Segway’s Strap-on Simulation Speaker Makes Your Electric Scooter Sound Like Its V8-Powered

Generations have grown up with the loud engine sounds of approaching vehicles making the hazard obvious long before it’s seen. Electric vehicles are nearly silent, however, making them harder to spot, and since even scooters can be dangerous, Segway’s new accessory is a strap-on speaker making them sound like they’re powered by a roaring combustion engine.

With Segway recently announcing its GT Series electric kick scooters that include the GT2 model with a top speed of 43.5 MPH and a 0 to 30 time of just 3.9 seconds, the arrival of the Ninebot Engine Speaker Engine Sound Simulation System is certainly no coincidence. Hitting someone on an electric scooter going 40+ MPH is going to send both the pedestrian and the rider to the emergency room, so the Engine Speaker serves as a continuous warning to everyone in earshot—even those in a car—that there’s a vehicle approaching.

The Ninebot Engine Speaker is in essence a wireless Bluetooth speaker with a rechargeable battery and IP55 dust and waterproofing. It’s charged using a standard USB-C port and when attached to one of Segway’s electric vehicles using an included strap-on mount, it can even serve as a personal stereo system—although wireless earbuds might be more appreciated by your neighbors depending on your musical tastes.

When not blasting tunes, the Ninebot Engine Speaker can also simulate the sound of four different types of gas-powered engines: single cylinder, twin cylinder, a V8, or even a V12. The sounds aren’t just a looped engine rumble either, the speaker connects to the electric vehicle’s accelerator and brakes and matches the sounds to what the rider is doing. When accelerating from a stop, the engine will roar louder than when cruising at a sustained speed, and it will quiet to an idle when the scooter is slowed and brought to a stop.

So as much as the Ninebot Engine Speaker is a safety tool making it easier for pedestrians to be aware of nearby electric vehicles, that doesn’t necessarily justify the cost of a $150 speaker when a simple beeping sound could be just as effective. This is for those concerned about air pollution who want to adopt a more eco-friendly solution for short commutes, but don’t care about sound pollution and aren’t ready to give up the sound of an engine roar they associate with speed, power, and fun.