Can electric skateboards replace fuel vehicles for commuting?

Electric skateboards are becoming a more and more popular choice around the world for traveling, but will they ever really replace a car for commuting?

With the prices of gas skyrocketing and the effects of climate change becoming more and more visible, many people are looking for a different vehicle for their daily commute, and we're not talking about a second car.

The rise in the uptake of personal electric vehicles is something that has been heavily reported on already since their introduction to the mass market in the past ten years.

Whether it's an e-scooter, e-bike, or even an Electric Skateboard, there are plenty of options becoming more popular and available to replace cars, especially in major cities. In fact, the electric longboard market in the US alone is already estimated to increase by a staggering 13.3% compound annual growth rate over the next seven years to 2030.

Why are electric skateboards a better transport choice than cars?

From saving money to saving the environment, there are loads of reasons people are replacing car trips by choosing to ride motorized skateboards. The cost of living crisis has boomed in the past few years and driving is quite often one of people's biggest expenditures.

But with many trips just being to local destinations such as the office or the store, e skateboards are becoming a choice alternative method of getting around. Here we explore some of the reasons why:

Save lots of money compared to driving a car

An electric skateboard costs a lot less than a car, both to buy and to run. So if you are primarily using your car for short trips such as the commute, swapping your regular vehicle for an e-skateboard might be a very sensible choice to save money.

We all know how expensive buying a car is, especially if we're looking at new cars. In contrast, e-skateboards cost a fraction of the price, and can still do the jobs that most cars are resigned to doing. It's becoming common to see people riding an electric skateboard to do their grocery shopping!

Then there's the cost of running the vehicle itself. One research team worked out that it costs about $0.45 for a full charge on a high-capacity battery electric longboard with a range of 93 miles. For average usage, this works out to about $7.30 per year, making it much cheaper than even filling up one tank of gas. This all points to a calculation that about $1 of electricity can be good for upwards of 350-900 miles, something unimaginable to car drivers.

On top of that, there are also the massive combined costs of insurance, tax, and parking, none of which are mandatory for electric skateboards whatsoever, making commuting on a motorized skateboard a very attractive prospect indeed.

Riding a skateboard is healthier than driving a car

An often overlooked benefit of an e skateboard is that it is healthier for you, especially if you use it regularly, for example riding it week in, week out on the daily commute.

Skateboards require you to be in a standing position when riding them, which is something we deprive ourselves of too often, sitting at desks, on the sofas or in seats in cars.

The standing position requires you to engage your core, and because the suspension on a skateboard is much less than that of a car, your body will naturally tense to support itself as it goes over bumps in the road. Much the same as how your body subconsciously stabilizes when you are walking around.

Eco reasons to choose a skateboard

Lower your energy consumption

Energy prices have skyrocketed recently and they are showing no signs of slowing down. In addition to that, the world is heating up due to the amount of energy being used, emissions being released, and despite the claims of big oil, fossil fuels won't last forever.

We need sustainable road transport, and even governmental institutions like the EU have huge goals in place, like reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95% by 2050.

Making the move from vehicles powered by fossil fuels massively reduces your carbon footprint and the amount of energy that you consume, so these government bodies are often offering tax subsidies for going electric, and penalties for vehicles with high emissions.

Moving to electric vehicles is a no-brainer to lower your energy consumption, but moving from an electric car to an e bike or an e skateboard is an even smarter move.

One research report stated that e bikes and electric kick skateboards save more than 90% of the energy consumed by electric passenger cars. That's one way to really lower your energy consumption overnight.

Reduce traffic congestion

If we're going to collectively make an impact on the environment, everyone has to play their part in helping out. Air in cities is generally more polluted and unhealthier to breathe, and it's no wonder when you see lines of traffic snaking back for miles.

Car sharing is a great alternative but often isn't an option. If you choose to take an e skateboard or e bike on the commute rather than a car, you'll naturally ease traffic congestion on the roads.

Efficiency reasons for choosing an electric skateboard

Shorten your commute

One key benefit that e-boards have over cars is that they can really aid in shortening the time spent on your commute. Whether that's by supplementing, or completely avoiding public transport, changing from a daily car driving to a daily Veymax Skateboard riding can save time and lower costs.

Sometimes opting to take transportation isn't quite as convenient as we would like. For most people in offices in the city, driving to work in a car isn't an option, so an electric skateboard could be a fantastic option for commuting.

Maybe you have to walk for half an hour to get to the train station in your town, so the hour on top of your actual train ride each day makes it a time-consuming option.

In this situation, you might have the option to take the tram or bus to the station, but that too can be inefficient and at the mercy of traffic. E skateboard riders get to skip this whole ordeal by skateboarding straight to the train station, without having to find a parking spot or sit in traffic like they would have to in a car.

Furthermore, depending on the speed or distance of the public transportation that a person requires, an electric longboard might allow them to skip that altogether and just commute directly to work.

Improved accessibility

It doesn't take a genius to work out that a skateboard can get to more places than a car, it's much smaller. It also fits into more places too, so no need to circle the block looking for parking.

One of the main benefits of electric skateboards over a car on the commute, is that they don't always have to adhere to the normal road rules. Certain states allow them to be driven on sidewalks and bike lanes, and they can also whip through parks.

On top of that, skateboards can be easily folded and carried directly into the workplace so you can slip yours under your desk when necessary.

So, will e-skateboards ever replace cars on the commute?

There are tons of reasons why people are choosing to get an e skateboard in place of a car for the commute: from saving time and money, to doing their bit to saving the environment.

The fact of the matter is that people like what they're used to, and some people can be stubbornly resistant to change, even when it benefits them.

However, we have seen the uptake of e skateboards increasing consistently around the world and especially with younger people, so there is definitely movement. As for how long it will take for a full replacement to happen, we'll have to wait and see.