One of the First Electric Skateboards Still Stands as One of the Strongest

One of the classics we’re addressing here today is the good ol’ skateboard. Specifically, the electrification of one, the Arc Board. Now Arc has made a few models since they’ve been around, but this is their first and one of the most powerful of their lineup. And even though it’s an older model, it still stands as a blueprint for newer beefier boards.

For starters, this board is an EV. Coming in at just 7.7 lbs. (3.5kg), with a length of just 22-inches (56cm) it can easily be carried by riders of any age and build. It is a bit shorter than popsicle boards, but then again, this isn’t the kind of board made for aggressive skating.

This is more a board for you to take round town to explore or get to your destinations faster than walking while avoiding vehicle traffic. And as they say, big things come in small packages. This is no less the case here.

To start the board includes a 6300mAH LiFePo4 battery pack. If you don’t know what that is yet, not a problem. It's a lithium iron phosphate battery that uses a graphite carbon electrode. They are very similar in strength to classic lithium ion batteries yet have a higher safety rating due to less of a chance of overheating or catching fire. This entire system is also run by a battery management system or BMS. It's this software that makes sure everything remains stable.

Now like any battery system, there is a limit to how much it can carry. With this board we have the possibility enjoying an 11-mile (18km) journey. It may not seem like much, but it doesn’t have to be either. With a 70-minute full recharge time on the fast charger, and 40 minutes for 80% capacity, you can easily have a coffee and a chat while you recharge your batteries for more riding.

But this battery system needs to be directed at something, and it is. On this little tiny trinket, we find a brushless motor with regenerative braking. The best part, however, is that it pushes out 1200W of power on a belt drive system. This is enough to kick a rider to a top speed of 15.6 mph (25kph), and if needed can tackle a 15% hill incline.

But how do you make it go? Well, like anything of this type that may be electric, it comes with a remote. In hand you hold a remote with a wheel. When you push the wheel forward, guess what, you’ll go forward, and backwards to slow down or stop. It’s all connected to the board through 2.4 GHz Bluetooth so you shouldn’t have any problems at this distance.

Sure, it most definitely is an older model, that isn’t even manufactured anymore. Back in 2015 it was available for only $600 bucks. Now if you try to get one it’ll cost you an extra 100 but they have seen some improvements, so it feels worth it for sure.