Electric skateboard

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An electric Boosted Board being demonstrated at TED 2013 Electric skateboard at TED.jpg
An electric Boosted Board being demonstrated at TED 2013

An electric skateboard is a personal transporter based on a skateboard. The speed is usually controlled by a wireless hand-held throttle remote, or rider body weight-shifting between front of the board for forward motion and rear for braking. As for the direction of travel to the right or left, it is adjusted by tilting the board to one side or the other. The classification of electric skateboards (e.g. whether they qualify as a 'vehicle') and legality of their use on roads or pavements varies between countries.

Contents

History

Early incarnations

The MotoBoard, which was gasoline-powered, was released in the summer of 1975. [2] It was banned in California in 1997 due to noise and pollution. [3] [4]

Modern electric devices

walkcar' by cocoa motors

Louie Finkle of Seal Beach, California is often cited as an originator of the modern electric skateboard, offering his first wireless electric skateboard in 1997 [2] [5] and a patent filed in April 1999, [6] however it was not until the 2004–2006 that electric motors and batteries were available with sufficient torque and efficiency to power boards effectively. [5]

In 2012, ZBoard, raised nearly 30 times their target for a balance controlled electric skateboard on Kickstarter, which was well received at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January 2013. [7] [8] Their 2015 campaign on Indiegogo was 86 time over-subscribed, raising $1 million. [9]

Types of electric skateboards

There are multiple variations of electric skateboards and longboards, but 5 main types stand out:

Design and operation

Electric skateboards of various sizes Electric skateboard(800,600,400watt).jpg
Electric skateboards of various sizes

The electric skateboard was originally designed for local transport, but later diversified for multiple uses, longer distance travel and off-road use.

The basic design of an electric skateboard consists of an electric motor (out-runner or hub), batteries, speed controller (often the specially designed VESC), and a wireless throttle on top of a regular skateboard, longboard or other variant (e.g. penny board, mountain board).

Motor

Traction is typically provided by one or more of the following:

Board deck

Electric skateboards are able to travel at high speeds, as well as go off-road. Stability is determined by some key deck features:

Electronic speed controller

All electric skateboards need an electronic speed controller (ESC) in order to vary the speed of the motor for accelerating or braking. Originally, hobbyists would typically use ESCs from radio-controlled model cars, but the rise in popularity and interest in building electric skateboards created demand for bespoke and more sophisticated ESCs. The VESC (Variable Electronic Speed Controller) may include motor and battery protection, regenerative braking, programming options e.g. acceleration and deceleration curves, and other advanced features.

Truck

Trucks are important and extremely durable parts that are mounted under the surface of the electric skateboard. They are part of a T-shaped metal body under the two ends of the skateboard. There are several types of trucks and truck systems, but the most commonly used are:

TKP (traditional king-pin) - usually found in skateboards.

RKP (reversed king-pin) - more stable and better for faster speeds, but with limited turning circle.

DKP (double king-pin) - more nimble and better turning circle but more unstable at higher speeds.

Channel trucks (also knows as C-trucks or Chamber trucks) - wider, more complex trucks most commonly used for off-road applications.

3-link trucks - most commonly used in racing applications.

Drivetrains

There are several types of drivetrain for different uses, but four main types stand out:

Hub drive, using the wheel hub motor , is a system where the motor is inside the wheel and the motion is directly translated to the wheel. It is the most compact, lightweight, silent and efficient type of drivetrain but has less torque, is less comfortable to drive and the tire choices are usually limited. The motors are also more exposed to shocks, vibrations and water splashes.

Direct drive is similar to hub drive but the motors sit outside the wheel, inwards towards the truck, and are integrated in the truck assembly. The main advantage to hub drive is the flexibility in wheel and tire choice. The motor also is able to cool better, but in this case the motors are the most exposed to the elements, sitting as low to the ground as the difference between the motor radius and the wheel radius. These types of configurations are more oriented to street boards.

Belt drive is one of the most popular systems. It connects the motors and wheels via pulleys and belts. The pulleys offer flexibility for different gear ratios and the belts (usually HTD 5M type) are easy to replace and maintain. This system also offers the most flexibility in the positioning of the motors in relation to the truck, either under the board or in the back of the board. Belt drive essentially takes advantage of the high-revving electric motor, offering better acceleration and breaking for the same amount of power as hub/direct drive systems.

