This Is the World’s First Pair of Electric Inline Skates for the Daily Commute

The namesake electric inline skates from French startup AtmosGear made their debut at the 2023 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES for short, where they were billed as the world’s first pair of the kind. Similar products have been released before, and many of them got their formal introduction at CES, but AtmosGear is the first fully-electric pair of inline skates.

AtmosGear was founded in 2018 but the idea for such a product actually came to be more than 13 years ago. Despite the admirable goal of striving to launch a new form of sport, the AtmosGear skates are actually (currently) marketed as a product for the daily commute, so accessible to everyone. Why use public transport, a bike or a pair of regular skates to and from work, when you could go all-electric?

Of all the things to electrify, inline skates probably come last for many, if only because of the increased danger of injury. To that, AtmosGear says that there are “millions” of skaters around the world who would love the chance to get to work on their skates, but without sweating or having to change their shoes once they reach their destination.

The AtmosGear is actually a frame that is compatible with any kind of skating boot, but which can also be ordered as the full package, with a pair of FR1 boots from FR Skates. There’s a motor in each of the middle wheels, but the battery pack is not fitted inside the frame on considerations of added weight, which would have turned the product into a genuine “brick” for your feet. Instead, it’s not so inconspicuously hidden in a fanny pack – a Waistpack, as the maker calls it. Thank the powers that be that fanny packs are back in fashion and no longer the tell-tale accessory of the typical middle-aged dad on vacation.

The full package also includes a remote control that offers options like acceleration and braking, as well as full-stop. No specs are offered for either motor or battery, except for the note that the former is directly integrated into the 110-mm roller wheel and has “enough torque to climb a 20° slope and support 100 kg [220.5 pounds),” and that the latter weighs 1 kg (2.2 pounds). The Waistpack can be used as a regular fanny pack when not skating, so the case containing the battery and connectors is removable.

While skating, you have to connect the skate frames to the battery, and you do so by means of a pair of wires that run down your legs. If you’re thinking this is a tangly mishap waiting to happen, the company says you can run the wires under your pants and they won’t bother you, because they come with a thigh strap.

The AtmosGear comes with two riding modes, one that is fully motorized and the other similar to pedal-assist on e-bikes. Remote Mode is for when you feel like skating with minimal effort, and you control all movement on the remote. Release whatever button you’re pressing on the remote, and the motor freewheels, allowing you to take over.

The assisted mode is called Smart Mode (Air Gear), and you control the motor with your movements. Much like it would on an e-bike with a torque or cadence sensor, when the motor kicks in as you pedal, the motor activates as you skate. This mode will be made available over the air, and updating to it will be made from your smartphone, free of charge.

There’s a third mode to the AtmosGear, even if it’s not included as a proper mode, as is also the case with a more lightweight electric bicycle. You can skate without any motor assistance at all, like you would with any other pair of skates. This comes in handy for those times when you’re looking to get a proper workout or if you run out of battery.

Speaking of, AtmosGear says a single charge is good for 20 miles (15.5 km), at a maximum speed of 15.5 mph (25 kph). No, there’s no possibility of unlocking a higher speed, but a special AtmosGear pair was built for world skating champion Diako Diaby, aka Diablo Diako, that could hit 25 mph (40 kph), for the sole purpose of testing. He’s one of the three professional skaters able to perform a Flat 900 jump, so maybe going faster than him on a pair of electric inline skates is not advisable for a regular commuter.

According to the company, the skates were four years in development, during which time they were duly tested by professional athletes and a community of 2,000+ skaters, and were even taken to the 24H du Mans Roller Marathon to be put through their paces. “The conclusion was unanimous,” says the company, “we have exactly the same handling as Freeskate and it's so light that we can skate as well in electric as in manual.” The AtmosGear is only 800 g (1.7 pounds) heavier than a regular freeskate.

The short-term goal for AtmosGear is to bring the skates into limited production in January this year, with only 200 pairs going out to riders in May, if all goes according to plan. So far, they have 160 pre-orders put in, so they’re close to that goal. For the long term, AtmosGear is eyeing sales of over 100,000 pairs worldwide by 2026 and the launch of a new sport – presumably, this is in addition to upgrading the daily commute.

Daredevils looking to see how that last part might work out in a real-life scenario have to take into account the investment. The AtmosGear sells for €550 (approximately $586 at the current exchange rate) a pair with the skating boot, and €500 ($533) for the frames only – not including shipping, which is another €20 ($21) for most European countries.