With a title like that, you expect something that amounts to nothing but praise, right? Well, the emphasis here is on the word "pursuit," but I'll do my best to justify what comes close to "perfection."
I know the sub has been actively discussing the P Series since Segway's announcement in March of this year, and with initial crowdfunding deliveries just taking place this week, I hope to put my experience with eScooters in general and with the P100S, specifically, to use here.
First, an important preface...
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Based out of Los Angeles in Southern California, I've spent the last few years actively involved in the PEV community, primarily focused on full-on electric vehicles—I daily drive a Tesla Model 3, so my normal commute is also powered by an electric motor—but honed in on electric scooters.
My miles have been accrued on everything from the wide roster of Segway-Ninebot consumer models, to more niche and high-performing Nami and Wolf models out in the wild. As Los Angeles has a mature rideshare network in place, I've also put in countless miles/hours on varying models from Bird, Spin, Evo, etc.
Given Segway's rise to stardom in the industry, I planned on purchasing a pair of Ninebot Max scooters (one for me and one for my wife) at the tail-end of last year, but when Segway announced the GT and P Series earlier this year, I kicked my research into high gear, connecting with active people in the r/ElectricScooters subreddit and various others to try and gain as much of a pre-purchase education as possible.
My personal use-case and goal were to arrive upon the best possible option for a city explorer, versatile eScooter, loaded with tech, capable of robust top-speed, and toward the top of the charts in terms of efficiency/range. While I may use my eScooter for occasional commutes, my general purpose is recreational riding, exploration, and light errand running across LA's Westside.
When Segway finalized the spec sheet and launched the Kickstarter, my wife and I pulled the trigger on a pair of P100S. Fortunate to be based out of Los Angeles, our units were day-one deliveries, taking just a single day to go from Segway's Katy, Texas distribution center to our home address.
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- Rider Weight (Total payload during miles tested as of this writing): 165 lbs
- Ambient Temperatures (during miles tested as of this writing): 70-78 F
- Road Surfaces/Types Tested: Primarily city/residential (newly paved and older, rougher), along with light trail (dirt and sand)
- Hill Grades Tested: Flat ground, steep descents, and 20+% hill climbs
- Miles Ridden on P100S as of 10/1/22: 68.6 miles
- P100S units on-hand and mileage distribution between them: Two units on-hand, with 50/50 mileage distribution between them
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- Range: 33.9 miles under near-max performance ride mode or ~60 miles under full eco ride mode (more on this in a dedicated section later)
- Motor Type and Output: 650 W single motor with 1350 W peak output
- Brakes: 5.5" ventilated, mechanical disc brakes with rear electric regen brake
- Acceleration and Top Speed: 0-15 in 2.8 seconds, with a 30 MPH top speed
- Hill Grade Capability: 23%
- Total Payload Capacity: 265 lbs
- Suspension: Front & Rear Dedicated Suspension (Torsion-Bar Type)
- Tires: Automobile-grade 10.5" pneumatic all season (tubeless, self-sealing)
- Battery Pack: 1086 wH
- Charge Time (0-100%): ~7 hours
- Water Rating: IPX5 body and IPX7 battery pack
- Lighting: 10 W LED daytime running light, multicolor RGB accent lights, Segway welcome light (rear puddle lights), full turn signal lights (front and rear), and wide-cast LED headlamp
- Usability Features: USB-C port on the main console for mobile device charging, integrated charger requiring only a single cable to charge, NFC card lock/unlock, dedicated Segway app, passcode unlock, turn signals, dynamic info HUD with high daytime visibility, multiple driving modes, and more
- Weight: 72.5 lbs
- Initial Assembly: The unit comes boxed in a nearly-assembled state, requiring only the handlebar attachment via six hex screws.
