What Should I Look for in an Electric Longboard Skateboard?

1. Motor Performance and Power

• Any automatic skateboard's motor is its heart, thus, its performance significantly influences your ride.
• Hub motors against Belt motors: Designed straight into the wheels, hub motors provide a quieter, sleeker ride with less maintenance. But riders who give acceleration and hill-climbing top priority often choose belt-drive motors since they provide more torque.
• Watts count: One measures motor power in watts. While high-performance boards for tough terrain or fast commutes can go beyond 1000W or even 2000W combined, boards meant for cruising could have motors around 500W.

2. Range and battery life

• Battery capacity determines your ride distance and duration.
• Common Ranges: While premium models easily exceed 20–30 miles depending on the rider's weight, terrain, and speed, entry-level boards may cover 6–10 miles per charge.
• Times for Charging: While some batteries recharge in less than two hours, larger capacity batteries could need three to five hours.
• Energy Efficiency: Through feeding energy back during braking, boards with regenerative braking help to save batteries.

3. Build quality and deck materials

• Ride comfort, control, and durability of the deck depend on its building.
• Materials: Perfect for soaking road vibrations, bamboo decks are flexible and forgiving. Stiffer and more durable, maple wood is perfect for speed stability. For maximum lightweight strength, some upscale models use carbon fiber.
• Flex vs Stiffness: On rough surfaces, more flex results in a smoother ride; a stiff deck offers improved control at faster speeds.

4. Trucks and wheels

• Great wheels and trucks transform an everyday board into an amazing journey.
• Wheel Measure: Around 90mm–125mm, larger wheels roll over uneven pavement, pebbles, and cracks better.
• Hardness (Durometer): Harder wheels are faster but less forgiving on uneven ground; softer wheels—about 78A—grip the road better and offer a smoother feel.
• Truck Size and Materials: While narrower trucks let for more turns, wide trucks—about 180mm—offer more stability. Look for solid metal constructions, ideally steel or aluminium.

5. Braking system

• One cannot negotiate safe, effective braking.
• This technology not only helps you to slow down but also stretches your ride by recovering energy.
• Easy Management: Particularly when riding downhill at speed, you want slow, gradual braking rather than abrupt jerks.
• Practice Tip: Before entering busy streets or steep hills, spend time adjusting to your brakes in safe surroundings.

6. Remote Control Features

• Ergonomic Design: Your remote is your straight link to the brain of your board.
• Good remote design should feel comfortable in your hand with precisely placed controls.
• Battery and Speed Indicators: Glancing at the battery life and current speed of your board helps you to remain safe and under control.
• Multiple Ride Modes: To advance at your own speed, many remotes have basic, intermediate, and expert ride settings.
• Some modern remotes even feature customizing braking strength, smart displays, and vibration alerts.

7. Safety Characteristics