RSSSegway Offers Financing to Push Sales
By Ed Oswald | Published May 31, 2006, 4:46 PM
For most, the price of a Segway is too expensive to afford up front. Thus, the Bedford, N.H.-based company has teamed with General Electric to offer a financing program to buffer the "sticker shock" of buying the high-end scooter.
Instead of paying the full $4,000 to $5,000 cost of the scooter at the time of purchase, the amount could be spread out into monthly payments. For the high-end Segway HT i180 model, this would mean monthly payments could be as low as $125 per month.
The option would become available starting on Thursday from any authorized Segway dealer. "This relationship will make Segway products more accessible to our customers at a time when people are eager to explore more energy-efficient modes of transportation," Segway vice president of sales Jason Barton said.
With gas prices continuing to increase, the company is hoping to cash in by making the HT more affordable. Segway says that the company's growth rate is nearly 50 percent due to its unique value proposition. Still, the number of scooters sold since 2002 only numbers in the tens of thousands.
Segway acknowledges this is not what the company had envisioned -- it thought the HT would catch on as a popular alternative method of transportation in urban areas. However, the high up-front price has kept many away.
The scooters have seen some limited use as rental units much like bicycles and surreys do in beachfront communities. Still, high prices for rental rates make such an option fairly unaffordable for most.
Barton argues that this should change through the GE relationship. "GE gives customers a convenient way to purchase a new Segway HT for manageable monthly payments, while owning a Segway HT gives them the opportunity to save money by avoiding the expense of gas, insurance and traditional maintenance," he said.
Although 60 percent of the company's sales are to consumers, Segway also has a lucrative government and business strategy. Several police forces including the city of Chicago use the scooters in patrols.
Each Segway HT can operate up to 24 miles on a single battery charge, and is pollution free.
I'm not rich, nor is my mother. She bought one used on ebay. She uses it go get to work (which is only 2 miles away). I wouldn't pay $5000 for one, but they're pretty fun. It's like nother you've ever done before. If they were $1500 or less, I'd buy one. I'm 22 and still walk and ride a bike now and then aside from my car. It's just fun to stand there and have the world quietly move around you.
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Isn't this just a toy?
Like a jet ski, snowmobile, motor scooter, etc. None are a necessity, just mostly used for fun. It is just another item for the rich to feel richer than everyone else.
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Use the free version, walk; do'h I forgot nobody in the USA walks anywhere!
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Not everyone is in decent health. and a wheelchair can be by far unnecessary.
Ok, limited scenario, but I actually know a couple people that could apply to.
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This device should be good for elders or people having motion difficulties. I see it as a kind of motorized wheelchair. Except that the person is in standing position. In addition, the owner would probably be very angry if the $5000 Segway is stolen while he/she is shopping in the mall.
Someone who is really sensitive about pollution will use a bike or rollerblade. Not only it is zero pollution, is much less expensive and will help you to do some exercises.
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Segway had the right idea to create a more pollution free, natural vehicle which one can travel around in. However, it's just not practical.
Like BIL said, you cant ride it on the sidewalk because you can hurt somebody else and you cannot ride it on the road because you could get hurt.
However, 24 miles to the tank is not bad, that's a marathon right there ... If you cant make it to your destination in 24 miles, take a car because it would take forever to get there on a segway.
Still, anyone who was ever going to buy a segway has already bought one. Sorry Segway company.
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I'd use it to mall walk and pick up hot senior citizen babes. If they offered a "Pimp my Segway" option, then maybe...
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I can just see those 6-inch spinners now...yeeaah!
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LOL bling bling..
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Laughing out loud. Where would the PlayStation be put? And could you play it while riding the Segway?
I am only about 4.5 miles from work, and I bet I could get it in the elevator and leave it by my desk. Wonder if they have a mechanism to put a lock on it at a bike rack or something.
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They do .. segway.com > shop > accessories
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Pollution free? I guess if you don't see the tailpipe there isn't pollution... granted I'm sure it's better than a car engine, but it's not pollution free... unless maybe you charge it on solar...
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Hmmmm, well, the battery will have to be disposed of someday. Compared to the exhaust pollution of a car, motorcycle, or even a small engine scooter, it's not a much of a stretch to call it "pollution free."
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I believe that Drumcat is referring to the fact that your energy to power these bad boys is causing the pollution.
I had a rude awakening when my power company sent me a generation report. These reports tell you what methods were used in generating the power to your home. In my area, over 50% is still generated from burning coal.
As it was mentioned, if you do not experience the problem with your own eyes, you tend to put it out of mind.
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What are these Segways used for? It seems like an expensive toy to me. Why don't people just walk in a walking situation? As if people aren't already fat and lazy enough, here comes the Segway.
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I have an eight-mile drive to work. I can't do that walk everyday (or even rarely) as it would take about two hours each way walking at a brisk pace, and I often have to carry equipment (notebook, books, small networking gear) with me. However, being able to make that trip with a moderate equipment load in about 40 minutes instead of the 25 minutes it takes me now would be an acceptable tradeoff.
At $4000, they're still too expensive even with financing, but this is a step in the right direction.
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To paraphrase a Paul Simon song: Still hyped after all these years....
Funny no one ever thought a $5000 price tag, the cost of some motorcycles and LOTS of used cars, might be a big stumbling block. Duh.
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$5000 for something that can only go 24 miles at a time. Something that has no protection from the weather. Something that has no air conditioning or radio. Something that is a hazard to pedestrians on the sidewalk and autos when operated in the road. I could go on with the list, but I think we all get the point It is a toy of the wealthy not a form of mass transportation.
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Well true, it would be nice to use to go shopping, or Vegas on the strip baby!
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snicker, according to the big heads that helped to fund this puppy (Jobs, Gates, Bezzos) they all said that "cities" would be built around this device.
I guess they didn't realize that unlike in hollywood movies (if you build it, they will buy it) doesn't necessarily work in the real world.
Now, if I could just get my Edzel started I can get out of here.
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Let me see.. 15 years, at 4.5%.. that's uh.
$6.38 / mo.. Yeah! I can afford that!
24 miles to the tank though.. that sucks!
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It doesn't have a tank, it uses batteries. And 24 miles is more than enough if you're just travelling a few miles around town or back and to - it's great fun.
Let's be honest - if you need to travel a long way, and quickly, a seg isn't the solution. But it's crazy to compare it to a car - it's a transportation option. Cars still have their uses (duh), just like planes, bikes, etc. A Segway hits the spot for lots of small journey requirements.
The figure of 300-400 MPG is often used when comparing running costs.
Also, it can't go faster than an average human and it doesn't take up more space than the average human - so why do you think it is unsafe to use on the pavement? You've obviously never used one. I agree though, they're definitely not suited to road use - but that's because they were designed to run on the pavement - not the road.
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