- Warranty: Two years, standard limited
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Highlight Strength:
- Segway's signature QC and craftsmanship shine bright on the P100S
- Outstanding motor design in terms of throttle application, torque power output on the low end, and speed management at the top end
- Despite 70+ pound weight, extremely agile and maneuverable at all speeds
- Unrivaled suite of quality-of-life features and tech functionality
- For a city explorer, daily commuter, fun factor is cranked up to 11 in anything other than Eco mode
- Security features are unmatched, with NFC lock/unlock, full app access and customization, and a robust anti-theft system
- Incredible value-for-the-performance-and-quality at early crowdfunding price ($1,600 USD), high value at current crowdfunding price ($1,800 USD), and decent value at MSRP ($2,000 USD)
Criticism and Areas for Improvement:
- Initial firmware at launch leaves several areas in need of functionality improvement and change (more on this later)
- Range under unrestricted Sport ride mode is unrecognizable from the opposite end of the spectrum when riding in Eco mode. Max speed, as incredible as it may be on the P100S, hits the range capabilities hard (more on this later)
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With the basics out of the way, let's tackle the core areas that any experienced (or new) rider/owner cares about when considering an eScooter model to live with and daily ride.
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It takes no more than a few miles on the P series to realize that, more than living up to predecessors, the P series is undeniably the culmination of everything Segway's done over the years in terms of real-world product testing and internal R&D.
From a rock-solid, welded-on stem design, to a tank-like main base and battery pack, to the workman-like tire and suspension design, everything about the P100S instills a sense of supreme confidence whether the rider is standing at a red light or pushing the envelope at 30 MPH while riding into a headwind on rough pavement. The materials you interact with on a daily ride are rubberized, grippy, and thick. The base board is quite wide and utilizes a rubber that's tactile under your shoe, confidence-inspiring, but isn't prone to magnetizing every lil' piece of grime and debris from the road underneath. Both in terms of material selections and actual craftsmanship on the assembly line, the P100S is a stark reminder of why Segway's earned its reputation in the PEV community.
As an important disclaimer, I want to reiterate that I side-by-side compared and tested the initial fit & finish on two P100S received on the same day. With one P100S' serial number indicating that it was unit 003 (third off the initial assembly line) and the other unit's serial indicating it was unit 213, there's a good range here to represent the initial production run.
Every bolt, screw, seam, and joint on both the base metals and the plastic finishes is a 1:1 match between both units. Neither has a single creak, squeak, or wobble. You can lift and drop the nose hard on the ground and listen close when blasting down a glass-like stretch of tarmac at 30 MPH, and no matter the case, the P100S conveys to you that it delivers on Segway's sterling reputation when it comes to this category.
Backed by a two-year limited warranty, the first 50+ miles leave little reason to believe that the P series will end up being outliers on Segway's track record. I certainly hope the result lives up to these initial impressions, but I'll update and revise this review if anything drastic changes.
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When first announced, the P100S took a bit of heat from the eScooter community, in that Segway opted to go with a single 650 W rear motor (1350 W peak motor power output), as opposed to a dual-motor design you tend to see on most competitors in this price segment.
Real-world testing and reviews on newer dual-motor models (a prime example being the Apollo City Pro) revealed a core reason for why that is: with dual motors comes markedly increased demand on the battery pack, and thus, a plummet in efficiency and range. The tradeoff is presumably made to gain increased acceleration, top speed, and hill climb, but the irony is that it's never that simple in real-world execution. If we look at just the Apollo City Pro Dual Motor, we can see that despite running a dual-motor setup, the Apollo matches the P100S' top speed, 0-15 MPH acceleration, and yet manages to fare worse on rated hill climb angle and isn't even in the same league in terms of range. It's not a simple matter of "extra motors = better." Taking it a step further, there are a good handful of premium dual motors that don't rival the on-paper or on-street specs of the P100S.
Whatever black magic Segway seems to have done in the R&D leading up to the P series pays off in practice, as the numbers they tout on paper are very actualized and very felt when out on a ride.
If set to unrestricted Sport mode, a P100S with greater than 85% state of charge (SoC) hits ~19-20 MPH before it crosses a standard-length intersection. Aside from, perhaps, the GT1, the P100S makes a strong case for being the most potent single-motor flagship on the market as of this writing.
