A mini Segway, made affordable
If you’ve always fancied moving about in two wheels but have balked at the price of a full-sized Segway, then you’re in for a treat. Xiaomi has officially unveiled its first product with Ninebot, the company that recently purchased Segway. Xiaomi is a major investor in Ninebot, and it’s not surprising that their first foray together involves a Segway-like “electric scooter”.
The Ninebot Mini though costs only a fraction of what a normal Segway costs, at just $315, or around Php 14.5K. Take into account that Segways costs anywhere from 150K up, Xiaomi’s first foray into the personal transport space is a pretty awesome deal. The Ninebot Mini is capable of travelling up to 16 km/h, can tackle hills up to 15 degrees and has a range of around 22 km on a single charge.
The Ninebot Mini is pretty portable, and its 12.8-kilo weight is manageable if you’re bringing it in the car with you. In typical Xiaomi fashion, you can monitor the Ninebot Mini’s speed, traffic data and other important functions through your smartphone.
Right now there’s no word when the device will make its way out of China, though Engadget reports that Ninebot has updated their French website with an offer to be “informed of the availability” of the device. That means that it may make its way out of Asia and into Europe – hopefully it becomes available in other markets, not just in Xiaomi’s home turf.
