But According to Tony Ho, Segway global vice president of business development, last year it made up only 1.5% of Segway PT Ninebot’s revenue. Price tag begins He said that by reaching $ 6,000 and sometimes $ 10,000, only police departments and tour groups could afford it.
Before Segway, Kamen made his name known as the inventor of medical devices, such as a portable insulin pump. The Segway PT project continued to work on a self-balancing wheelchair in the 1990s.
Segway PT was ahead of time, but not just in a good way. The price tag was a big obstacle to adoption, coming $ 4,950 when first released. Batteries that were originally over $ 1,000 were too expensive to make a more affordable version. For years, the company tried to lower the price. According to Ho, prices have risen, probably due to inflation and new off-road features. According to the Segway spokesperson, 140,000 PTs have been sold since 2001.
Segway has developed an asocial reputation rather than cool and changing the world.
Kamen, who did not immediately respond to the request for comment, told CNN Business in 2018 that Segway continued to be the project that most people knew him.
“What else do I do in life,” he said, “I’m a Segway man.”
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