Commuting by car has become almost obsolete. With new technology arising, we could see how different commuting has become, especially for short to medium commutes. The electric longboard presents an exciting new type of transportation.
They can stay under your desk at the office and there's no worry someone might take it out for a spin. It's compact and nobody can steal it!
Since you started reading up on this particular article, we bet you do know what an electric longboard is. Let's not beat around the bush, let's see what are the best electric longboards you could use your paycheck for in the year 2020.
Individual Reviews
1.Meepo NLS PRO-Best Overall
Meepo's NLS Pro is the electric longboard we feel fits best in the 'best overall' category. This board belongs in the medium price range, but its performance and torque certainly go above that level - the 'pro' in the name of this vehicle is justified.
NLS Pro is a new, updated version of the NLS model. The range is better, as well as performance and the deck quality, but more on that later.
The first thing we ought to mention is the updated, rougher grip tape which ensures safety when you're out for a ride around town. The deck is concave, so it feels reliable with two bamboo layers fiberglass. This is the perfect fit for someone more experienced in electric skating, as well as someone who's just getting the hang of it. The wheels are a little larger than the standard, they go at 100mm, so you're comfortable and stable, even at larger speeds.
Range
The range is improved for the NLS Pro, compared to the NLS model. The range is 20 miles, which is somewhat medium. With the Samsung 40T battery, you can go on about your day without the worry it might go out at the worst possible moment. We feel it could be better, but we still congratulate the improvement.
Motor specs
The motor in this amazing electric device is a dual one, so it has double the power, all packed in two tiny, 100mm wide motors. They both pack a power of 540 watts, which is enough throttle to satisfy anyone's needs with their ability to reach a speed of up to 29 mph. The motors can ride you up a hill of 30% grade - so it's ideal for virtually any ride, anywhere.
Remote
The Pro model comes with an NR (Night Ride) remote. In other words, the remote makes this skateboard ideal for night rides, because it has a flashlight built in. The speed is controlled with your thumb by moving the scrolling wheel. Also, it has a small LED screen that indicates both battery levels, the connection with the board and the riding mode. There are four ride modes available, ranging from a smooth to a city ride. Another distinction we salute is the ability to charge the remote straight from the board!
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2.Backfire Zealot - Best High-End Pick ($200 off)
Backfire Zealot electric skateboard falls into our 'high-end' choice for a board. It offers greats specs and right now, you can get it for $200 off.
The deck is made of bamboo and fiberglass material composite. The skateboard bamboo deck is concave and flexible so it gives you a good grip and comfort to your feet if you're out for a longer ride along with the stability for turning the sharpest corners. The medium wheel size of 96 mm gives you stability and decent speed. The unit has urethane wheels, so they absorb vibrations without a problem.
The tabs that are used to close the USB and the charging port are made of cheap rubber. More often than not, it's hard to close them shut - so they might get full of dust and whatnot during the ride.
Range
The maximum range this skateboard offers is 22 miles on a single charge. The lithium ion battery offers 311-watt hours before it requires to be fully charged. Do note that going full speed or climbing hills will affect battery life in a way that it will not reach the maximum range.
Motor specs
These electric skateboards have dual best drive motors. Torque dual motors offer a power of 750 watts each. So, this is a powerful little board, without a doubt. The dual motors give a strong pull even if you're climbing steep hills. The powerful double motor specification gives you a maximum speed of 28.5 miles per hour, which is not far off from our top choice.
Wireless remote control
Like all electric skateboards, this board unit comes with wireless remote control. The user interface has led lights that can be turned off if you feel they get distracting. With the remote, you can choose one of the four available modes: E mode, S mode, Turbo mode, and Cruise mode. S mode is ideal for daily rides, while E mode has smoother acceleration and braking, so it's ideal for beginners.
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3.Meepo V3 - Best Budget Pick
Meepo V3 is one of the best electric board skates to choose from. It's certainly high quality, but it falls in the budget option for electric types of transportation.
When you’re looking for a product that does the job, without breaking the bank - you usually have to say goodbye to some of the features, but this skateboard proves there is absolutely no reason why you cannot pick a great product nonetheless. The board's deck design proved to be a bit stiff, so an advanced skater might benefit from loosening the trucks a little. However, stiff trucks work best for beginners, and we find this board to be in check with the beginner-friendly category.
