The Segway PT, the two-wheeled, self-balancing transport typically used by mall security guards, will be retired on July 15, the company said in a statement.
The company said 21 employees will be laid off, another 12 employees will stay on for two months to a year and five will remain at the Bedford, New Hampshire facility.
“This decision was not made lightly, and while the current global pandemic did impact sales and production, it was not a deciding factor in our decision,” said Judy Cai, Segway president, in a statement.
The “revolutionary” Segway was introduced in 2001 with a price tag of around $5,000 by inventor Dean Kamen. Segway was later acquired by China-based Ninebot in 2015.
“Within its first decade, the Segway PT became a staple in security and law enforcement, viewed as an effective and efficient personal vehicle,” said Judy Cai, Segway president, in a statement, noting that in the past decade it gained popularity with vacationers in major cities in North America, Europe, Asia, South America, and the Middle East.
In 2017, Segway got into the scooter business, just as the light, inexpensive and easy-to-ride two-wheelers took over urban streets. Riders took 38.5 million trips on shared electric scooters in 2018, according to the National Association of City Transportation Officials.
Segway reportedly now has 70% of the e-scooter market, providing the first scooters to Bird and Lime in 2018, according to Fast Company.
It's the end of an era that never quite happened. https://t.co/twjoFaPNPO
— Fast Company (@FastCompany) June 23, 2020
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Cox Media Group