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High-Performance Electric Skateboards

Engineered two reliable electric skateboards addressing critical safety, speed, and stability flaws in early market models.

Mechanical Design Electronics Integration Vehicle Dynamics Prototyping User-Centered Design Lead Designer & Builder Nov 2018 – Dec 2020
High-Performance Electric Skateboards

The Challenge

Early consumer electric skateboards suffered from severe safety issues — sudden power cuts without overcurrent protection, remote disconnects, and battery fire risks. Standard longboard decks also became dangerously unstable at advertised high speeds.

The Approach

Designed two purpose-built boards utilizing premium electronic speed controllers (ESCs). Built a flexible, high-torque bamboo board for rough terrain with a 28 mph top speed, and a stiff maple board optimized for high-speed stability at 40 mph.

The Results

Successfully brought both boards to market. The project served as a masterclass in user-centered design — pivoting from building for personal preferences to integrating direct community feedback from Reddit and forums into the final products.

Overview

This project was driven by firsthand experience with the dangerous shortcomings of early consumer electric skateboards. Rather than accept the status quo, I set out to engineer boards that were genuinely safe, performant, and purpose-built for their intended riding styles.

The Two Boards

Board 1: Bamboo All-Terrain Cruiser

  • Deck: Flexible bamboo composite for vibration absorption
  • Top Speed: 28 mph
  • Specialty: High torque for rough terrain and hill climbing
  • Ride Feel: Carvy and responsive, absorbing road imperfections

Board 2: Maple High-Speed Racer

  • Deck: Stiff maple construction for directional stability
  • Top Speed: 40 mph
  • Specialty: Rock-solid at speed, zero wobble
  • Ride Feel: Locked-in and planted, confidence-inspiring at velocity

Safety Engineering

The core differentiator was safety. Every component was selected to eliminate the failure modes common in off-the-shelf boards:

  • Premium ESCs: Smooth, reliable power delivery with proper overcurrent protection
  • Redundant Remote Link: No more random disconnects at speed
  • Battery Safety: Properly rated cells with appropriate BMS protection

User-Centered Design

The most valuable lesson from this project was learning to design for the community, not just myself. Early prototypes reflected my personal riding preferences, but direct engagement with forums and Reddit revealed that the broader market had different priorities — comfort over raw speed, predictable braking over aggressive acceleration. The final designs reflected those insights.