New Electric Skateboard

Posted byRandall 315 Comments on New Electric Skateboard

Happy pi day, everyone!

My skateboard was broken for the past five or six months, and rather than get it repaired, I traded it in for a new, more powerful model. For a cost of about $120, I now have a board that can go zero to 20 mph in four seconds. This is a pretty alarming speed and has finally gotten me to buy a helmet, but it also means I’m one step closer to becoming a Kourier. I just need to talk to Neal Stephenson about some engineering issues with those radial-spoke wheels …

For anyone interested in buying a board, I recommend going to eBay and looking for a cheap used one to try the idea out. My first board, a vaguely toy-like e-skateboard ($31 on eBay in 2004) had an 80-watt motor (still surprisingly powerful — it managed to tow four people at one point). I bought a few other cheap used ones, and then, having decided these things were indeed awesome, I decided to spend some more money on a proper board for getting around the city. I got a 250-watt Exkate Raptor 3.0 for $320, which I talked about in an earlier post.

This new board, a Pro Module 600, is also made by Exkate (now Altered Electric Skateboards):

The old 250-watt board was still not quite powerful enough to climb Somerville hills without complaint (I’m at the upper end of the 170-lb weight limit), but this new one has a 600-watt motor, which handles them no problem.

According to Science, 600 watts is about 80% of a horsepower.

This suggests that if you found a smallish horse (say, 75% the strength of a standard one), and started a tug-of-war using this new board, you could actually win.

This is of course dependent on friction and when the board can actually supply maximum power and so on. But let’s pretend it would work.






Edit: Taylor of Exkate posted with some technical info, and I answered some other questions in the comments. He mentions that if you want to order a board, call him (949.951.9500) and mention xkcd for free shipping (which can be significant). Disclaimer: They aren’t paying/giving me anything, they didn’t ask me to write this, etc. If you’re interested but don’t want to spend a lot yet, I recommend trawling eBay for a cheap board to try the idea out.

 

315 replies on “New Electric Skateboard”

  3. So what is the most powerfull electric skateboard you can get, and where can you get it? As the username suggests, I am a GEEK, which typically puts me on the plumpier side (about 240lb.), so I think I may need one that is a bit stronger.

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  8. Boardworks Hawaii partnered with Blue Planet, C4 Waterman, Surfrider Foundation, and Kanu Hawaii in a South Shore beach cleanup we offer Epoxy surfboards, C4 Waterman, Stand Up Paddle Surfing, SUP, epoxy surf, sandwich construction, production surfboard, Ben Aipa, Bill Stewart, Dave Parmenter, Kane Garden, Hynson Fish Epoxy Boards Hawaii

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  9. Aww, I can’t find one for cheap. Not even used. Apparently it’s taken far too seriously these days, and nothing costs less than $400.

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  10. Hey, looking through the old posts with great amusement 🙂
    Btw! I read somewhere that an average horse (lets just imagine the hypothetical) actually has about 24hp :O

    Not to be a joykill a year later or anything, but fun facts ftw 🙂

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  12. hi the world
    we are sailing e skate http://www.curve sandiego.com
    the most powerfull in the world with new generation lithium bat pack we have developped
    incredible range and faster as you can imagine
    inew models on 2009 with brushless motor and lion batt pack
    future is electric

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  16. “Scotty” here I designed a “powerdeck” with (2) HP which equals 1,500 watts at 24 volts dc, with “rick’s skatebrake” as front disk brakes it works great! you will need Randel Luge trucks with the floating axle.

    it is also helpful if you watch how a surf board is made, “you” will be making your own deck. micro technologies in seattle can make a killer set of lithium battery packs or you can use lead acid batteries, be sure to call “ego” electric bike company you will need one of the ego motors.

    How fast do you want to go? I went 45miles as hour and decided distance carving was for me, email me at scottwatson42@comcast.net I have a design that is great! I am a Major speed freak. if you have the Power you are the king of any hill, love carving up hills…

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  17. Sounds like you did OK with your Exkate. Mine is a piece of crap, dead on arrival, and out of warranty.

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  18. A 600 Watt skateboard would not beat a 75% horsepower horse. 1 horsepower is defined as the work done to raise 500 lbs. 1 foot in the air in 1 min. This is obviously completely different from pulling a 1500+ lbs. animal horizontally, especially if it is pulling against you. However, you should win a “vertical” tug of war, as per the specifications of horsepower.

