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History of the Electric
Skateboards
The
electronic skateboard was invented by Louis Finkle, the guy we bought our first
boards from way back when. Louis made the first analogue board in 1993. It took
7 years to make it to production, and 13 years later it has yet to reach the
mainstream.
Louis still
lives in Long Beach, California. He developed the board himself with money from
his own pocket. It took the first five years just to perfect the invention, and
now the board has undergone several transformations. With cheaper and better
electronics, it's finally starting to catch on with the masses.
Louis is well
known for his interest in electronics, especially electric motors. The X-24
board employs a very durable and heavily built one-horsepower 24 Volt DC motor.
This is a unique design invented by Louis. The hand remote uses a very low
frequency signal, and uses the operator as the antennae. Unlike other
transceivers, this design virtually eliminates the possibility of the board
getting any kind of signal interference, which would make the board unsafe.
The boards
have been sold to people who wanted them the most. Production has always been
limited. Yet, the electric skateboard has consistently attracted more and more
attention.
In November
2002, David Kaplan took over the manufacturing of the Powerboard and moved the
operation to Sausalito in Marin County, California.
Large scale
production of the boards caught on in the fall of 2004. The X-24 - 'the
grandaddy of electric skateboards' - is still expensive and still 'the king'.
But now the X-24 is no longer alone and we have some other entrants into the
market, including some lower priced options that will get more started with one
of the world's greatest extreme sports: Powerboarding.
N ew
entrants into the market like E-glide began marketing electric skateboards in
competition with Exkate. This new company was founded by an experienced
entrepreneur named Dave Lohrlie.
Dave almost
immediate got embroiled into protracted legal 'wrangling' with Exkate. Exkate
has a patent on the hand remote board, and they were determined to maintain
exclusive rights to the US market.
Dave Lohrlie
was persistent, and in the beginning of 2005 he went in a different direction
making custom decks and starting design of new tethered electronics. These
efforts set the stage for a competitive environment.
In 2005, a
number of newcomers jumped into the market. Hoverboard and Free Rider appeared
and they, among others, are trying to mount an effort with a competing board.
Large Chinese manufacturers are now involved, and more and more variations are
hitting specialty stores across the Nation, and throughout the world!
Remote
Operation:
The remote operates both acceleration and braking. For example, this type
of remote control is found as a wireless on the Exkate X-24 and new Raptor
series and on Crossbow, Inc.'s E-glide II as a 'tethered' controller.
Pulling the trigger accelerates the board. The torque is intense at full
throttle, but using a feather touch on the trigger allows the user to apply
only a small amount of power, and it is relatively simple to "roll the board
along" at very low speeds.
Pushing forward on the remote's trigger applies resistance to the
Powerboard's motor, providing a very effective braking system. The board can
be controlled effectively down very steep hills with the braking system.
The braking system does not bring the board to a total stop, but the
resistance applied works well on a skateboard, giving you the most control
possible. You can go down a hill with ease whereas on the same hill with a
"regular" longboard you would lose control. Or you can do big slalom turns
in parking lots at either fast or slow speeds, and you can speed up or slow
down as required.
With these electric skateboards, you have hands free operation or tether.
Either way, you have a very effective braking system and low speed control
that allows for safe operation, even in tight areas.
These boards are some of the world's most advanced vehicles. They are all
very highly refined and well tuned, giving you a unique device which is
unparalleled in it's design and concept.
USERS OF THESE DEVICES MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS RISK OF DEATH OR
INJURY, AND PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT SUCH AS HELMET, GLOVES, AND LEATHERS ARE
RECOMMENDED.
Technology:
With any electric vehicle, batteries are a significant cost factor, and
it's the batteries that primarily determine performance limitations.
There are actually a number of different kinds of electric vehicles used
today, and all of them are relatively expensive. There are electric scooters
like Segway (starting at retail $4495), electric bikes, electric motorcycles
and small cars. But the most prevalent electric vehicles are wheelchairs,
golf carts, and access or maintenance vehicles.
Most of these other vehicles cost a lot more than an electric skateboard.
Of course most also are larger and have bigger motors. But, they don't have
a hand remote that controls operation, and they don't have the tremendous
space limitations.
The Exkate Powerboard electric skateboards, for example, are a lot more
powerful than a toy remote control plane or car as they are designed to
carry up to 300 pounds and some reach speeds of 20-22 mph with a 200 pound
load on level ground. That kind of power is comparable to an electric
scooter, bike, or other Personal Electric Vehicle.
The scooter and bike can control acceleration and braking through more
mechanical devices, whereas the skateboard uses a low frequency remote to
control a special electric motor which not only propels the board, but also
doubles as a braking system.
All of that sophistication is directed at providing a fun to ride board.
When you think about it in terms of the number of 10-20 mile rides you'll
get on your Powerboard, and stack that up against rides on the chairlift or
trips to catch the good waves, the Powerboard is super cheap. You'll easily
spend more on many other sports.
And, the beauty of the Powerboard is that you can do it right outside
where you live, and it's not nearly as dependent on conditions as are other
sports. You can almost always find a good spot for Powerboarding close to
home. As long as the ground is dry, the conditions are usually good for
Powerboarding. Think of the fun you can have if you live in a flat place
like the Midwest...and no more pushing!
We've found that a board can be good for up to 400 recharges, and we've
had a couple stay good for longer, depending on the battery configuration.
That's 400 10 mile rides. Of course, you've never done 10 miles on a
skateboard, but rest assured your feet and legs are going to be in some pain
the first time out due to fatigue. 10 miles is a heck of a long skateboard
ride.
Conservatively speaking, 400 charges on the Powerboard has got to be at
least equal to 100 days of snowboarding. How much does a hundred days of
snowboarding cost? What about the gear and getting there?
Surfers often claim their sport is the cheapest. But, the surfing
equipment alone (board and suit) is comparable to the cost of the Powerboard.
Then you have to throw in the "dedication factor" and calculate how many
thousands that really costs you. The fact is that is costs a lot to get to
the waves at the right time.
Powerboarding is also definitely one of the most convenient sports you'll
ever find because you can do it almost anywhere. In that respect, it's just
like a skateboard. But, this is no normal skateboard. The Powerboard gives
you the higher speed feel and thrill that you get when you're out on the
slopes or surf.
This is simply one of most entertaining and 'cool' devices you can find
anywhere. And it's also one of the most sophisticated. The Powerboard
achieves things few electric devices or vehicles can match. |
"Exkate Proves Legitimacy with Remote Control
Patent"
"New Motorized Longboards Reflect Industry’s Rapid
Growth"
"E-Glide Tethered - Back
and Better Than Ever!"
"Announcing the New 3.0 and 4.0 Exkate Powerboards"
"History
and Development of the Electric Skateboard" (c) Copyright
Slide4less LLC |
