You can say what you want about the wheeled hoverboards that suddenly exploded in popularity over the past couple of years, but you can’t deny the fact that they corrected the flaws in Segway’s original design. Segway, naturally, wants a piece of that action and they’re aiming to do it with the MiniPro.
Similar to the wheeled hoverboards you see everywhere, it’s a smaller version of the original personal transporter, making it a lot less unruly to stow away around the house. Unlike them, it’s designed for more precise control, making it better for everyday transport, while minimizing the potential for accidents.
The Segway MiniPro leverages the same advanced sensors and self-balancing tech that power the full-size Segways, allowing it to deliver “the most stable, hands-free ride imaginable.” Instead of relying on shifting your body weight to maneuver the board, it comes with a knee-height control bar for precision steering, making it easier to get around obstacles even at higher speeds. Granted, that same control bar adds a protruding section in the middle of the board, making it less compact and less convenient to carry.
Features include a top speed of 10mph, 14 miles of range on a single charge, the ability to climb slopes of up to 15 degrees, 10.5-inch pneumatic tires for better shock absorption, customizable LED lights, maximum rider weight of 185 pounds, and an accompanying app that allows you to control it remotely. Oh yeah, the batteries are also certified by the Underwriters Lab, so you should experience no exploding batteries with this thing.
Slated for release June 29th, the Segway MiniPro is priced at $999.