Segway Introduces Two New Models

Segway on Monday introduced two new models of its stand-up, battery-powered, Segway Human Transporter—named the i2 and x2—which improve upon their predecessors’ steering capabilities, The New York Times reports.

First released in 2001 and developed by renowned inventor Dean Kamen, according to the Times, the Segway has come to be known as a fancy—and somewhat nerdy—toy for wealthy technology enthusiasts and environmentalists.

The Segway i2 model is meant for street use, and it costs $4,995, while the $5,495 x2 model is designed to travel over a handful of terrains including dirt, sand or grass, the Times reports. Both models can go as fast as 12.5 miles per hour, and they can operate for roughly 24 miles before needing a recharge, according to the Times.

Klee Kleber, marketing vice president with Segway, said the i2 and x2 feature a technology called LeanSteer that enables the machines to determine what direction their users want to travel based on which side the person is leaning toward, the Times reports. In the past, Segways featured only backward and forward motion controls, according to the Times.

“You lean whichever direction you want to go,” Kleber told the Times.

Segway’s two new models also feature wireless functionality that enables users to start the machines while standing away from them, according to the Times.

Both the i2 and x2 keep tabs on users’ distance traveled, as well as speed, and they feature an alert that notifies owners when another user steps onto them, the Times reports.

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