The iWay packs may eventually be proven to be fully compatible and as rugged as the factory originals, but their current incompatibility with i180s indicates that the reverse-engineering process isn't quite complete.
Even if the improved range claimed for the iWay packs can be demonstrated, and rigorous safety testing documented, I'd rather spend the extra ~5% to get factory-endorsed packs. My Segway batteries haven't shown a decrease in range after 11,000 miles. It will take several years before the comparable lifetime of the iWay packs can be evaluated to my satisfaction.
Although I dislike watching Segway's prices continually rise, if my batteries actually do need replacing someday, I'll buy them from the company that designed them in the first place - especially if iWay decides to add USB ports and other nonsense to theirs.
__________________
35K miles in 15 years!
|