Here’s the thought that must have gone through somebody’s head at Zap Electric Vehicles: “Hmm. The Segway costs $5000 mostly because of this complex system of gyros that keep it upright, when the same thing could be achieved by adding a third wheel taken from shopping cart. I bet we could build something almost as cool for less than half the price….” Well, it looks like they were right.
The Zap Q is nearly identical in profile to Kamen’s Segway but does away with the complicated electronics that put the price out of the reach of most folks. The Q has a range of about 20 miles and runs at about 10 mph, making it about almost as fast as a Segway but with almost twice the range. And it adds a couple more features, such as a headlight, running lights and horn for bettery safety, a fold-up handlebar and a 6mph reverse mode. While it may not have the caché of a Segway, see how much caché you have when you ride one around while wearing the Purple Label suits you’d be able to afford with the savings. Price is just $1800.
PS: If you’re unconvinced by this “pretender” it may come as good news that the Segway has been reduced in price to just $4500.