What Is an E

This new tech can make skateboards a viable and practical mode of transportation.

Electric skateboards are becoming increasingly common in urban environments. They're not as common as e-bikes, which have catapulted to extreme popularity as of late, but they're getting there. E-skateboards offer many of the advantages associated with normal skateboards, but they have the added convenience of electric motors and a battery.

These e-mobility devices are even more convenient to carry around than an e-bike, and they'll get you to your destination in more style. Check out this article to find out more about e-skateboards and why they're so popular at the moment.

It's not just e-skateboards: most forms of transportation have been electrified as of late. Everything from bicycles all the way to scooters has been the target of electrification. You can even find electric unicycles right now.

The advantages are clear to electrification: these vehicles deliver most of the innate goodies that the original did with the added benefit of motorized propulsion. This is especially true for e-skateboards. One of the major downfalls of skateboards in relation to everyday transportation is the struggle of going uphill—especially if the hill is steep enough.

But with e-skateboards, the addition of electric motors and a battery helps solve all issues associated with going uphill. Most people riding a normal skateboard would totally forget about kicking their way up a steep hill; they'd rather walk. E-skateboard riders, on the other hand, relish these moments because they know their trusty e-skateboard can tackle these types of obstacles with ease.

This is great if you really don't want to arrive at your destination bathed in sweat. E-skateboards might not be the vehicle of choice for the X Games crowd, but they're definitely better at urban transport than conventional skateboards.

These vehicles are especially useful on a college campus, where students can transport themselves to class and keep their e-skateboard safely by their side at all times. This is definitely not something you can do with a conventional bike. Even folding e-bikes are much more cumbersome to carry around than a typical electric skateboard.

Well, there are many kinds of e-skateboards. Some of them are outlandish and are very far removed from stereotypical skateboards. A perfect example of this is the Teamgee Behemoth, a carbon fiber e-skateboard that looks more like alien transportation than a skateboard. But, many e-skateboards are basically normal skateboards with electric motors and a battery.

These skateboards have different top speeds, and their ranges also vary. But, at the end of the day, the form factor is very similar to normal boards. A lot of the more conventional e-skateboards even have your classic polyurethane wheels.

The more monstrous skateboards, like the aforementioned Behemoth, have rubber off-road tires. Overall, what makes an e-skateboard is the form factor resembling a skateboard and the four wheels. Other than this, manufacturers can go wild.

E-skateboards vary in speed. Some of them, like Evolve Skateboards Stoke Series 2, can travel up to 22 mph. This isn't super fast on the surface, but when you consider the fact you're riding on a wooden board at that speed, it starts to become quite scary.

Other boards from Evolve Skateboards can go even faster, which is an unsettling thought. Their Hadean Bamboo Street is much faster than the Stoke Series 2, with the ability to travel up to 31 mph. This is a crazy speed and is almost on par with the fastest e-bikes on the market.

Imagine casually walking along and suddenly seeing someone riding a bamboo plank zoom past you at 31 mph. This is a crazy thought, but it's an absolute reality on some electrified skateboards currently for sale. Even though anyone can learn to ride an e-skateboard, this type of e-mobility vehicle isn't as easy to master right off the bat as an electric bike.

If you're planning on purchasing an e-skateboard, you must ensure you can dominate the board properly before trying to ride it in a crowded public setting. Safety is also key, especially because your body is essentially the first line of defense in the event of a crash.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say that you should ride your new e-skateboard in an area away from the public and only ride it in public once you've completely mastered it. This is the most conscientious thing to do—for yourself and those around you.

E-Skateboards also demonstrate drastic differences in their respective ranges. The aforementioned Stoke Series 2 e-skateboard offers up a healthy 10 miles of range, which is great for a tiny vehicle that will be used locally. But, the Hadean Bamboo Street, also from Evolve Skateboards, can muster up a very impressive 40 miles of range. This immediately puts it in a different class in terms of convenience.

Combined with the fact that this e-skateboard can also travel at up to 31 mph, it's a much more practical daily driver compared to the Stoke Series 2. Some e-skateboards have even crazier ranges, like the Lacroix Lonestar Supersport, which has a huge 2582wh battery. According to Lacroix's site, this battery gives its e-skateboard a maximum range between 50-100 miles.

This is truly an e-skateboard that you can ride anywhere. It's also hilarious, or maybe terrifying, that when you check out the skateboard's stats on the website, it says "more than you need" next to max speed. This gives you an idea of the insane capabilities of this $4,399 s-skateboard.

This totally depends on what you want out of your skateboard. If going to the skate park, and practicing tons of tricks, is your main concern, an e-skateboard might not be the best thing. But, if you're planning on using the e-skateboard as everyday transport, and you'll need to go climb hills and the like, it could very much be the perfect option.

Although, if you need reliable electric mobility, there are many more reasons to get an e-bike over an e-skateboard. But if you're set on purchasing a skateboard for daily transportation, you might as well get an e-skateboard because it offers all the benefits of a manual skateboard with very few drawbacks.

Whether you think e-skateboards are real skateboards or not, these electrified skateboards aren't going anywhere. More and more people are hopping on the electric skateboard bandwagon, and manufacturers are coming out with crazier models by the day. While they might not be the most practical form of urban transport, they do get the job done in a super stylish manner.

Alex is a Computer Science graduate with an intense passion for anything automotive. He's been writing about cars for the better part of 10 years, and is currently a writer for the Electric Vehicles section at MUO. Whether it's keeping up to date with the latest car news, or test-driving a new EV, Alex is always working relentlessly to stay on top of the latest trends in the auto industry.