Introduction to Electric Longboards

Some people skateboarded when they were younger, and some people have used the skateboards bigger brother the longboard. The category of electric longboards is not just for those people. Like any new personal transportation there is a bit of a learning curve, but electric longboards can be the smallest and most efficient way to get around a small town or campus. These electric longboards are largely unregulated for the time being, but some cities have passed laws banning them from road use. Nevertheless in most places you can ride them wherever you can ride a bicycle. Unlike E-Bikes there are no classes of electric longboards, just different types with different top speeds. All electric longboards are controlled the same way: a handheld wireless controller that controls acceleration and braking. Let’s take a look at a few examples of electric longboards that fit different use cases. 

The first company to really bring an electric longboard to the masses was Boosted with their original boosted board back in 2014. Boosted uses belt driven motors on all their boards, which have ranges of around 6-14 miles and top speed up to 22 mph depending on configuration. Boosted Boards are made in the US, unlike virtually every other electric longboard or bike company. These boards are great for getting around town or campus, they all look very similar with very flexible bamboo decks and signature orange wheels. Boosted boards have always been sold at or over $1000, not cheap for a skateboard, and likely why they have had financial difficulties staying afloat with so many new competitors in the field now. 

For years boosted reigned supreme as the best electric longboard on the market, until the past couple years when competitors like Meepo joined the industry. Let's take a look at just how good competition is for a market, enter the Meepo V3:

The Meepo V3 really disrupted the segment when it came out in 2018. The V3 comes in at just $450, yet can reach speeds up to 28 mph with a 300lb rider. It also has a standard range of 11 miles, and a remote with a screen to show speed and other important information. It is absolutely the best performing board for the money. Tens of thousands of units sold and customer reviews on multiple platforms average over 4 out of 5 starts, this a great place to start your journey into electric longboards. 

So you tried out electric longboarding and want to travel farther, or many you just want to be able to go more places? Perhaps an off road electric longboard is for you. Lets take a look at the Wowgo AT2. 

The AT2 can travel more than 20 miles on a charge, and travel over grass and gravel easily thanks to its air filled rubber tires. In 2020 off road boards like this one can travel farther and faster than boosted boards did when they were charging $1200 back in 2014 for a board that could not even go over grass. Competition sure did wonders for consumers looking to use an electric longboard for fun or an alternative transportation. 

While electric skateboards cannot carry as much cargo as an e-bike, they can be a very compact form of alternative transportation. Perfect for people who work in cities that want to skip the subway, something like the Meepo Mini can be put under your desk or in a locker with ease. Not to mention riding one can be an exhilarating experience, just make sure to always wear proper protection!