Segway cites 23% hill grade on P100S marketing materials, and real-world testing confirms this with ease. One of the steepest hills in nearby Venice, California was a joke when I launched up from a locked 28 MPH at the base. By the time I reached the crest, the P100S was still holding 22 MPH with no signs of further speed loss. I'm willing to bet that Segway was conservative in their hill grade testing to not lead to owner disappointment, as my 165-pound frame blasts up any local hill with ease, no matter how daunting it looks at the base of the hill!
What's most impressive in the real world isn't conveyed on the spec sheet. It's not a matter of 0-15 MPH times or 30 MPH top speed, but more so a matter of engineered power delivery.
I won't name other models that we all notoriously know exhibit this issue, but gone are any signs of temperamental or hard-to-control throttle input. Power delivery is quite smooth, no matter the surface, hill grade, or SoC at the time of riding.
Better still, my testing at ~15% SoC, ~50% SoC, ~75% SoC, and max SoC confirms that Segway tweaked the onboard power management to produce a very linear experience for the rider no matter how much range they have left. While 30 MPH on a flat run can only be consistently held above 90% SoC, the fall-off is less than 1 MPH for each 10% SoC thereafter. It also never drops below 25 MPH on the top end, even at the very lowest SoC left in your battery pack. This kind of consistent performance in varying conditions and varying SoC leads to rider confidence whether avoiding a road incident, racing to get home in time for an event, or just zipping around town for fun.
One disclaimer for new riders is to take care and be cautious when using the app to unlock the unrestricted Sport mode. As an example, if you displace your weight on only the rear of the deck and drop the accelerator from a standstill, the nose of the P100S effortlessly rises off the ground and can catch you off-guard. Easily as important, take care when cutting sharp corners at greater than 25 MPH speeds, as the power delivery to the rear wheel pushes the limits of rubber-on-tarmac. Have fun out there, but get used to Drive mode and "normal" Sport mode first!
There are world-beater beast eScooters on the market with faster 0-15 MPH times and considerably more beefy top speeds, but as we go through the following section, we're reminded why it's important to consider all the features, functions, and overall performance as a collective package, rather than just focusing on one, hallmark spec that trumps all others.
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Unlike its lesser sibling P65, the P100S features dedicated front & rear torsion-bar style suspension. After first unboxing, a "bounce test" will put a grin on your face. The travel is considerable and, equally as important, the entire chassis produces not a single decibel of sound. If you stand atop the deck and forcibly bounce your weight to compress the torsion arms to bottom-out, what's most noteworthy is that the range, from fully decompressed to fully compressed, is done with tight tolerances. The bottoming out, if and when it does happen from going over, perhaps, a huge speed bump is never abrupt and you never feel the bottoming out in your legs or arms. The travel of front & rear suspension has been tuned by Segway to surpass any expectations on urban and suburban road surfaces.
At sub-8 MPH, the only audible sound is tire noise from road contact, but any attempt to hear or feel the suspension is in vain. The torsion front and rear chews through gravel, divots in the pavement, or light trails with ease. The suspension has no user adjustment, which isn't ideal for the price tag associated, but it's clear that Segway spent considerable time and money in the R&D phase to tune it as much as possible. I'm sure the GT series is yet another step up, but aside from that class of eScooter, the P100S' suspension design seems tailor-made for recreational and commute riding.
Just like the motor design, the suspension is performant across the entire speed range, and most impressively, it results in a rock-solid, zero-wobble ride when pushing the upper, 30 MPH limits. Rider confidence is high when standing upright at over 25 MPH, with zero speed wobble in the stem and no cause for concern that the folding-stem mechanism may be a liability at higher speeds. With every contact point welded on the frame, the entire chassis holds true when taking corners at fast speed or maxing out the top end. If you lose control or lose traction, it's more than likely a matter of user error. That's a great thing, as you grow to trust the P100S' balance of motor power ouput, driving torque to the tires, balanced out by the suspension. All working in tandem, these three pillars result in a rider experience that's extremely smooth at all speed ranges.
Segway touted "automobile-grade tires" in promotional marketing, and in terms of rubber compound, it seems to hold true. Light trail riding and cuts across pavement with patches of loose sand exhibit zero signs of traction loss or wheel slippage.
