What is the purpose of electric longboards?

Die-hard skaters have a hard time with electric longboards. Nevertheless, there is a large group of boarders who can benefit from the advantages of an electric skateboard or electric longboard. After all, the point of the longboard as opposed to the skateboard is precisely that it allows you to cover long distances and reach higher speeds.

Especially in the city, longboards are a perfect means of transportation. You can take them in the trunk or on the bus or train and excellently manage the last few meters to the office or downtown with the longboard. Not everyone loves it when they arrive at the office completely sweaty after a brisk ride. As with e-bikes, the biggest advantage of the electric drive on the longboard is that you can move forward quickly while saving energy.

In addition, you also benefit from the fact that you can enjoy carving much longer with the electric longboard because you don't have to constantly interrupt the flow to push. 

Am I bound to a certain riding style with the electric longboard?

You can basically ride all riding styles with an electric longboard. Cruising, dancing, long-distance and carving are possible, in the frame you can also do tricks with an electric longboard if you choose the right setup. At Unlimited x Loaded you get one or two motors integrated in the wheel with which you can almost ride a normal longboard under your feet without annoying external motors or the like.

Different techniques for electric longboard drives

There are basically two classes of drives for electric longboards:

• An external electric motor that drives one or two rollers via a toothed belt 
• A motor integrated in the roller, which drives the roller directly

The motor integrated in the roller has no wearing parts apart from the ball bearing and is therefore the variant that has become virtually standard in recent developments. An advantage of the integrated solution is that it is very inconspicuous and that your longboard is not immediately identified as an electric longboard. In addition, with this solution you often have completely free running wheels, if the battery should run out and you have to push normally.

The solution with the Zahnrimen, on the other hand, allows more powerful motors, so that higher speeds can be achieved and the use is also possible with off-road tires. Due to the restrictive approval policy, however, inconspicuous variants are much more in demand in Germany than the very obvious external drives.

What speeds can be reached with the E-Longboard?

The first inexpensive boards from China reached 25 km/h. This did not impress good skaters very much, because they can reach the 25 km/h easily with strong pushing. 25 km/h applied then also only for straight distance, for good underground and for normally heavy drivers. On inclines, the performance of these boards drops rapidly. The new systems now reach up to 45 km/h and thus offer enough reserve for slopes and heavier riders.

The increase in performance of Unlimited x Loaded to 45 km/h is achieved by actively driving two rollers instead of one. With only one driven roller, speeds of 32 km/h (Onewheel) or 36 km/h (Unlimited Solo/Cruiser) are achieved. The maximum speed of the Lacroix skateboards is not specified at all, but it is beyond 45 km/h

However, these speeds clearly imply the need to always wear a helmet and, if possible, other protective equipment.

If you are sick enough, you can also put together a system with four motorized wheels at Unlimited X Loaded and let us know what happens then, if there is internet access in the hospital ;-)

What is the range of an electric longboard?

Depending on the battery used, you can expect a range of up to 52 km(Onewheel GT). The longboards reach up to 22 km with two batteries(Unlimited Cruiser/UnlimitedRace). The big Lacroix skateboards reach a range of up to 50 km. The actual range depends on several factors: Rider's weight, surface, inclines and  speed and riding style.

On downhill stretches, the battery recharges on all models we sell. This is great, but it also means that some models (e.g. Onewheel) must not be driven downhill with a fully charged battery. The battery would then be overcharged. The JayKay system has a 100% freewheel, so you can push the board without additional effort like a normal longboard, if you run out of charge.

If you often have to ride longer distances, for example, to work, then it is worth buying a second charger. You can use it to recharge your board in the office. The charging times for a full battery charge are between 80 minutes (Unlimited) and 120 minutes (Onewheel GT)  with the normal chargers. For those who need it faster, we offer Ultra Chargers that can fully charge the battery in 60 minutes.

Is it possible to convert an existing longboard to an e-longboard?

A conversion is possible without any problems. But please note: With an electric drive that can accelerate your board to 45 km/h, your longboard is no longer a toy. If you don't own a branded board with good wheels and axles, then buy at least one good set of axles before converting. Improperly manufactured components (axles / rollers / ball bearings) cause strong friction, at the high speeds then quickly arises a high temperature at the axle, which then melts the rollers or it fails equal to the entire axle. Safety has absolute priority here. A set of good axles costs around 60 euros. Finger away from all cheaper offers. A set of good ball bearings costs between 20 and 30 euros.