Range
The range of this skateboard is the reason why this skateboard still falls into the affordable category. The lithium battery has a range of 11 miles, and that's the best it can do. For an additional $200 you can buy the Extra Range Battery pack which gives you 20-mile range on your skateboard. This is absolutely the thing to keep in mind if you're thinking about investing in this board.
Motor specifications
This electric unit comes with dual hub motors instead of one - much like our previous choices for skateboards. The power is 540 watts per motor, so it's in no way a weak board. This skateboard easily reaches a top speed of 28 miles per hour when longboarding, and even 10 mph at a hill with an elevation of 15%!
Remote control
The remote is made of high-quality plastic and has a digital display. The led light display shows your speed (you can choose kph or mph), the board battery level indicator, and an odometer. The acceleration and braking are controlled with your thumb, by moving the small wheel. The lag between the board and the remote are minimal in order to ensure maximum safety when out on the town - no connectivity issues.
On the remote, you can choose one of the four available modes: Low, Medium, High, and Pro. They work for acceleration and the braking system, and they affect the smoothness of the ride as well. This board offers so much more than anyone would think, for a pretty affordable price.
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4.Loaded X - Best Longboard DIY Kit
This product from the Loaded Boards brand is a little different than the rest of the products we picked for this article. This is not one of our favorite electric skateboards, but instead, this is the top-notch longboard DIY kit. Making your own electric board was never easier than with this electric skateboards kit.
Some people simply prefer to do things their way and use a DIY kit instead of buying a ready-made product. We feel this, so we decided to include this product as well. So, let's talk about this bad boy. It works on pretty much all longboard models out there thanks to the modular design of the kit. If you decide this product doesn't give you enough torque, you can use adjustments to update it to a Race kit for a high-speed experience.
Motor specs
The single motor offers good reliability and power of 840W, all parts of this kit are premium and high quality. The motor is no different - but it offers a top speed a little lower than we expected. The top speed measured at 23 miles per hour, which proved this product to be weaker than we expected but it still meets the criteria.
Range
The batteries have an a-okay range, and this DIY kit comes with two 90 Wh batteries which you can even carry around. What is so great about them is that they are airplanes safe (they have a power of fewer than 100 Watt-hours). The flaw we found on this DIY kit is the 13-mile range. With better battery technology, this could be an even better choice between DIY kits. Thankfully, this product has a regenerative braking system, so the battery will last a little longer than the advertisement says.
Remote control
This is an advanced skateboarding DIY kit, and it has three ride modes - Easy, Eco, and Pro. If any mode doesn't work exactly for you, note that every mode is adjustable via a mobile app. With the app, you can tweak the acceleration, braking system, and the maximum speed to your preferences. The remote has a Cruise control feature when you're strolling around town and Nitro for some extra speed!
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5. Teamgee H37 Electric Longboard - Cheap All-Terrain Option
Teamgee H37 electric longboard is our number one e skateboard if you're going for an all-terrain option. If you're riding any type of surface, and want to take your buddy out for a spin in the woods, this is your e-longboard. This is the option you'd want if you want a more affordable option than the Evolve electric skateboards and with the offroad possibility.
The skateboard deck design is standout, super thin, Canadian maple, so it offers comfort and good flex. You get good maneuverability (advanced skateboarders will appreciate this) with the unique W shaped foot socket, along with the maximum safety. You'll be relieved to know that the deck has grip tape makes sure you don't slide off while carving,
Specifications
What is so great about this skateboard electric ride is that it comes with polyurethane and rubber wheels for the ultimate riding experience. Depending on the surface, choose the wheels to experience the top-tier smooth ride. The wheels are on the smaller end, so this is one of the top electric skateboards for advanced users.
The remote control offers four different ride modes: low, medium, high, and high+, and four different braking modes - B1, B2, B3, and B4, rights reserved. It has a small LCD screen that has a battery indicator for the remote and the board, as well as an odometer.
Motor specs
The double 760-watt motor is powerful, and every type of terrain you're going to conquer is conquered easily. The brushless motor climbs even the 30% hill grade with no bother, even manages through the dirt trails when you're riding offroad.
The max speed this board could reach is 23 mph max speed. The official brand specs state 25 mph, but according to reviews, it's not possible to push it over that limit. 23 mph may not seem like a lot, but it's the city limit in most cities and towns.
Range
The max range is around 11 miles in the easiest conditions. Off-road hill climbing might take a few miles off the range, so you have around 9 miles to ride throughout the town. This is a decent range, for a decent price.
