Segway Inc. will not make any more of its iconic self-balancing scooters.

The “Segway Personal Transporter” has on the market since 2001, and while touted by some to be the future of alternative transportation, the vehicle was also widely mocked. Production at its factory in Bedford, New Hampshire, will stop July 15, and 21 employees will lose their job, though 12 employees will stay on to deal with repairs.

“Given our decades-long history, we recognize that this decision may come as a disappointment to our strong and loyal following among private owners, who view the Segway as one of the more innovative creations of the early 21st century,” Segway President Judy Cai said in a statement. “We are grateful for the support and loyalty of our consumers and are proud of the impact our products have made on our customers’ lives and the reputation of the Segway brand.”

Although the gadget didn’t quite hit the mainstream, it was a popular choice in shopping malls and airports, with security guards and law enforcement, and occasionally used for tours of cities. After its invention by entrepreneur Dean Kamen in 1999, it created quite the buzz, but the scooter always struggled to make money.

The company was sold first in 2009, and again later in 2013. Segway was finally acquired in 2015 by the Chinese transportation company Ninebot Inc., a rival firm that had once accused Segway of copying its own scooter. That company still makes e-scooters, but it seems keeping Segway going was not possible. According to reports, Segway accounted for only 1.5% of Ninebot’s revenue.

Cai said the “decision was not made lightly” and although the global pandemic did hurt the company, it wasn’t the deciding reason why the Segway went under.

It seems Apple Inc.’s co-founder, the late Steve Jobs, was wrong when he said the Segway would become as big as the personal computer. He was less enamored by the product when he saw its price of about $5,000. Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos also had every right to think the Segway would take off, once saying that before it went on sale through Amazon it was “one of the most famous and anticipated product introductions of all time.”

Photo: RachelH_/Flickr