Co-founder here. Feel free to ask questions!
(Ignore the horrible website) What are your thoughts on this? http://www.metro-board.com/ How does your board compare to the metro board? What makes it special?
The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
61–70 of 174 posts
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#62Does it do regenerative braking?
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#63This is one of those things that's like Google in the sense that it seems to be just an improvement on existing technology, but in fact is enough of an improvement that it's qualitatively different. In all the startups we've funded I don't think I've seen one whose product was so enthusiastically embraced by YC partners. Three bought one of these boards. One says it "changed his life."
I remember you wrote in an essay, that the Segway 'failed' because it makes people look lazy, like a 'smug', when they ride it and that changing the position to skateboard style might be the only change required. [1]
Well, its not a Segway yet, but seem like we're getting there. But maybe this is the optimum already.
edit: found it [1] http://www.paulgraham.com/segway.html
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#64Does it do regenerative braking?
Also, it would be really cool if a few years from now, the board became the battery.
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#65Sounds cool, but even a 95% efficient 2kW brushless motor would be dissipating 100W of heat. Not easy to dump in a small package. I've never tried building a skateboard but I've built quite a few mobile robots (and a few battlebots). Wish they had a bit more detail on the tech.
Part of our tech is very efficient, compact, and (relatively) cheap brushless motor controllers. It's not easy.
How are you cooling the motors?
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#66This is one of those things that's like Google in the sense that it seems to be just an improvement on existing technology, but in fact is enough of an improvement that it's qualitatively different. In all the startups we've funded I don't think I've seen one whose product was so enthusiastically embraced by YC partners. Three bought one of these boards. One says it "changed his life."
I remember you wrote in an essay, that the Segway 'failed' because it makes people look lazy, like a 'smug', when they ride it and that changing the position to skateboard style might be the only change required. [1] Well, its not a Segway yet, but seem like we're getting there. But maybe this is the optimum already. edit: found it [1] http://www.paulgraham.com/segway.html
Curiously enough there was another startup this batch that did the converse: used Segway-like balancing technology in what will probably turn out to be a better way: http://doublerobotics.com
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#67This is one of those things that's like Google in the sense that it seems to be just an improvement on existing technology, but in fact is enough of an improvement that it's qualitatively different. In all the startups we've funded I don't think I've seen one whose product was so enthusiastically embraced by YC partners. Three bought one of these boards. One says it "changed his life."
At a 1,000$ pricepoint I'm not so sure it will be good enough for the masses, especially for such a standard powered longboard setup. Longboards can be found for 100$, add two 50$ brushless motors, a belt-drive setup and a controller, I don't think they can justify that profit margin. I'd expect that with a BMW StreetCarver truck setup, it would be a much easier sell (in fact I would probably buy one). With regards t…
Like all technology it will get cheaper. Even now it seems empirically to be a good deal if you can afford it, judging from the reactions of the three YC partners that bought one.
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#68This is one of those things that's like Google in the sense that it seems to be just an improvement on existing technology, but in fact is enough of an improvement that it's qualitatively different. In all the startups we've funded I don't think I've seen one whose product was so enthusiastically embraced by YC partners. Three bought one of these boards. One says it "changed his life."
I remember you wrote in an essay, that the Segway 'failed' because it makes people look lazy, like a 'smug', when they ride it and that changing the position to skateboard style might be the only change required. [1] Well, its not a Segway yet, but seem like we're getting there. But maybe this is the optimum already. edit: found it [1] http://www.paulgraham.com/segway.html
We actually found that essay after working on this project for almost a year, and I believe after applying to YC. The parallels are undeniable, though.
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you suggesting that, because it takes skill to operate, it's a bad idea? I commute on my longboard every day between the parking structure on campus and my building, which is about a mile away - takes me 10 minutes of kicking the board around and working up a sweat. An electric longboard woud fit right into my current commute, except I'd arrive at work without my shirt soaked through. For this type of commuting,…
>Are you suggesting that, because it takes skill to operate, it's a bad idea? Jeeze, I guess I did, I must be getting old. It is a cool idea. >But, a rollerblade version? Can you explain... Setup aside, going fast on roller blades is much more controlled than on a skateboard. You can't bail, sure, but you also won't get the death wobbles. At speed, you can inline your feet (one foot in front of the other) and put 80%…
It was a surprise to me when I learned it on a motorbike safety course, but it's useful to know that an impact with a solid object at 35mph is only 50% survivable - a blow to the torso at that speed will tear the aorta. It's even worse if the object is something small in profile like a lamp or sign post.
Here's a forum post by a guy who was lucky to survive a crash at 30mph (some nasty post-op pictures - may be NSFW): http://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=253168
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#70Does it do regenerative braking?
Yes.
And on top of that, we've added regenerative braking, accomplished using the motors.