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With other flagships offering hydraulic brakes at ~$1,500 price point, plenty of prospective owners grew worried when Segway announced the P series specs and cited mechanical discs on the front and rear.
Hydraulics are lovely for what they are, both in terms of long-term maintenance and brake feel in-hand, but for whatever it may be worth, Segway's tuning of the mechanicals on the P100S make them the, bar none, best mechanical disc brakes I've ever tested on an eScooter.
With thickkkkk brake pads and quick response time, the mechanical disc brakes on the P100S exhibit no brake fade even under extreme load and hard riding. The ventilated design of the large, 5.5" ventilated discs results in consistent performance at all speeds, even when crushing both and rear brake handles down in a 30-0 full-stop test. I don't suggest doing that often, as it'll wear down the pads and require maintenance adjustment more often than necessary, but it does afford a certain piece of mind knowing that your physical input on the brake levers will consistently result in the same kind of stopping power no matter the road or weather conditions. Though I haven't been able to test in wet conditions (Los Angeles isn't known for having rainfall, after all), the braking performance on everything from dry road surfaces to light trails inspires confidence in the performance when surfaces might be wet.
What's most noteworthy in terms of rider experience is that Segway nailed the brake handle "feel." The amount of pressure required for braking across all speed ranges is sublime, with light-to-medium pressure to activate the handle(s)—not unlike the feel of hydraulic, mind you—but a crisp and consistent pull required to full depress the pads on the front and rear. Even in the event of an aggressive stop, a light lean-back is all that's needed to bring the P100S to a quick stop. There's no sense of potential jerkiness that may throw you over the handlebars if you don't release the levers in time or crank down on them too hard in a moment of panic.
Subjectively speaking, we all need to decide how much we value hydraulic brakes, but real-world use makes it clear why Segway opted for these, particular set of tuned mechanical discs on the P series. I'm sure the hydraulics on the GT series are even another notch above, but at the sub $2K price point, I would be hard pressed to think of another eScooter model variant that feels and performs better at the intended speed ranges of the P100S.
For perspective, here's a demo from an early YouTube review that showcases brake pad size and stopping power: https://youtu.be/7x4y15ZsWTQ?t=64
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With a 1086 Wh pack manufactured with Samsung cells, the P100S features an integrated charger design that, quite frankly, you won't want to live without once you've lived with it for just a few days.
Rather than lug around a hefty charging brick, the P100S only requires a standard three-prong AC cable tossed in a bag on a ride with you. When you reach your destination, a fully dead P100S can be brought back to full life in approx. seven hours. In real-world testing, I can confirm that Segway's cited seven hours is spot-on, having tested recharge time from 60-90% with a timer. The math carries through, whether starting from low SoC or near max.
As per the product manual, Segway guarantees the pack for 10,000 KM (6,214 miles) or 500 full charge cycles. As personal peace of mind worth sharing, I'll note that I love to see that the Segway app reports real-time battery stats in terms of voltage, wattage, and ambient temps. Even when connected to a well-wired 120v wall outlet at low SoC, the pack pulled even and consistent wattage and voltage, never breaching 38 C in reported temp. For those that may not know, this is very promising in terms of Segway's battery management system (BMS) in action, as the BMS is the heart of battery pack longevity. On the crowdfunding comments board, several owners pressed Segway for feedback on whether the P series is safe to charge indoors and overnight, to which Segway Team replied with utmost confidence that the BMS has strict tolerances and countless, by-the-second safety mechanisms to control electrical current and maintain battery pack health. For what it's worth, my few days of close examination of the real-time stats confirm this to be very true. Think of all the horror stories you've heard of eScooter start-ups manufacturing their units in foreign factories without the kind of BMS that can even prevent fire, let alone ensure long-term battery pack health.
