He just got the form factor wrong. Go to China and everyone rides electric scooterbikes for short trips (with payloads too).
America is so car-dominated that it's hard for this to catch on. If our cities had 10x the population and fewer parking spots (because space is at a premium), we would be doing the same.
In fact, we probably will get there within 20 years. I can't wait for a Tesla ultralight EV or motorcycle. But you'll see this first in Chungking or Mumbai.
Very true - it is in fact a blind spot in our culture - I live in a new build town (15 years old) and whilst most amenities are in walking distance there are no dedicated cycle paths, no pedestrian areas.
Why the hell did I move here? Bbecause there are no better towns in the south east - it's wrong, everywhere
You know, you're essentially standing when walking...
Most of these trips are relatively short, somewhere around 5 to 20 minutes. Nobody is touring on a scooter.
The Segway form factor is remarkably maneuverable and space efficient for one person. But it's not $3k better than a bicycle or cheapo electric scooter. People are also familiar with riding bicycles, so there's no learning curve for scooters.
America is so car-dominated that it's hard for this to catch on. If our cities had 10x the population and fewer parking spots (because space is at a premium), we would be doing the same.
In fact, we probably will get there within 20 years. I can't wait for a Tesla ultralight EV or motorcycle. But you'll see this first in Chungking or Mumbai.