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6.Bamboo GTR Street - Premium Board
Evolve's GTR Street is an electric longboard we believe belongs in the 'high-end', premium category. Because of the strong price, this board failed to win the 'best overall' category, but we consider this to be a great electric skateboard nonetheless.
The GTR series of electric longboards has two deck options: Bamboo and Carbon, with the latter being a little on the pricier side because of the carbon fiber deck. So, the deck is made from bamboo, and it has a length of 38 inches - but the wheelbase is adjustable to 37 and 36 inches.
The deck has a concave shape for the most comfortable ride ever. The deck is flexible, so it absorbs a lot of the vibrations coming from the ride. The wheels are rather large - so you're comfortable and stable riding.
Battery life
The maximum range of lithium ion battery of this skating board electric is 31 miles. This is much more than the range offered by other electric longboards. This is a 2-in-1 skateboard unit, meaning it works as an electric ride, but if you run out of juice or you just want a traditional skating experience, it works just as well.
The Bamboo GTR has a regenerative braking system, so slowing down charges the battery slowly. This is one of those things that you don't need, but can always appreciate in your electric ride.
Specifications
This skateboard has a dual motor situation going on. Each motor has a power of 1500 watts - making this a powerful, premium electric ride. The top speed of the Evolve skateboard is 26 mph, as the speed that goes over most city limits. There are four available riding modes: Safety, Eco, Fast, and GT. We certainly recommend using the slower riding modes when strolling throughout the city.
Remote
The remote has a very basic interface, giving you the option to choose the riding mode, see the range status of the remote and the board and the achieved speed. It also connects via Bluetooth, so there's no lagging. The remote has an overall cheap look, made of plastic. It's certainly not a good look, even more so when you compare it to the appearance of the board. Overall, this is a good board, but we consider it doesn't match up to the $1400 price tag.
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7.Swagtron Swagskate - Best For Kids
Brand Swagtron offers the best board for kids available on the skateboard market. For a skating
This skateboard is the ideal pick for kids. It has 72mm wheels, so the small child has maximum stability when roaming the streets in the neighborhood. The polyurethane wheels absorb the vibrations from the pavement and create a comfy, enjoyable ride.
The deck is covered with grip tape, so the feet will not slide off the deck. This is the kid version of the Swagtron Swagboard, and it's concave with enough to make the ride safe while the child practices carving on the board. This all results in making the smoothest ride possible - every kid will enjoy riding the Swagskate skateboard!
Battery range
The battery range is of course, smaller than on other skateboard options that made it onto our list. The range is somewhere around 4 to 6 miles, and it highly depends on the weight of the child and the terrain. This is the only flaw we found regarding this product - the range could be at least 10-12 miles.
Motor specs
Of course, the electric motor in this skatebolt electric unit is much weaker than the motors in other skateboards listed. You’re looking for a model that will give your kid a pull, but keep the kid safe nonetheless. So, this is the ideal choice for a beginner board. The max speed this unit offers is 9 to 10 miles, no more than that. The skateboard motor is powerful enough to climb up hills with a 5-degree angle.
Remote control
Surprisingly, this skateboard comes without a remote. So, how does it move, exactly?
It uses unique technology to detect whether the boarder has unmounted, and it relies on the boarder to start moving. The board just does most of the heavy lifting. So all the child has to do is hop on, kick-off and they're moving on their skateboard!
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Things to keep in mind when you're buying a longboard
When you're buying an electric longboard, it's not easy to pick one. It doesn't just come down to the price tag, there are so many factors to consider. If you're out to buy an affordable product, you have to accept you'll buy a gadget without some features. After all, that's not a big deal - a great buy is a product that has all the key features to make your whole commute experience so much better.
The first things to look for are the things you'd look for in a regular skateboard. Think wheels, trucks, and deck style, and only after that, look into all things electric. So, let's talk about the factors you have to consider when you're out shopping for an electric longboard skateboard.
Range
The skating board electronic motor runs on a battery - and that battery must be charged. So, when you're buying an electric skateboard, you have to keep in mind how far can your new buddy take you before you have to plug in the charger for a while.
