Extra batteries can be carried and swapped in as necessary for a longer range and recharge times are 4-6 hours when you get back to the station. It's a bit beefier and more authoritative looking than a Segway, and with a front wheel, a little more stable, as well. And it's green to boot. The zero-emission vehicle even uses LED lighting to minimize battery usage. T3 motion offers a range of similar vehicles customized for military, personal security and law enforcement applications.

[Source: Engadget]

Nothing says "to serve and protect" like a cop riding piggyback on R2-D2. T3 Motion has developed a three-wheeled competitor to the Segway, which it's currently marketing to law-enforcement agencies and those crazy cops from California were first in line.

The T3 made its debut in Boston on October 14 at a police chiefs convention, though the company says it is looking into other technologies, applications and markets. Currently the T3 is being tested at the University of Southern California and on Catalina Island, among other locations.

The vehicle is powered by two battery cells, which are charged via a specially-designed charging unit that runs off ordinary wall-socket electricity. The little scooter also comes equipped with LED flashing lights, sirens and a lockable glovebox (for felonious squirrels) and even an optional GPS tracking system. That's a lot more than you could fit on a Segway (and not just because they've been recalled, either). We just wish it could say "stop, or there will be... trouble".

Because the batteries can be swapped out on the field, T3 Motion says the vehicle effectively has an unlimited range. With quick-turning agility, the company also says their scooter has "intuitive handling". Know what else has intuitive handling? A cop walking the beat.

[Source: Edmunds Inside Line]

Imagine if Ford were forced to recall every vehicle it had ever sold all the way back to the Quadracycle of the 1890s. That's what Segway Inc. is facing with a recall announced that involves all 23,500 Segway Human Transporters that have been sold since March of 2002. The recall involves a software glitch that could cause a Segway to unexpectedly apply reverse torque, essentially backing up, and possibly tossing the rider over the handlebars. You see, this is why we prefer sitting down while traveling.

Segway has received six reports of this happening that have resulted in head and wrist injuries, but the fix appears to fast and easy. Any owner can take his or her Segway to a local service provider and get a free software upgrade that purportedly fixes the problem.

[Source: Segway, Inc. via Engadget]

The founder of SegwayNYNY, Itsi Atkins, reviewed the New York Auto show and found it lacking in any advancements in alternative transportation. According to PR Wire, Atkins saw nothing that indicated the automakers had developed technologies to reduce oil use. Instead, he found the "...the war of the sound waves with Sirius vs. XM. Each company was trying to out spend advertising dollars to impress the ears of the drivers." Atkins stated the real head-turner at the show was the P model Segway which drew attention not only from in-the-know New Yorkers, but from Hummer buyers as well.

For the record, no one from Autoblog saw a Segway on the floor during the press preview days.

See here for Segway's foray at the show last week.

[Source: PR Web via eMediaWire]

If you're tired of walking and really don't want to risk a heart attack in one of the Big Apple's (in)famous taxi cabs--assuming you can hail one--Segway is offering an alternative.

Segways, those two-wheel motorized vehicles, will be available for demonstration at the show. The linked article cites the benefits of a Segway such as low maintenance and operating costs. Did you know it only costs 10 cents to fully charge the electric battery, which means the Segway provides 390 miles of operation for the cost of a single gallon of gas. Its tires have a 5,000 miles range. It also has an electronic key start so no one can steal your Segway from the bike rack.
 
Other advantages and contact information while in NYC can be found at the link.

[Source: PR Web via eMediaWire]

Not since the Segway Human Transporter debuted amidst a fog of hype has a transportation solution come along that makes us rethink how we may get around in the future. The Bombardier Embrio makes the Segway look old school by relying on only one wheel while in motion, though a second smaller wheel does deploy at speeds below 12 mph. The Embrio uses gryoscope technology similar to the Segway’s to keep its rider balanced, but adds a futuristic hydrogen fuel-cell motor and an active suspension with variable damping. Looking for all intents and purposes like an emasculated motorcycle, the Embio weighs a mere 360 pounds.

Bombardier’s concept may offer a sneak peak at our future, but it won’t have truly arrived until it has its own Polo league like the Segway.