{"id":31885,"date":"2020-06-25T16:14:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-25T16:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/icrowdnewswire.com\/?p=2619061"},"modified":"2020-06-25T16:14:00","modified_gmt":"2020-06-25T16:14:00","slug":"segways-iconic-and-oft-ridiculed-self-balancing-scooter-is-ending-production","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ipsnews.net\/business\/2020\/06\/25\/segways-iconic-and-oft-ridiculed-self-balancing-scooter-is-ending-production\/","title":{"rendered":"Segway\u2019s iconic (and oft-ridiculed) self-balancing scooter is ending production"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/span>Photo by Taylor Hill \/ Getty Images<\/small><\/p>\n

Segway announced Tuesday that it is ending production of its signature self-balancing scooter, the Segway Personal Transporter (PT). Manufacturing at the company’s Bedford, New Hampshire, factory will end on July 15th, and 21 employees will be laid off. The news was first reported by Fast Company<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Since the original Segway’s debut 20 years ago, the market has become saturated with electric-powered two-wheelers of many varieties. Moreover, Segway said the iconic and oft-ridiculed scooter only accounted for 1.5 percent of the company’s revenue. But the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting disruption in global manufacturing and supply chains were not factors, the company said.<\/p>\n

“Given our decades-long history, we recognize that this decision may come as a disappointment to our strong and loyal following among private owners, who view the Segway as one of the more innovative creations of the early 21st century,” Segway president Judy Cai said in a statement. “We are grateful for the support and loyalty of our consumers and are proud of the impact our products have made on our customers’ lives and the reputation of the Segway brand.”<\/p>\n

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