The thing you want to look for is the number of watts on your skateboard. An electric longboard unit of 800 W has a range somewhere between 9 and 12 miles. For an electric unit of 600 W, you'll get a ride of 6-8 miles before it requires a charge. Do note that the best electric skateboards will be able to go the extra mile, or even more. Think about your traveling requirements, how far do you go in a single charge, etc. - this will give you a better idea about the skatebolt electric you need. And one more thing: remember that you have to return home as well, so either factor that distance as well, or look for a place to charge your new buddy at the destination. You might even want to check out how much time it takes from plugging in until the full charge.
Performance
Using a longboard, just like a traditional skateboard, is all about the ride. So, to determine how enjoyable experience on a certain longboard, especially an electric one is, there are a few things to consider. This is maybe the most important section, because, let's be fair - who would want to ride a longboard if it's not one of the best things ever?
The first things to look at are the wheels, trucks, and bearings. Wheels that lean on the smaller side tend to accelerate much faster than some on the larger end. Larger wheels have an advantage, though - they reach higher tops speeds. You'd want to check if the board has polyurethane wheels - wheel quality plays an important role in making the ride a good time.
When it comes to trucks and bearings, they must be of high build quality. You will want to know you're safe and comfy when you're out for a ride.
Motor specs
But, it all comes down to the motor. To get the best experience available, you must opt for a high-performing unit, or in other words, a board with powerful hub motors. Wattage can tell you a little about the power, but it's certainly not a sure sign of how fast the longboard can go. Some of the truly best longboards with the highest speed range have a mid-range wattage, or they're not even close to the highest count.
Other components play a significant role in how fast can your ride go. To get the idea of fast that is, look at the speeds listed in an article or a review. If you focus on the wattage alone, you might be out for a disappointment.
Another thing: the number of motors. Some electric skateboards come with one motor, but some boards have a dual motor built in. The dual motor usually means double the power - these bad boys can reach the top speed easily. Of course, they come with certain disadvantages. Firstly, double the motors mean double the price. It will also be louder when you're out for a spin, and more likely to break or malfunction. To be fair, it all comes down to you and your preferences as the rider: you're buying it for yourself, so you make the call whether two motors are worth it.
Remote control
Think about remote control before you buy: take your time to figure out how to use the controller. The controller is used to adjust the thrust of the motor. Controllers are fairly easy to use, you control them with your thumb, much like the button on a gaming controller. Some wireless remote controllers are similar to that of a trigger of a gun, and they are operated with the index finger. It's all about your wishes and what you might like better. The only thing we want to put an accent on is to keep an eye on the quality of the controller. If it's cheaply made, you'll have to replace it, and they can be unreasonably expensive.
Repairments and warranty
If you want the manufacturer's warranty to fix your longboard skateboard if it malfunctions, you'll still want to know it's easy to be done. This is especially important if you count on your electric board for a commute to work.
Look for a skateboard that comes with a lengthy warranty. Look at the fine print to see what damages are covered with the warranty. Or if the repairs are not covered with the warranty, how hard it is to fix it by yourself. Look at the prices of the spare parts and the shipping (it can be a lot more expensive than you think).
If you opt for the DIY option for a longboard, all the same. Since you did the work yourself, you already know how the whole thing works by now, so with a little tinkering, you'll fix any problem you experience with your ride.
FAQ:
What's the difference in deck length between an electric skateboard and an electric longboard?
Well, longboards are longer. Longboards are just a longer version of a skateboard. Skateboards have the length somewhere between 28 and 34 inches and a width of 7-10 inches, whereas longboards have 35 to 60 inches of length and 9-10 inches of width. Keep in mind that since they are longer and wider, they are easy to use, easier than a skateboard. If you're buying your first longboard skateboard, make sure to choose a longer one - they are much easier to keep a balance on!
What's the fastest electric longboard you can get in 2020?
Our top choice would have to be the Evolve GTR. At top speed a little over 30 miles, there is no other skateboard like GTR Street.
How long do electric longboards last - battery life-wise?
If you take really good care of your skateboard and the battery (standard Li-Ion battery), it will reach somewhere between one and three years before it reaches the end of its lifespan. Remember that using the top speed for the ride will affect the battery in a way it will die sooner (using high speeds takes more motor power). A Li-Ion battery can be charged somewhere between 300 and 1000 times. So, if you use it daily, it will reach the full cycle in about 3 years.
Can I make my longboard electric?
Of course, you can! It's not even very hard. There are many tutorials on how to do it, even on YouTube. Just make sure to read the instructions carefully. There are a few things to consider about a longboard conversion kit, but reading an article about it will inform you on the subject on how to create your electric transport.