How to Turn a Longboard Into an Electric Longboard
The micromobility revolution has been in the spotlight in recent years, with the explosion of shared bikes and e-scooters across the globe. Electric skateboards, which look like your typical deck but are equipped with electric motors, are a growing part of the mix.
Electric skateboards, often referred to as e-boards, typically weigh less than 30 pounds (13.5 kg) and can cruise at 20 to 30 miles per hour (32-50 km/h). You can quickly grab one of these electrified boards via Amazon or the online shops of the most popular e-skateboard brands.
However, if you love skateboarding and thought of how to convert a skateboard to electric, there are DIY electric skateboard conversion kits available in the market today.
Also read: The best electric skateboards for kids
Things to remember when buying skateboard conversion kits
While the overall cost will be cheaper when you convert your skateboard to an eboard using readily available kits, saving money is not really on top of the list of the benefits. In other words, you may end up paying almost as much as you would for a complete electric skateboard – the benefit being that you can use kits with different decks if you want to.
Electric skateboard conversion kits are perfect for those who want to tinker with their traditional deck without having to deal with the headache of building or looking for individual parts. They give people like you and me the freedom to customize our electric skateboards so they ride the way we like.
Here are some things to consider when shopping for electric skateboard conversion kits:
- Quality of components : When buying electric skateboard conversion kits, only get them from the most reputable brands with good reviews from fellow skateboarders. A poorly built ride will not only result in poor experience but could lead to several broken bones or worse.
- Motor, battery, and electric speed controller: These are the essential components that determine the performance of your ride. You have to balance the power of the motor and the battery size, so you get a decent range out of your converted skateboard. The speed controller, meanwhile, can be likened to a car's ECU — it determines how fast you can go, what hill inclines you can tackle, and how quickly you can stop if needed.
- Ease of assembly and customer support: Converting a skateboard to an eboard should not be difficult given the modularity of parts. Most conversion kits are set up to be plug-and-ride, but some may require you to do some drilling, soldering, or some math along the way. Reliable customer support is also a must, in case something breaks down.
The best electric skateboard conversion kits
- Maxfind M5 Drive Kit
- Revel Kit
- Mellow Drive
- Unlimited X Loaded Solo Kit
- BKB Duo Electric Skateboard Kit
- Vestar E-Skateboard DIY Kit
Below are the best eboard conversion kits you can buy today:
Maxfind M5 Drive Kit
You can mount the M5 Drive Kit on most traditional skateboards. You will get a pair of 750-watt high-torque motors out of the box, that will give you a top speed of 25 mph.
It comes with a fast-swap, fast-charging, high-capacity lithium-ion battery from Samsung. The M5 Drive Kit is offered in standard-, long-, or super-range versions, allowing you to travel between 12 and 36 miles.
Maxfind also promises a great ride experience, as this kit ships with Max Truck II trucks, manufactured with proprietary processes to deliver improved stability at high speeds.
See the Maxfind M5 Drive Kit
The M5 kit is also equipped with a Hobbywing remote control that gives control over four riding modes, perfect for novice to expert skateboarders.
Maxfind M5 Drive Kit price: $599
Also read: Top 10 lithium-ion battery alternative technologies
Revel Kit
The Revel Kit was introduced about two years ago and continues to evolve to help enthusiasts create their dream customizable electric skateboards.
The kit comes with an 1100 W direct-drive motor and can be installed in minutes using just four screws on most decks. The bolt-on motor is paired either with a standard-range battery with a 144 Wh power capacity or an extended-range battery with a 216 Wh capacity. The setup will let you enjoy 10 to 15 miles with a top speed of 28 mph.
You can also build a 4WD electric skateboard by strapping a kit on the front and another one on the rear.
See the Revel Kit
The Revel Kit also comes with ABEC adapters that make it compatible with wheels that are between 85 mm and 120 mm in diameter.
Revel Kit Bolt-on Electric Skateboard price: $649
Mellow Drive
The Mellow Drive was designed by riders using state-of-the-art German technologies and engineering. You can easily install it on any traditional deck without breaking into a sweat.
The two in-wheel motors provide a torque of 3 Nm each and can push you at a top speed of 25 mph. Its stopping power comes from a dual braking system that features regenerative charging feature.
The motors are paired with an air-travel-safe, quick-swap 99 Wh battery pack that gives you a range of 10 miles. The powerpack is touted to come from the manufacturer of batteries used by Tesla, Elon Musk's brand of electric cars.
See the Mellow Drive kit
The Mellow Drive is manufactured in Europe, but you can easily find dealers in the USA.
Mellow Drive price: $1,329
Also read:The best off-road electric skateboards of 2021
Unlimited X Loaded Solo Kit
The Solo Kit version of the Unlimited X Loaded electric skateboard is one of the easiest to install in the market today, while not compromising on performance.
The most basic version comes with a single drivetrain that boasts 840 W max power and one 90 Wh lithium-ion battery. The motor is a push-to-start type, so you need to be going at around 1.2 miles to engage the electric motors. The top speed for the Solo Kit is 23mph.
You can easily tune the settings of your eboard using a mobile app. It gives you three ride modes that will fit the skills of beginner to advanced riders.
See the Unlimited X Loaded Solo Kit
The cousins of the Unlimited X Loaded Solo Kit are the Cruiser Kit and the Race Kit that are more potent that the Solo Kit but, of course, pricier. The Cruiser comes with two batteries and one motor, while the Race Kit gives you two batteries and two motors.
Unlimited X Loaded Solo Kit price: $769
BKB Duo Electric Skateboard Kit
The BKB Duo is a complete electric board kit that comes with a deck and everything you need to electrify it.
The package comes with dual motors that crank out 3,000 W each or a combined peak power of 6000 W. These motors are paired with a 324 Wh Samsung battery. This stock setup can cruise at 28 mph, but you can upgrade some parts to reach 35 mph.
See the BKB Duo Electric Skateboard Kit
The BKB Duo also comes with a VESC-based controller that allows you to tweak settings such as acceleration and braking to your liking.
BKB Duo Kit price: $918.99
Vestar E-Skateboard DIY Kit
Vestar Skateboard is known for its powerful e-skates, and sitting quietly in its catalog is the E-Skateboard DIY Kit. According to the manufacturer, you can convert your own deck using this collection of electric skateboard parts, and you'll come up with a build similar to its popular V2-Pro electric skateboard.
The Vestar V2-Pro is a potent belt-driven electric skateboard that has a top speed of 25 mph and a has a range between 15 and 18 miles. Performance isn't the only thing appealing about this ride — it's wallet friendly as well, compared to the other e-boards conversion kits available in the market.
See the Vestar E-Skateboard DIY Kit
Out of the box, the motors and ESC parts come pre-assembled, so you just need to mount them on the deck.
Vestar E-Skateboard DIY Kit price: $489
Also read: The best electric mopeds around
This completes our round-up of the best electric skateboard conversion kits you can buy today. We will keep you posted about the latest products that hit the market, but please let us know about the eboards and conversion kits you have tried and would recommend.
How to Turn a Longboard Into an Electric Longboard
Source: https://greenauthority.com/best-electric-skateboard-conversion-kits-1042/