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The AUSTIN MEYER CORVETTE-SEGWAY CHALLENGE
OK so I just got a Segway (Segway.com) and am tooling around the neighborhood to the bank, packaging store, deli, etc. on it. It is a little scary to ride since you always feel like you are going to fall to the left or right, and it never goes as fast as you want it to (13 mph tops, when I would happily do 30 or more). Cruising down the street is an interesting experience, since every SUV has the faces of every child within it pressed up against the windows, eyes wide with a amazement and huge inspired grins on their faces, their smiling faces framed perfectly by their hands pressed up against the glass as they pass by. Wherever I go, everybody asks what it is, where I got it, and how much it costs, and how fast it goes. (Segway, Amazon.com, $5000, 13 mph). A few people even have the courage to ask to ride it (I always let them) and EVERYONE stares. Then again, I don't just ride up and park outside... I tool right into the store or restaurant, right up to the counter or table, towering a good foot over everyone else in the room, wheeling around as fast as I like. The Segway is touted as the next revolution in transportation, so a comparison with automotive travel (my 50th Anniversary Corvette) is called for... thus I give you: THE AUSTIN MEYER CORVETTE-SEGWAY CHALLENGE!
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Segway |
Corvette |
| Range |
10 miles |
450 miles |
| Top Speed |
13 mph |
175 mph |
| Payload |
325 lb |
600 lb |
| Price |
exactly $5000 |
exactly $50,000 |
| Weight |
83 lb |
3,200 lb |
| Power |
4 hp |
350 hp |
| Miles travelled/dollar |
150 at $0.08/KW-h |
17 at $1.50/gallon |
| Dollars/lb payload |
$15.38 |
$83.33 |
| Dollars/mph |
$384.62 |
$285.71 |
| Dollars/mile range |
$500.00 |
$111.11 |
| Safety |
highly suspect |
ironclad |
| Fun-Factor |
supreme, in good weather and no traffic |
supreme, in low traffic |
| Group attracted to it |
EVERYONE |
10-year-old boys |
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So what does it all mean?
The Vette is 10x faster, and 10x more expensive, carries twice the payload (2 people plus some stuff rather than 1 person plus some stuff). The Vette has 100x more power and 40x the weight, and yes you can feel from driving it that is has 2.5x the acceleration (the Segway accelerates smartly to 13 mph).
The Segway has 10x lower fuel cost per mile though (just plug it in and you pay for it with a slightly higher power bill), but costs 5x more in initial cost per mile it can travel. So the Segway is a bit pricey in the speed and range category, for how fast and far it can move stuff per dollar of acquisition cost.
Interestingly, even though the Vette is 40x heavier, it only costs 5.4x the number of dollars in fuel for each mile travelled... in other words the Vette is actually 10x cheaper per pound of moving itself! Though it has to move so much more that it is more expensive to keep fueled.
Bottom line: The most range, speed, payload, and safety all go to the Vette, but if you like everyone to come flocking, then you gotta get the Segway!
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(image copyright John B. Carnett / Popular Science)
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