Though I haven't been able to do 100% to 0% real-world range testing, my most intensive ride session was last night, during which I stress tested the P100S by zipping around LA's Westside in normal and unrestricted Sport mode (25-30 MPH) with my usual 165-pound payload and with ambient temps of around 74 F. With regular headwinds creating resistance on my body and the P100S, and a healthy dose of steep hill climbs, the result was as follows:
- Total Ride: 19.1 miles
- Total Ride Duration: 91 minutes
- Total SoC Used (Battery % lost): 66%
For consideration, here's Segway's official statement on P series range numbers, direct from the FAQ:
What is the maximum range of the KickScooter P Series?
• The P100S offers a max range* of up to 62 miles (100 km) and a tested range* of 33.9 miles (54.6 km).
• The P65 offers a max range* of up to 40 miles (65 km) and a tested range* of 21 miles (33.8 km).
*Max range: Tested while riding with a full battery, 75 kg (165 lbs) payload, 25°C (77°F), at the speed of 9.9 mph (16km/h).
*Tested range: Tested while riding with a full battery, 75kg (165 lbs) payload, 25°C (77°F), at the speed of 24.8 mph (40km/h)."
As my 19.1-mile ride saw average speeds higher than 25 MPH, let alone the countless hill sprints I used to stress test the motor and BMS, I can confidently confirm that 33.9 miles at ~25 MPH is absolutely possible in the real world. To achieve anything closer to 60+ miles of total range on a single charge, the rider would need to drop to Eco for the duration of the ride, and even then, he/she won't achieve 60 miles of range on a single charge unless he/she weighs less than 165 lbs. This is due to Segway's testing at a 9.9 MPH average during that run.
There's so much variability in the real world, ranging from payload at the time of the ride, to ambient temps, to opposing headwinds, to average speed. Don't expect to regularly achieve 45+ miles on a single charge, but know that if you push performance to the limit, you can expect ~30 miles if you weigh around 165 lbs, but you can equally as likely see 45+ miles if you cruise around in Eco or restrict Drive mode to 20 MPH (more on tips like this at the very end).
As an important disclaimer, brace for a steep fall-off in total range on a full charge if you ride in unrestricted Sport Mode (red Sport icon on the HUD) and do considerable hill sprints and fast accelerations. You likely won't achieve even 30 miles on a single charge. This doesn't come as a shock, but it is something to consider when floating the idea of 50+ mile rides on Eco mode.
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As compared to an ~40-pound Ninebox Max G30P or other comparable eScooters, the P100S is rather hefty in terms of raw weight.
While that's mitigated by an exceptional folding stem and lock-in design that pairs the affixes the handlebar to the deck, the reality is that long-distance lift-and-carry of the P100S isn't realistic unless you're particularly strong and hardy. Sure, tossing the P100S into the rear trunk of your car for a road trip is a breeze, but don't expect to haul it around by hand.
Thankfully, the addition of "Walk" mode makes maneuvering the P100S in tight spaces a breeze, and a full collapsible stem (unlike the 100+ pound GT series) makes it rather compact despite its weight.
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I would regard the P100S' co*ckpit design to be second only to the GT2's transparent OLED setup. Aside from that extreme outlier, everything else about the P100S' co*ckpit simply can't be beaten as the models on the market at the time of this initial impressions review.
Every button is ergonomically accessible across the sprawling 25" handlebar setup. With a massive, bright HUD, the display console is rich with information, specifically motor power output (red bar at the top), speedometer, range remaining (green bar at the bottom), ride mode designations, and more. While the range isn't denoted in numerical values as it is on the GT series, the green bar is intelligently thought out, as each chunk of the bar represents 10 percent, and a blinking chunk means you're in between the nearest ten percent values. At a glance, this makes it easy to look down and know that you're, perhaps, riding with a good 70% still left in the pack!
On the underside of the co*ckpit, you'll find a high-wattage USB-C port, allowing you to easily power your handlebar-mounted phone during rides. It seems like such a minor feature, but it proves to be such a quality-of-life user experience boost during longer rides!
The throttle is basically perfect, with a wide thumb paddle that's smooth in operation with absolutely no over or under sensitivity as can be seen on countless other high-end eScooters. Acceleration, as a result, is dependable at all times. Whether you want to gradually accelerate while in Sport mode, or want to "floor" it in Eco or Drive modes, each depress of the thumb paddles has an unwavering start and end point, with no rocking, wiggling, or quirkiness.
