DETROIT:

After 18 months of working together in secret, General Motors Corp and Segway Inc last Tuesday unveiled a prototype two-wheel, electric passenger vehicle that the companies say could be a transportation solution for increasingly overcrowded urban areas.

Project PUMA - or Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility - is a joint development programme between GM and Segway, a New Hampshire-based manufacturer known for its innovative electric stand-and-ride scooter.

The prototype vehicle, to be unveiled at the New York auto show, uses lithium-ion batteries and balances on two wheels.

It looks like a pod jacked up on a dolly.

Two passengers can ride side-by-side inside the pod-like area. Video of the small and nimble vehicle shows it turning nearly in place. It can travel up to 35 mph and go as far as 35 miles between charges, GM said.

GM officials said the vehicle could run about one-fourth to one-third of today's cost of owning and operating a car.

The PUMA vehicle combines several technologies from the two companies, including an electric drive system and batteries, dynamic stabilisation, vehicle-to-vehicle communications and autonomous driving and parking.

Preventing accidents

The connectivity technology allows vehicles to talk to each other to avoid crashes and drive themselves.

"From a technical prospective, this is very doable. There is nothing that needs to be invented here," said Christopher Borroni-Bird, GM director of advanced technology vehicle concepts. "The challenge, of course, is how do you begin to implement it in an existing infrastructure?"

While the PUMA vehicle hasn't been green-lighted for production, Borroni-Bird said the companies plan to develop a complete concept vehicle for next year.

Project PUMA

What is it? The Project PUMA (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility) vehicle.

Who makes it? General Motors and Segway.

How does it work? It's an electric two-seat prototype vehicle with just two wheels.

Why? It could help reduce congestion in cities and provide cleaner, safer, more affordable transportation to the masses.

Where will it be shown? The New York auto show, which started last week.

But will they build it? Unfortunately, it's strictly a concept vehicle — for now.