An electric skateboard makes a great gift for a sporty loved one or even for yourself.
How do you find a budget electric skateboard?
The best budget electric skateboards should have a battery with 200+ watts, speeds of at least 10 MPH, and a good braking system.
Keep reading to learn more about electric skateboards, including their cost and tips for buying a fantastic budget board!
The Best Budget Electric Skateboards: How Much Does an Electric Skateboard Cost?
You’re a savvy shopper, so you like to do a bit of research before making a purchase. As you begin searching for a great electric skateboard, you need to know, how much do these boards cost?
The price can vary depending on a slew of factors. I’ll talk more about this in the next section, but the motorized components of an electric skateboard can make it pricy. So too can its max speed, range, and wattage.
According to shopping resource Compare Skateboards, the cheaper electric skateboards cost around $200 to $300. Others are as pricy as $600, even $1,000 and over.
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Why Are Electric Skateboards So Expensive?
Although you can ride an electric skateboard the traditional way, these e-boards are indeed motorized. The extra components are expensive, but what exactly are they? Let’s take a closer look at the parts now.
Deck Size and Materials
Not only is the size of an electric skateboard deck larger than a traditional board, but it can be made of an assortment of materials. The most cost-effective of these materials are plywood, a fused wood that can be layered for durability. Most skate decks have seven to nine layers of plywood.
Adding composite materials to the wood or foregoing plywood entirely is typically more expensive. The composite materials may include fiberglass, carbon fiber, or Kevlar with epoxy, all heavy-duty materials.
Heelside Chill, a skateboarding resource, quotes the cost of wooden decks as $30 to $50, whereas composite decks start at $200 and may cost $500.
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Motor
As I touched on, electric skateboards have a motor so you can ride without manual effort. Actually, it’s not uncommon for one electric skateboard to contain dual motors. These motors include components such as copper coils and electromagnets that interact with the battery to send juice to each motor.
The price of a single electric skateboard motor costs anywhere from $50 to $300. Remember though that you’re doubling that price for many electric skateboards, so $100 to even $600.
Battery
Let’s get back to the battery, as it’s incredibly important. Most electric skateboard batteries are lithium-ion, but others are lithium polymer or LiPo. The latter delivers more power but might not last as long whereas the former is a standard battery in everything from smartphones to computers.
There’s yet a third type of battery found in some electric skateboards called a lithium iron phosphate battery or LiFePO4. These are quite pricy batteries that should provide the longest charge. Since they’re a relatively new tech, few electric skateboards have LiFePO4 batteries as of now.
Remote Control
Also bundled into the cost of an electric skateboard is the remote control. The remote interacts with the electric speed controller to slow you down, speed you up, or help you maneuver in other ways.
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How Do I Choose an Electric Skateboard?
Now that you know why electric skateboards can be so expensive, you can begin digging around for lower-priced boards. You’ll come across plenty of electric skateboards, but how do you select the one that’s right for you? Here are some pointers to keep in mind.
Set a Budget
What’s too expensive to one person might not be so costly to another. If your electric skateboard budget is only around $200 or so, you’re going to have a much harder time tracking down a good skateboard, but it won’t be impossible.
Only you know what your exact budget is for your electric skateboard. As you crunch the numbers, remember to factor in shipping costs as well. You can always mitigate these costs by shopping in person!
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Consider the Board’s Weight
I mentioned before how electric skateboards tend to be larger than traditional boards. This often makes electric skateboards weightier as well.
Since a skateboard is supposed to be a portable mode of transportation, if your board is too heavy, you won’t want to use it. Make sure the weight is one you’re comfortable carrying around.
Determine an Allowable Max Wattage and Speed
Lower-cost electric skateboards will have reduced wattages and max speeds, as you’re not getting the highest-quality motors or battery. The lowest wattage for cheap electric skateboards is around 200 watts, whereas the lowest speed is roughly 10 MPH.
You can go faster and get more juice, but it will cost you. Make sure you keep this in mind when establishing your budget!
Think of How You’ll Use the Board
The last factor is one of the most important. How will you use your electric skateboard?
If you want to commute to and from work or school on the board, then you need to splurge for an electric skateboard with a good battery. The better the battery, the longer the range your skateboard usually has.
When using your electric skateboard, will you ride on even terrain like asphalt or go off-roading? Again, a strong battery is needed, but you’ll also want to pay special attention to your board’s wheels. Your electric skateboard must be equipped with off-roading wheels.
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Are Electric Skateboards Worth It?
Is it even worthwhile to buy an electric skateboard or will a regular board suffice? Electric skateboards are beneficial in that you can use them like a traditional board as well as ride on the board without any effort on your part.
This ease of transportation allows you to get from Point A to Point B faster. You can also avoid exerting yourself so you don’t show up to work or school covered in sweat.
Some boarders even report that using an electric skateboard is easier than riding the usual way. For example, there’s no need for pushing off with an electric skateboard since it’s motorized. For all those reasons, I’d say an electric skateboard is certainly a good idea!