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  19. Hi, Next week a video will be started, I have received over 100 emails asking for spec’s,blueprints ect. I think it is a great idea to show everyone what I designed 9 years ago.

    The Electric Skateboard has not broken down, I have not had to replace the batteries in 6 years, I refuse to build junk, in the video I will be showing a 30 Horsepower PHEV skateboard, and the 2 horsepower electric skateboard, all my designs use dual or triple battery packs, at 24 volt or 48 volt systems, REAL MONSTERS.

    If you are in the Bellevue/Seattle, Washington State Area and wish to be part of the video production let me know, looking for fun places to carve up, share your ideas, time to carve.

    Contact info; scottwatson42@comcast.net

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  21. Andelayskateboard at the most powerful on the planet, in a post above dude wants one, not a problem we designed them for to be fast strong and can carry 300 pounds, The smallest model is 2 horsepower or 1,500 watts.

    This is 3 times more power than any electric skateboard in current production.

    contact info; scottwatson42@comcast.net

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  23. You can order an Altered or ExSkate your other choice is to pony up and buy one of my designs which Start at 1500watts-which is 3 times more powerful than a 500watt board. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
    the motors I uses have pulled cars in other applications,(this is not recomended) why? because the speed contollers can overheat, (this is bad) Example if the fan in your computer stops working what happens? enough said. bye

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  25. I have an rcsk8 600w electric board, need batteries 36V 9Ah. Any ideas on where i can get them? Thanks

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  26. I’m a design student doing research on electric skateboard controllers (handles).

    If you HAVE ridden an Electric Skateboard
    PLEASE TAKE THIS 10 Question survey:

    Click Here to take survey

    Thank You.
    -Josh

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  29. I hate all those picky people who find the slightest fault and then correct it!

    That said, I think horsepower isn’t the right measure for considering who would win a tug of war. If the skateboard isn’t moving, it’s doing zero work – therefore zero horsepower.

    I think the railroad term “traction” is more suited – how hard could each one pull. I bet the horse wins.

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  30. COULD YOU TELL ME WERE TO GEET ONE?
    I’M GOOGLING EVERY WHERE.
    IF YOU COULD TELL ME IT WOULID HELP ME A LOT.
    THANKS 🙂

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  31. I STARTED LIKEING FINGER SKATEBOARDS………I LOOKED ON YOUTUBE AND SUDDDNLY ELECTRIC SKATEBOARD VIDEOS POPED UP THATS WHEN I WATCHED A VIDEO I LOVED IT SOOOO MUCH.MY BIRTHDAY WAS COMMING UP SO I THOUGHT I’D BUY SOMETHING FOR MY SELF COULD YOU TELL ME WERE TO GEET ONE?
    I’M GOOGLING EVERY WHERE.
    IF YOU COULD TELL ME IT WOULID HELP ME A LOT.
    THANKS 🙂

    Like

  32. There is a lot of commercial models on the market, but you don’t need to test all of them to compare, because I already did it. Brand new generation of LiFePo4 Lithium batteries or Brushless motors models also with wheel hub motor and of course the last remote control and PCB (controler) 2,4Ghz, without interference !!! Be carefull, some companies are still selling the old models with emergency brake who can kill you!!! The latest technology, reports and competitions for electric skateboards can be found here : http://www.ekoforce.com
    see ya…
    (You can also come in Cap-Ferret near Bordeaux / France, in elektric skatepark every time to ride or 14,15 August 2010 for race…)

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  34. Just received first electric skateboard.
    I feel as though I should thank the source of inspiration for me.
    So here it goes.
    Ok.
    ……
    THISTHINGISAMAZINGILLNEVERWALKANYWHEREAGAINILOVEYOU

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  35. I’m completely disgruntled with exkate and there is no possible way I would purchase one again or recommend them in any way. They’s had my fried circuit board (rode twice) and motor for 5 months now and Taylor has never returned an email or responded unless I catch him off guard by telephone in which case it is shipping next week he tells me. Terrible company.

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  49. Sorry, I didn’t read all the comments so maybe someone already pointed this fact, but to break all hope about what can be done with an horse :

    I read somewhere long ago that in fact, one horse (animal) is ~10 horse(power)

    SO, maybe you could pull a baby horse, but nothing more serious.

    Oh, and yes, it took me 3 and half year to write this comment, I know … I was quite busy.

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