In a slick move to mirror Tesla's approach to vehicle access, Segway's NFC card performs flawlessly, without a single hiccup across dozens of lock and unlock attempts. A simple tap on the NFC area below the HUD allows for instant unlock/start of the P100S, whereas a follow-up tap locks and powers down.
You master the co*ckpit in a day or two, and it becomes muscle memory shortly thereafter. Aside from the quirk and complaints addressed later, there's little Segway could have done to improve this part of the rider experience.
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In yet another step to push toward a polished fit and finish married to nighttime usability, Segway's approach to lighting on the P100S is a real treat both during the day and, more importantly, in the evening.
A smaller daytime running light (DRL) on the front allows for driver visibility of oncoming traffic. In the evening, the high lumen headlamp casts a very wide, stark white flood light on the road surface in front of you. Though I haven't taken distance measurements on how far the headlamp reaches, I can safely say that side to side, it more than covers the width of a standard lane and in terms of distance, it's not extremely far-reaching, but it more than covers the reasonable length needed to stop in the event of an incident.
With front and rear turn signal lights paired with a bright brake light, the P100S allows you to communicate easily with rear and oncoming traffic, a welcome feature long missing on higher-end eScooters.
Aesthetically, Segway knocked it out of the park with the accent lights. Slick touches like multicolor RGB lights at the base of the deck grab rider attention just as much as they do that of nearby pedestrians. At night, the "final touch" of Segway-branded welcome lights (puddle lights) are both attractive and functional, allowing drivers behind you to have even more light visibility of your on your P100S, not to mention turning heads if you're into that.
For whatever it's worth, I've had at least 5-6 people wave me down to ask me "What kind of scooter is that? I've never seen one like that before!" If you don't like that kind of attention, it may be best to deactivate the ambient lights via in-app settings!
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Moreso than most of the competition, the P100S necessitates the use of the mobile app. And honestly, the overall experience is so polished that you won't lament having to do so!
For initial setup and pairing, the owner needs to install the iOS or Android Segway app, "unlocking" the P100S via Bluetooth app, and account authentication. It's more than worth the initial cost of entry, as the app/phone acts as a third unlock/lock security method (alongside an NFC card and four-digit pin code), not to mention feature and function tuning via P100S settings.
In the scooter settings panel, you can tweak everything from lightning to regen brake to speed modes and more. Equally as important, the Segway app for the P series allows for firmware updates. More to come on that later...
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There was quite a bit of hype over the P series integrated anti-theft system, intended to sound off audible beeping alarms if a stranger touches your locked P100S and, better still, lock up the wheels if they proceed to try to move it/roll it away.
In practice, early YouTube reviews from Electric Vehicles Space revealed that the original v1.0.0 firmware was poorly tuned, with the anti-theft alarm failing to activate quickly and the wheel lock-up taking even longer.
To backers on the Kickstarter page, Segway vowed to prep and deploy firmware revisions in time for initial deliveries. They stayed true to that promise, with v1.0.3 firmware completely overhauling the anti-theft system and making it damn-near perfect. Capable of being set from "Disabled" to "High" sensitivity via in-app customization, the anti-theft alarm is quick to activate and the wheel lock-up never fails. Paired to a proper, physical lock, you can trust your P100S is as secure as it can be on longer rides and commutes.
With the ease of NFC card lock/unlock along with the two other access methods, a loud electronic horn, the addition of turn signals, responsive and reliable brakes, grippy tire compound, tank-like chassis design, and more, the P100S definitely makes you feel at ease both during use and when stowed.
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Two words: firmware updates. There are some definitely needed to iron out initial user experience shortcomings. Here's a quick list that I put together and ran by other first-batch owners taking delivery this week:
- Activating cruise mode causes the P-series to emit a full horn beep on activation. This is a liability, as it can frighten nearby pedestrians and confuse nearby drivers, making them think you're trying to honk at them. This needs to be either deactivated fully or offered as a settings toggle.
