Actor Jackie Chan, who also runs the Chinese dealership for Segway scooters, said piracy fears are keeping costs high, AP reported. Chan said Segway’s owners don’t allow him to build the two-wheeled, battery-powered scooters more cheaply in China because they are afraid the technology will be copied. The scooters are sold for US$10,000 apiece in China. The dealership, which Chan runs with partner Matt McGuire, aims to sell up to 1,000 units in China this year. About 100 scooters would be used for security and transport in the Beijing Olympics. Chan has had the dealership since 2006, and McGuire says it has grown significantly, with annual revenues now in the millions. The scooters are also sold in South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam.
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