Segway’s highly effective new $4,000 e-scooter is for riders with a wild facet

If the phrase “XtremeX” would not come to thoughts once you consider an e-scooter, assume once more, individuals!!

Segway has unveiled a brand new souped-up electrical scooter that may rise up to 43.5 mph and speed up to 30 mph in 4.2 seconds flat. For context, that is actually freaking quick: The utmost allowed e-scooter velocity from leases like Hen or Spin on the streets of Los Angeles is 15 mph. So that is almost triple what you are in all probability used to feeling on an e-scooter.

The gnarly new beast is Segway’s GT2, which the corporate debuted at an occasion in Southern California Wednesday that can retail for — gulp — $3,999 when it is launched this summer season. It is apparently so quick and rugged that you would be able to even do a wheelie on it, or soar down a flight of stairs and land like a rattling Charlie’s Angel. That’s, not less than, in response to a promotional video. Excessive!

Some critical energy and heft are required to drag off these feats. It has a 1500-watt motor and the 11-inch wheels are supported by air shock absorption with entrance and rear spring suspension and adjustable damping. That makes the GT2 clock in at over 114 kilos. Most Hen and Lime e-scooters scattered on metropolis sidewalks are solely about 45 kilos — a distinction I actually felt after I tried to select it as much as flip the entrance round and, embarrassingly, could not elevate it. 

The GT2 was simply one in all a handful of recent merchandise Segway-Ninebot introduced Wednesday. Others included the marginally much less quick however nonetheless spectacular GT1 (which has a most velocity of 37.Three mph) and two new city-oriented e-scooters known as the “P Collection,” that are successors to Segway’s best-selling G30 sequence. There’s additionally a cute ‘n’ quick moped known as the E110A, and a footboard attachment known as the “Shredder Package” which mainly turns a Ninebot stand-up scooter right into a (very giant) electrical skateboard.

Segway head Alex Huang Chen at Wednesday’s occasion described the GT2 as akin to the “Method 1” automobile of the scooter world. The corporate’s general mission is to “simplify the motion of individuals and objects,” and it focuses closely on decreasing an individual’s environmental affect by making an array of electrical transportation choices. However the GT2 is extra of a hook for individuals with a wild facet.  

“GT just isn’t for everybody,” Huang Chen stated. “It is for riders who need the velocity, the wild[ness], the dopamine. However, in fact, security first!”

Kicking off on the GT2 required loads of focus. Credit score: Rachel Kraus / Mashable

Huang Chen means it when he says “security first:” He momentarily stepped away from our interview to personally make sure that a Segway rider taking part in with a few of the merchandise placed on his helmet.

I acquired to check out the GT2, however sadly, solely in its least speedy “eco-mode,” for the reason that demo was in a comparatively small parking zone. There are three different modes: metropolis, nation, and race. If you wish to do methods and attain most speeds, you will should be in race mode. Even so, you might want to kick off onerous — like, actually onerous — to get the engine to kick into gear once you twist the throttle. 

However then, you’ll be able to really feel the ability below you. I am positive I will be popping wheelies very quickly.