Gear drive is a system that connects the motors and wheels via toothed gears. These can be either enclosed or open. The enclosed variant of gear drive offers the same advantages as belt drive for less (almost no) maintenance, and is better suited for off-roading or environments with lots of debris (pebbles/rocks/twigs/grass) which could damage the belts. Disadvantages to belt drive are the added weight of the enclosure and the fixed gear ratio which can't be changed as easily.

Safety

Typical retail boards such as those from Evolve and Boosted are able to reach top speeds of around 20-25 mph (32-40 km/h) on their fastest modes, while specialist and hobbyist boards can be built with very powerful motors for top speeds of 50 mph (80 km/h) and beyond. [10] Braking is typically implemented as Dynamic braking or regenerative braking from the rear wheels only and the stopping distance can vary widely between motors and wheels/tires.

There have been several fatal accidents involving electric skateboards [11] [12] and many accounts of hospital visits. Personal protective equipment including helmet, knee, elbow and wrist pads are recommended for high speed riding.

See also

Related Research Articles

Boardsports are active outdoor sports that are played with some sort of board as the primary equipment. These sports take place on a variety of terrains, from paved flat-ground and snow-covered hills to water and air. Most boardsports are considered action sports or extreme sports, and thus often appeal to youth. Some board sports were marginalized in the past. However, many board sports are gaining mainstream recognition, and with this recognition, they have enjoyed wider broadcast, sponsorship and inclusion in institutional sporting events, including the Olympic Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longboard (skateboard)</span> Type of sports equipment similar to skateboard

A longboard is a type of skateboard typified by longer decks and wheelbases, larger-diameter and softer (lower-durometer) wheels, and often lower riding height compared to street skateboards, though there is wide variation in the geometry and construction of longboards. Among the earliest types of skateboards, longboards were inspired by surfing, with early longboards drawing from the design of surfboards, resembling and mimicking the motion of riding a surfboard, but adapted to riding on streets in a practice known as sidewalk surfing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longboarding</span> Sport

Longboarding is typically defined as a variation of skateboarding that involves a larger board and softer urethane wheels. Longboards vary in shape and size. Compared to skateboards, longboards are more stable at speed and have more traction, due to larger wheel size and lower wheel durometers. A standard skateboard is typically between 28-34 inches long, whereas a longboard may exceed 50 inches. Many longboards use trucks that have different geometric parameters than skateboards. The skateboards use "traditional kingpin trucks" while longboards often use "reverse kingpin trucks." This hardware change is the key element in the increased stability that longboards offer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Continuously variable transmission</span> Automotive transmission technology

A continuously variable transmission (CVT) is an automated transmission that can change through a continuous range of gear ratios. This contrasts with other transmissions that provide a limited number of gear ratios in fixed steps. The flexibility of a CVT with suitable control may allow the engine to operate at a constant angular velocity while the vehicle moves at varying speeds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountainboarding</span> Action sport

Mountainboarding, also known as dirtboarding, offroad boarding, and All-Terrain Boarding (ATB), is a well-established but little-known action sport, derived from snowboarding. It could be more extreme. The sport was initially pioneered by James Stanley during a visit to the Matterhorn in the 1990's, where snow was not available. A mountainboard is made up of components including a deck, bindings, four wheels with pneumatic tires, and two steering mechanisms known as trucks. Mountainboarders, also known as riders, ride specifically designed boardercross tracks, slopestyle parks, grass hills, woodlands, gravel tracks, streets, skateparks, ski resorts, BMX courses, and mountain bike trails. It is this ability to ride such a variety of terrain that makes mountainboarding unique from other board sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Single-speed bicycle</span> Type of bicycle with a single gear ratio

A single-speed bicycle is a type of bicycle with a single gear ratio. These bicycles are without derailleur gears, hub gearing or other methods for varying the gear ratio of the bicycle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traction motor</span> An electric motor for vehicle propulsion

A traction motor is an electric motor used for propulsion of a vehicle, such as locomotives, electric or hydrogen vehicles, or electric multiple unit trains.

Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD), also known as Toyota Hybrid System II, is the brand name of Toyota Motor Corporation for the hybrid car drive train technology used in vehicles with the Toyota and Lexus marques. First introduced on the Prius, the technology is an option on several other Toyota and Lexus vehicles and has been adapted for the electric drive system of the hydrogen-powered Mirai, and for a plug-in hybrid version of the Prius. Previously, Toyota also licensed its HSD technology to Nissan for use in its Nissan Altima Hybrid. Its parts supplier Aisin Seiki Co. offers similar hybrid transmissions to other car companies.

An electronic speed control (ESC) is an electronic circuit that controls and regulates the speed of an electric motor. It may also provide reversing of the motor and dynamic braking. Miniature electronic speed controls are used in electrically powered radio controlled models. Full-size electric vehicles also have systems to control the speed of their drive motors.

Hybrid vehicle drivetrains transmit power to the driving wheels for hybrid vehicles. A hybrid vehicle has multiple forms of motive power.

An idler-wheel is a wheel which serves only to transmit rotation from one shaft to another, in applications where it is undesirable to connect them directly. For example, connecting a motor to the platter of a phonograph, or the crankshaft-to-camshaft gear train of an automobile.

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to automobiles:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skateboard</span> Wheeled wooden board used for skateboarding

A skateboard is a type of sports equipment used for skateboarding. It is usually made of a specially designed 7–8-ply maple plywood deck and has polyurethane wheels attached to the underside by a pair of skateboarding trucks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheel hub motor</span> Electric motor in the middle of a wheel

A wheel hub motor, hub motor, or in-wheel motor is a motor that is incorporated into the hub of the wheel. Wheel-hub motors are commonly found on electric bicycles. Electric hub motors were well-received in early electric cars, but have not been commercially successful in modern production cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brakeboard</span>

A brakeboard is a skateboard fitted with a specialised truck assembly that includes a braking mechanism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bicycle drivetrain systems</span> Systems used to transmit power to bicycles and other human-powered vehicles

Bicycle drivetrain systems are used to transmit power on bicycles, tricycles, quadracycles, unicycles, or other human-powered vehicles from the riders to the drive wheels. Most also include some type of a mechanism to convert speed and torque via gear ratios.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drivetrain</span> Group of components that deliver power to the driving wheels

A drivetrain is the group of components that deliver mechanical power from the prime mover to the driven components. In automotive engineering, the drivetrain is the components of a motor vehicle that deliver power to the drive wheels. This excludes the engine or motor that generates the power. In marine applications, the drive shaft will drive a propeller, thruster, or waterjet rather than a drive axle, while the actual engine might be similar to an automotive engine. Other machinery, equipment and vehicles may also use a drivetrain to deliver power from the engine(s) to the driven components.

Boosted was an American manufacturer of electric skateboards and electric scooters based in Mountain View, California.

References

  1. "Sanjay Dastoor: A skateboard, with a boost". TED. February 2013.
  2. 1 2 "History Of Electric Skateboarding / Electric Longboard". magnetoelectricskateboard.
  3. "SECTION 21968: MOTORIZED SKATEBOARD PROHIBITED" (PDF). STATE OF CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE DIVISION 11: RULES OF THE ROAD CHAPTER 1: OBEDIENCE TO AND EFFECT OF TRAFFIC LAWS ARTICLE 4: OPERATION OF BICYCLES. 6 January 2009. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 September 2012. Law effective 8 July 1997.
  4. Oppenheimer, Tracy (4 August 2014). "The Fight Against California's Electric Skateboard Ban". Reason Foundation.
  5. 1 2 "Altered ExKate History". Altered AxKate.
  6. US Patent 5893425A Remote control electric powered skateboard
  7. "I rode the ZBoard in Las Vegas and it changed my life". The Verge. 11 January 2013.
  8. "Skate through 2013 on your very own ZBoard (video)". PC World. 9 January 2013.
  9. "ZBoard 2: The Most Advanced Electric Skateboard". Indiegogo. January 2015.
  10. "Fastest electric skateboard and reviews". The News Region. 2019-11-26. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  11. Rollins, Khadrice. "Minor League Catcher Chace Numata Dies After Skateboarding Accident". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  12. Zucker, Joseph. "Tigers Double-A Catcher Chace Numata Dies at 27 After Skateboarding Accident". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 3 September 2019.