General Motors and Segway have announced a partnership to produce an electric urban commuter.

Segway is the company that produced the famous battery powered two wheel scooter.

"USA Today" reports the new joint venture is called Project Puma, an acronym for Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility.

The prototype vehicle looks like a crazy cross between a Segway scooter and a rickshaw with two large driving wheels centered under a seat.

Coaster wheels front and rear are ready to catch the machine and occupants if the combination tips too far forward or back. The companies have actually been exploring possibilities for about a year and a half.

One person involved in development of the machine says nothing new is being invented. Chris Borroni-Bird says "It's really just putting the pieces together."

General Motors is developing the electronics while Segway creates the self-balancing chassis. Borroni-Bird says in spite of the off the shelf technology being used it could be years before the vehicle actually goes on sale.