Thinking about getting an electric Skateboard
 

Well I have a bunch of cars and scooters and motorcycles to play with but I want a new toy, something electric.

I have been researching electric skateboards for a few days and I just wanted a little insight from the ecomodder community.

I'm looking for something that has a long range (10-15 miles) and only looking to spend around $5-600. There are a few companies that stand out.

E glide - electric skateboard - eglide skate boards made in the USA

Max Speed 20MPH
Max Range 12-15 Miles
Motor Power 24 Volt 400 Watt
Control/Throttle Hand Held Cabled Remote
Braking Motor Controlled Regenerative
Controller Curtis Instrument Controller
Drive System Synchronous belt
Battery Power 24volts@14amps
Charge Time 4-6 Hrs
Weight 55 lbs
Drive System Synchronous belt
Wheel Size 4 in. diam.
Batteries 24volts@14amps
Battery Life 250-300 charges
Charge Time 4-6 Hours

Metro-Board - Metroboard Ultra Light Electric Motorized Skateboard - Why Metroboard?


Top Speed: 16 mph (26 km/h)

Four speeds: 16 mph (26 km/h), 12 mph (19 km/h), 8 mph (13 km/h), 3 mph (5 km/h)

Speed and Braking Control:

Wireless Hand-Held Compact Remote Control with Smart Coding to prevent interference with nearby riders

POWER - Motor Output Power:
450 Watt (0.6 HP) Continuous / 900 Watt (1.2 HP) Peak
Motor Type: 24 Volt DC Brush Electric Motor, Rare Earth Magnet, High Efficiency (> 80%), Extremely Quiet

Acceleration: 0 to 16 mph (26 km/h) in 5 seconds

Braking: 16 mph (26 km/h) to 0 in 5 seconds (Electrical Regenerative Braking, Recharges Batteries).

Two braking levels: Hard and Light, depending on how quickly you want to stop

Hill Climbing Ability: Minimum 6 Degree Slope (depending on Rider Weight)

DISTANCE - Range: (on level ground, minimal starts/stops, 170 lb rider)

· 12 miles (20 km) with Ni-MH 9.0 AH batteries (equivalent to 18.0 AH SLA)

· 6 miles (10 km) with Ni-MH 4.5 AH batteries (equivalent to 9.0 AH SLA)

· 4 miles (6 km) with 6.0 AH SLA batteries


Longboard offers two additional options:

· 7 miles (11 km) with 24V 9.0 AH SLA batteries

· 10 miles (16 km) with 24V 12.0 AH SLA batteries

ENERGY
Battery Type: High Power Ultralight Ni-MH or Sealed Lead Acid (SLA)

Battery Capacity:

· 24V 6.0 Amp Hour SLA (makes product weight 22 lbs, 10 kg)

· 24V 4.5 Amp Hour Ni-MH (equivalent to 9.0 AH SLA) - adds $75 to base price (makes product weight only 18 lbs, 8 kg)

· 24V 9.0 Amp Hour Ni-MH (equivalent to 18.0 AH SLA) - adds $150 to base price (makes product weight only 22 lbs, 10 kg)

Longboard offers two additional options:

· 24V 9.0 Amp Hour SLA - adds $20 to base price (makes product weight 27 lbs, 12kg)

· 24V 12.0 Amp Hour SLA - adds $30 to base price (makes product weight 31 lbs, 14 kg)

Recharge Time: 4-6 hours (if batteries are completely drained)



The MetroBoards are a little more expensive, has a NiMh option, and weight about half as much as the E-glides. The E-Glides have a little more top speed but only offer a SLA type battery @ the moment.


I dunno, anyone have any experience with any of these products or another powerboard?

haha reading about a electric motor skateboard makes me nostalgic of teenage mutant ninja turtles.

All the prebuilt ones I've seen look kinda junky in my opinion.
You could build your own using this guide. Then you can build it exactly how you want it. I personally would use 2 or 4 lower power motors, so it would have some off-roading capabilities/not get stuck if the drive wheel loses traction.

definetly metro-board
 

I've checked both these boards which you've mentioned. I would go with the metro-board just for the reason of the weight. There are many reasons except that like much better customer service, a product which is much more reliable and a more comfortable controller.
You also have much more options for customization with the metro-board like choosing different style and size of boards, different quality of wheels and different battery packs.
Also, getting the most personal technical information is something that helps a great deal. Ilan, the owner of metro-board gives exactly that!
Enjoy! :)

http://www.sz-wholesale.com/uploadFi...eboard_220.jpg

I had B... I paid $50.... It stopped working after a few months (motor controller wasn't beefy enough). It was fun :) Eventually I'll put the new controller in it :p A nice feature of the old controller was that it PWM'd up to speed when you hit the button - no need for hand control.

I've seen a few (like the ones you posted) on campus... And one nasty crash. Skateboard wheels don't car if it's electric - cracks eat 'em up :/

Why a skateboard? Why not one of these:

Self balancing one wheeled electric skateboard

Or

The Electric Unicycle