How would you like to ride down Second Avenue in this? And where would you park it once you got to work? The P.U.M.A. (Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility Project), recently unveiled by General Motors and Segway, can go 35 miles on one battery charge, seats two, and reaches speeds of 35mph. Whee!

We love the concept, but wonder if it was such a good idea to name a pimped-up wheelchair after an animal known to chase and devour humans, especially those on bikes.

But even scarier: according to GM’s vice president of research and development and strategic planning, this electric rickshaw “doesn’t need air bags or other traditional safety devices, and includes safety belts for ‘comfort purposes’ only”. Right.

2009 New York Auto Show: Riding in the GM/Segway PUMA [Consumer Reports]

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