- Audible beeps/horn are still present when activating turn signals, despite Segway Team advising early in crowdfunding that firmware revisions would eliminate the beeps. For reasons of pedestrian and vehicle driver confusion, this needs to be available as a setting to deactivate.
- Red, unrestricted "Sport" mode deactivates if the ride mode is changed during a ride or if the P-series is powered off/on. This needs to be adjusted via a proper settings toggle, allowing the rider/owner to activate full, unrestricted, red Sport mode at all times, or at the very least, require activation only once per ride session.
- The ride modes are Eco at 11-12 MPH, Drive at 25 MPH, and Sport at 25 MPH. As Drive and Sport are, effectively, identical on the top-end speed limit with only additional torque acceleration in Sport, this needs to be refined. Either offers riders/owners the ability to manually set speed limits for all three ride modes or reduce Drive so that it's between Eco and full-on Sport. If Drive and normal, white Sport mode remain at the same 25 MPH, it devalues the benefit of having separate ride modes.
- Allow in-app customization of colored, RGB ambient lights on the left and right side of the P-series body. For owners that don't want rainbow color cycling, it would be preferable to set a single, static color.
If Segway can act quickly, launching firmware revisions to fix the above issues, owners will be in amazing shape with, what I would argue, is a best-in-class P100S.
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With exciting and rapidly evolving boutique brands like Nami, Kaabo, Wolf, Apollo, and others constantly raising the benchmark for premium, flagship eScooter, this industry has never been in a better place.
Whether at a $1600 early-bird crowdfunding price or full-on $2,000 MSRP, the Segway P100S is an expensive proposition no matter how you slice it or dice it. That's serious money to shell out for a necessary commuting PEV or, worse yet, an elective recreational PEV (like my use case).
Ultimately, much of what I would argue makes the decision easy boils down to the name behind the model: Segway. With a venerable reputation for years and years on end, Segway has and continues to set the gold standard for product quality, craftsmanship, and longevity. The r/ElectricScooters subreddit is filled with current and past owners who vouch for the Max series when the dust settles on any debates.
Can you break land speed records on a bleeding-edge Wolf eScooter, or leap into the air and descend on a top-of-the-line Nami suspension? Sure, you can. Hey, even inside of Segway, you can shell out twice the cash for a GT series eScooter. But with each of those alternatives come considerable concessions. A GT1/GT2 weighs as much as a family member, costs a fortune, and loses all practicality for anything other than A-B destination riding. Boutique brands may be fun and wonderful to support to help the industry grow, but if you're gonna spend this kind of money, I would advise putting serious thought into the long-term projections. How will the warranty and service experience look when maintenance or repair needs to be done? Where does the manufacturer have service centers? Are there third-party partners? How sterling is their reputation? Can you trust that initial performance and quality sustain across 100 miles, 500 miles, 2,000 miles, and beyond? How reliable is the manufacturer to continue to support and develop the software experience behind the eScooter?
You need look no further than the P100S' primary competitor to see how crucial those questions are: the Apollo City Pro Dual Motor. Skimming the ESG review reveals real-world range numbers that more-or-less confirm why dual motor isn't ideal unless you're constantly hill climbing. I won't spend time voicing countless complaints about company reputations, but we all should pause and research start-ups like Apollo to read anecdotal owner testimationals. I know that, for my work-life balance, I can't afford to be tinkering around with day-one repairs and hiccups, to be concerned about the logistics involved if everything isn't ideal.
The final verdict is, of course, yours to make, but as of October 2022, I simply cannot recommend the Segway P100S enough. Whether you're an eScooter veteran looking to secure your daily rider or a first-time owner considering the best investment for your money, my extensive, initial impressions testing of a pair of P100S units validates all the hype that led up to the launch.
Now, if you're a Segway rep reading this review, do me a small favor and help out all of us new owners by hustling with the engineering team to push out some critical firmware updates! In the pursuit of perfection, let's edge a lil' closer to that dream!
Oh, and this next and final section is dedicated to new P series owners, representing a collection of pro tips and tricks I've gathered across these few days of testing, some of which came from direct chats with new owners!
