14 DAY TRIAL // Normal skateboards are a dime a dozen in the US and various other countries, but electric skateboards exist as well. Unfortunately, they can be troublesome to carry after you're done riding it. Adam Riley of Epic Skateboards has decided to solve that problem.
Typically, electric skateboards are made of a longboard with a battery, motor and all the other circuits on the underside. Not the most comfortable thing to tuck under your arm at the end of the day.
Adam Riley from Epic Skateboards took the concept and adapted it. For one thing, he perfectly sealed the bottom side of the board (which he calls Caseboard) against the elements.
That means that you'll be able to drive it through puddles and mud without any damage coming to the electrical contraption that keeps it moving.
More importantly, though, the Caseboard can fold. It looks half like the case of a musical instrument and half like a briefcase really. Hence the name. In fact, the center section becomes a handle when you go ahead and fold the thing.
That's a lot more important than it sounds, because the Caseboard, with its various electrical parts wrapped up in a high grade ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) thermoplastic shell, is heavier than all other electric skateboards, weighing 25.4 lb / 11.5 kg.
On that note, the physical dimensions are on the large side as well. When open, the board measures 104 x 34 cm / 41 x 13.5 inches, and has a height of 14 cm / 5.5 inches (wheelbase of 5.5 cm / 2.1 inches). When folded, it is a 57 x 34 x 15 cm / 22.4 x 13.4 x 5.9 inch case.
Moving on, the maximum speed of the Caseboard is 35 km/s, or 21.5 mph, thanks to a 500 watt brushless motor, 78a wheels, and longboard trucks.
A 36 V, 7 Ah LiFePO4 battery provides the power, which should last for around 30 km / 18.5 miles, less on rough terrain. Finally, the guidance comes from a wireless (Wi-Fi) handheld controller, which also has a five-bar indicator for speed. Reverse/forward modes are also shown on the indicator.
The range of the control device is of 4.5-6 meters, or 15-20 feet. And you don't need to worry about losing it, or losing control of the board, because if you drop it in transit, the board will stop. It's a failsafe, that the brake is automatically engaged if the distance between the Caseboard and the remote control exceeds the range we have mentioned above.
You can get a Caseboard by pledging $999 AUD / $940 USD / €689 on Kickstarter, though if you're not Australian, you will have to bring out an extra $200 AUD / $190 USD / €139. The retail price will be $1,190 AUD / $1,130 / €829 if the crowd-funding campaign pulls through.