If you plan to buy an electric skateboard, the choice is not necessarily simple as the offer is varied and the criteria numerous. First of all, you have to determine if you plan to use it in off-road or in an urban environment. In this post, we will focus on urban electric skateboards and present you the criteria that will allow you to quickly identify the best electric skateboards for your use.
How comfortable are you with board sports?
You don't need to be a great skater or a regular board sports enthusiast to ride an electric skateboard. Contrary to what you might think, it is much easier to learn to ride an electric skateboard than a classic skateboard, because once you have found your balance on an electric skateboard, you can already ride a few hundred meters without having to change position. With a conventional skateboard, you have to keep pushing with one foot and then repositioning yourself. This constant imbalance is specific to the classic skateboard but disappears as soon as you don't need to push with your feet anymore to move forward.
If you are a beginner, we recommend you to start with an electric longboard for stability, and use mode 1 of the remote control so that the acceleration and braking are very progressive.
If you are already comfortable with board sports, you will quickly be able to switch to a powerful, compact, fast skateboard.
In any case, we strongly recommend that you wear at least a helmet and wrist and knee protectors.
What will you use it for?
Then you have to imagine the main use you will make of it. It is important to plan the autonomy according to your typical routes, and also the level of lightness you will need.
If you plan to use it as a hobby and ride on weekends and don't necessarily need to take public transportation with it, a long-distance battery will probably be the right choice, even if it means sacrificing some weight. When riding, the weight is relatively low. You can therefore easily choose an electric longboard with a dual motor and long-distance battery to make the most of your outings. For example, the Elwing Powerkit Halokee electric longboard with dual motor and long distance battery is perfectly suited for this purpose. It weighs 7,6 Kg, allows to go up to 25 Km and offers an acceleration and a braking at the same time intuitive and sensational. The torque delivered by the two motors allows you to feel safe even on hills, both downhill and uphill.
If, however, you need to alternate with public transport or climb stairs, the lightness and compactness of your electric skateboard become paramount criteria. You will probably want to choose a smaller deck, a simple motorization and a simple battery, even if it means carrying a second battery in your backpack so you don't have to recharge too often. In this case, we recommend a more compact model like the Powerkit Nimbus Single motor and standard battery. Weighing only 6 Kg, it still offers a 15 Km autonomy and its small size makes it easy to store under a train seat or a desk.
Note that if you plan to ride on public roads, you will have to choose an approved version (the choice is made at the remote control level) and insure your electric skateboard to ride legally. The non-approved remotes are intended for use in competition or on private land because they are equipped with a "Sport" mode - whose maximum speed can reach 38 Km/h - exceeds the 25 Km/h allowed on public roads in France.
To get the most out of your electric skateboard, it is important to have an ergonomic remote control. The best remotes have a progressive throttle for intuitive acceleration. Some remotes, like the Powerkit OLED remote, come with a screen and advanced features, allowing you to monitor and display real-time speed, mileage, distance per ride, direction, and selected ride mode.
Once you are clear on these main criteria and have identified the models that are right for you, don't forget to check:
The overall quality of the product: Make sure that the product has CE certificates and that the batteries used are of good quality (preferably the big brands like LG, Samsung, Panasonic or Sony). Also check the quality of the materials of the platters, wheels and trucks and the general waterproofness. This can greatly affect the quality of the experience.
The quality of customer service: the electric skates are machines that are often put to the test and have a number of wearing parts. Make sure the brand is committed to providing the best customer service, over time and according to the use you will make of your electric longboard.
What about tomorrow?
The magic of board sports is to be able to evolve and rediscover your practice indefinitely. These indescribable and unlimited sensations coupled with a technology that continues to progress make you probably want to change some elements on your electric skateboard in the years to come. At Elwing you won't have to buy a whole new product. We have designed our electric skates to be as modular as possible. So you can change your deck, remote control, motorization, battery in a few minutes. Sometimes you just need to change the deck to discover a new sensation. Our Powerkit range is designed from the start to be scalable and to be able to absorb new configurations as we develop our offering and incorporate new technologies. The goal is for you to keep your product as long as possible.
We also work on the second life of our products to bring them back to perfect working order, in compliance with our quality standards, to guarantee them again and to resell them.