If your components have the necessary quality for the conversion, then the conversion is quickly accomplished. The mounting plate of Unlimited X Loaded  for battery and steering is simply clamped between axle and deck. You then exchange one or two rollers for the rollers with integrated motors and replace the other rollers with rollers that match the motor roller. 

The conversion kit from JayKay contains both axles, because with this system all four rollers are driven.

Since the roller diameter after the conversion will usually be slightly larger than before, you must make sure that the setup is safe against wheelbites. To compensate, our sets always include a set of riser pads that increase the distance between the rollers and the board. Nevertheless, after the conversion you have to check thoroughly if wheelbites are impossible, otherwise there is a high risk of accidents.

Is it legal to ride an electric longboard on the street?

Germany is having a hard time with the legalization of electric vehicles. After the difficult birth with e-scooters, it is not expected in the foreseeable future that electric longboards or the Onewheel can be legally driven on public roads in Germany. Nevertheless, it is way too much fun to be on the road with the electric longboard and especially with the Onewheel.

You must know that you violate a number of regulations and laws when you ride an electric longboard or the Onewheel on public roads and streets. At best, you can ensure that the number of violations remains as small as possible:

• Always behave absolutely defensively and do not endanger anyone
• Always ride with a helmet
• Get a driver's license that allows you to ride a two-wheeled vehicle at speeds up to 45 km/h
• Apply for insurance coverage with your insurance company and keep the letter of refusal 

Cruise Control Mode on the Unlimited x Loaded drive can be used very unobtrusively, as the board does not accelerate noticeably in these modes. In Cruise Control Mode you have to push yourself and the board then simply maintains the speed. You can compare this function with the principle of the pedelec, which may be used up to 25 km/h without insurance.

Our JayKay skateboards have the batteries inconspicuously hidden in the axles and the drive sits in the four wheels. Although the boards are very powerful, the electrification is thus least noticeable. At first and also at second glance, the board cannot be identified as an electric longboard. Also the remote control, which you wear like a ring on your finger, is quite inconspicuous.

Use the boards on private property, enjoy the fun and campaign for legalization!

Are accidents with electric skateboards covered by liability insurance?

The Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/386 of March 5, 2015 regulates the classification of four-wheeled skateboards whose electric motor is controlled by remote control. Without a steering and braking system, classification as a motor vehicle is out of the question. With a speed of up to 45 km/h, classification as a play vehicle for children is also ruled out. As a result, the electric longboards have been classified under subheading 9506 99 90 of the Combined Nomenclature (CN) for "goods for use as amusement articles in the field of sport". Because electric longboards are not considered sports equipment, they are not covered by private liability insurance. There, the 6 km/h limit applies in general. Please check with your liability insurance and have the driving with the electric board explicitly covered.

Where can I legally ride the electric longboard or the Onewheel?

There is a whole range of possibilities left to you if you decide that you only want to use your E-Longboard legally. For example, you can use it on vacation to make the campsite unsafe. This is private property and it is up to the owner to set up rules here. Even abroad, for example on city trips, you can use an electric skateboard if it is legal in the respective country. Hardly any country has such restrictive laws as Germany. Our Unlimited and Mellow batteries are allowed as flight luggage.

The Onewheel and the Lacroix skateboards also offer other legal uses. Since the Onewheel and the Lacroix boards  are fully off-road capable, you can ride them in the forest and on dirt roads or even on the beach.

How do the individual electric longboard models that you offer differ?

We have compiled all the performance data of the various e-mobility solutions for board sportsmen and women for you in the following table: 

Why are your electric skateboards in the upper price range?

JayKay is a product from Germany and the Onewheels are developed in the USA. The components of our manufacturers are  not cheaply produced in Asia. The very strong batteries in the devices can be extremely dangerous with cheap devices and errors in the regulation of an electric skateboard can lead to very serious accidents.

We also naturally want to make a contribution to climate protection with these products and are committed to alternative mobility concepts, especially in urban areas. It would be counterproductive if we were to offer inferior electronics, boards and, above all, batteries for this purpose that represent hazardous waste again after only a short period of use.

Is it possible to test the different e-skateboards?

Yes, we have the Onewheel GT, the Onewheel Pint X and the Onewheel Pint, as well as the JayKay drives with the corresponding Loaded Decks (Omakase, Icarus and Tesseract) for you to test.

Please register for a test in advance by e-mail, otherwise we are available from Monday to Friday at the company location between 8:00 and 17:00. You can test with us regardless of the weather, because we have a hall available.

Please bring a helmet if possible!

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