Looks pretty awesome, but the price tag instantly puts it out of range for a student like myself. Hopefully they attain some level of success such that they can mass manufacture them and bring the price down.
I'd love to have one.
The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
71–80 of 174 posts
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#72This 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…
As far as the profit margin, one barrier to just building this yourself is the NRE for a suitable brushless motor controller that does speed control, handles unknown and varying load torque, and does motor braking. Or do you know of an existing alternative controller?
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#73This 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…
We're starting with a longboard setup that costs over $300 retail. The reason those sell is because they have lots of advantages over $100 longboards.
We are still refining our transmission design, but even in its current form, we haven't had a bearing issue or motor failure in the past year of continuous and rigorous testing.
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#74This sounds cool, but (IMO) it's actually a bad idea. When I was in my late teens / early twenties, I essentially had a 180HP version of this. It was a lot more expensive back then: $4,000 for the 1984 Chevy Blazer and $0 dollars for an extension cord we found in the garage, but going going fast on a skateboard, no matter what the method, is dangerous. The worst part of this idea is "braking". I can assure you the on…
Are you suggesting that, because it takes skill to operate, it's a bad idea? I commute on my longboard every day between the parking structure on campus and my building, which is about a mile away - takes me 10 minutes of kicking the board around and working up a sweat. An electric longboard woud fit right into my current commute, except I'd arrive at work without my shirt soaked through. For this type of commuting,…
The motor braking is powered, not regenerative, so it can brake so hard as to throw you forward off the board! (Rode one of their early prototypes. Sheer awesomeness!!)
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#75Co-founder here. Feel free to ask questions!
2KW sounds a hell of a lot, when a 250W motor on a bike can get up to 20mph? Do you actually use the full 2KW of power? it seems like it would throw the rider to me.
I'm willing to bet from ebike knowledge that the regenerative braking is more of a marketing feature, and may not even break even with the added weight. Have you done tests on this?
Others have touched upon price so i'll ask if you had any concerns about liabilities? and are you hoping to grow organically post-kickstarter, or a funding round?
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
At a 1,000$ 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…
As far as the profit margin, one barrier to just building this yourself is the NRE for a suitable brushless motor controller that does speed control, handles unknown and varying load torque, and does motor braking. Or do you know of an existing alternative controller?
They are using off-the-shelf brushless motor controllers (from what I can gather) and off-the-shelf brushless motors. There are many makers of ESCs with your requirements including from the now-ubiquitous HobbyKing, both sensored and sensorless (for RC car applications) including this one:
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__17234__Hobby_King... which will do variable engine braking as well.
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#77This 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."
One says it "changed his life." I would genuinely like to hear more about this.
Ditto. This is the kind of claim that, if explained appropriately, may convince me (and others) to buy one despite the price point.
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#78Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
I'd like to add, I love the controller design. That alone must be worth a couple of hundred ;) Does it use bluetooth? I hope it is not a standard RC transmitter because they can get jammed fairly easily (leading to injury and death, etc etc) even on the new(ish) frequency-hopping 2.4Ghz models.
PS. are you hiring ? ;)
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#79Great, empowering more idiots to set out on public thoroughfares and ignore every basic traffic law (stop signs, red lights, for starters; look 'em up if you're not familiar with the concepts) not to mention common sense.
Ought to produce a few Darwin Award winners.
Re: The World's Lightest Electric Vehicle
#80Co-founder here. Feel free to ask questions!
Are the boards waterproof? I would love to have one but I live in an area that gets a lot of rain, and I'd be terrified of getting caught in a storm and ruining my $1200 board. On the flip side, if it does handle water okay, then I imagine boarding in the rain could be a lot of fun :)