Xiaomi revives the Segway with Ninebot mini, costing a twentieth of the original price

By David Curry Published October 20, 2015

xiaomi segway ninebot — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Xiaomi has announced the Ninebot mini, a new Segway coming to China and Europe. The scooter comes six months after Ninebot, with the help of Xiaomi and a few private equity firms, acquired Segway for an undisclosed amount.

The new Ninebot mini is much smaller than the original Segway. On the new Ninebot mini, the handle only reaches the knee. Ninebot claims that maintaining balance will not be hard on the new scooter.

xiaomi-segway — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Performance on the Ninebot mini isn’t too shabby, with the max speed of 16kph (10mph). The scooter can reach 30km on a single charge, and only takes three hours to fully recharge. It weighs 28 pounds, making it portable enough to fit in a suitcase or car trunk.

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On the front, an LED light shows the battery life of the Ninebot mini, and illuminates the path ahead. Users are able to check traffic, install firmware, and monitor speed through a smartphone app, developed by Ninebot.

The Ninebot mini costs a twentieth of the price of the original Segway, starting at $315. Xiaomi is marketing it at a younger audience, offering an alternative to the growing number of hoverboards available.

Xiaomi plans to launch the Ninebot mini in China on Nov. 3. Ninebot’s French website has been updated to inform users on the “European version” of the scooter, but did not disclose any information on price or launch date for Europe. There’s no word on whether the Ninebot mini will reach the United States.

The original Segway was priced out of the market for consumers, but the Ninebot mini should be available for everyone to try. The ‘mini’ name suggests Ninebot has another Segway is planned, a larger option for customers that want more performance.

Xiaomi is helping Ninebot sell the Segway in China, but for Europe the operation might be led by Ninebot. The company announced the Ninebot mini at its event earlier this week, where it also revealed a new 60-inch 4K TV.

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David has been writing about technology for several years, following the latest trends and covering the largest events. He is…

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