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- To maximize range for longer rides/commutes and to mitigate the massive speed gap between Eco and Drive/Sport ride modes, head to the Segway App, go to the Settings screen for your eScooter, head to Riding Habits, then Speed Mode, and enable Limited Speed Mode. This'll cap both Drive and Sport modes to a max of 20 MPH, thereby bringing you close to the 10 MPH that Segway used to achieve 60+ miles on a single run. With Eco capped at approx. 11 MPH, using this trick allows you to take advantage of the 650 W torque-happy motor in your P100S, without needlessly sacrificing range on longer runs! If/when you want to tap back into 25/30 MPH top-end, just return to that screen and toggle it back to Unlimited Speed Mode!
- In that same Settings screen, make sure that Energy Recovery & Electric Brake Level are both set to Strong. No different than a full-on EV car with regenerative braking, these two settings maxed out will ensure that your P100S is actively regenerating energy whenever possible. As an added tip, learn to take advantage of the rear electric brake, relying on it more so than your manual mechanical disc brakes. Doing so will not only squeeze out more range but will also add some brake pad health to the mix, as you'll be using them less often!
- In the Riding Habits screen, set Starting Speed to 0 MPH. This'll change the default on your P Series to activate the park lock when at a standstill for five seconds, but afford you a nice "luxury" feature. With a single press of your brake level, the electronic park hold will release and the throttle will work from a dead stop. No need to kick start! Just light squeeze a brake lever, lift your planted foot onto the deck, and zip away!
- Take advantage of cruise control! This help optimize for added range, as a consistent speed (ideally one not above 20 MPH) electronically held will use less energy than manual, minute adjustments by you on the throttle. On top of that, cruise control on reliable straightaways makes the already pleasant ride of the P series that much more carefree!
- The anti-theft alarm at max sensitivity is, well, extremely sensitive. Bear that in mind and use it with caution and in situations where you're truly leaving your P Series in a conspicuous place. Generally speaking, it may be best to turn that sensitivity down one or two notches. Only disable anti-theft if you have 100 percent confidence that no stranger is going to be curious about your new ride!
- Unrestricted Sport mode is deceptively tricky. You need to be sure it's active during use. Normal Sport mode ("Unlimited Speed Mode") is active when "Sport" appears in white on your P100S hud, but it's still inherently limited in terms of max torque output and 30 MPH top-end. To unrestrict it, you'd need to have Sport active on the P100S hud, head to the app, and toggle on "Higher Speed in S mode." You'll know it's active when Sport changes from white on the HUD to dark red. At that point, you'll feel the max 1350W peak motor output and the 30 MPH top speed. Here's the (infuriating catch): If you switch modes during the ride or power down and return later, Sport will return to default, limited white! For reasons inexplicable, Segway engineering thought it necessary to force riders/owners to manually toggle on "Higher Speed in S mode" for every ride, and worse yet, for each time they switch to-from Sport!
- Beyond total miles ridden and charge cycles completed, you also want to ensure both of the below are taken into consideration to keep your battery pack healthy:
- Try and keep the P100S (and thus the battery pack) in normal, ambient temps, ideally not too frigid cold or sweltering hot. The product manual cites exact, rated temperature ranges, if you're curious.
- Head to Segway app settings and restrict your max charge percentage to, ideally, between 80% and 90%. Lift that restriction only in prep for rides where you need the absolute max range the P100S has to offer. While the Samsung cells inside the P100S' battery pack are extremely high quality, the nature of high-capacity battery packs is such that long-term storage at max capacity is bad for overall health. Feel free to fill it up to 100% when necessary, but don't do so every single day, if you can avoid it.
- If you want to change the units in the app from kilometers to miles, head to the bottom-right tab in the main app screen, titled "Me". Once there, find the gear cog to get to the main app settings. Once there, head to "Imperial/Metric System" and change to Imperial System. At that point, the unit of measure should be miles/mile per hour!
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If I missed anything or can answer any specific comments, just sound off in the comments and it would be my pleasure.
If you made it this far, I want to extend a personal thanks for putting in the time and energy, and I sincerely hope the juice was worth the reading squeeze!
