Electric skateboards became popular among children and youth in recent years. Due to that, many companies have started producing various styles of electric skateboards. When looking for an electric skateboard, there are several factors to consider, one of which is range. So, do you know what the factors are that affect battery life? If you are looking for an answer, then you have come to the right place.

1.  Motor

When it comes to the power of an electric longboard, motor wattage is relatively important. Lower wattage generally means less power. Electric skateboards with less power are distinguished by lower speeds, greater torque, and hill-climbing capability.

The motor, like the battery, is the key part of the electric skateboard, in general, lower wattage means less power. The fewer power electric skateboards become distinct in lower speeds, better torque, and hill-climbing functionality. So it will directly affect the board range. The more motors you have, and the more powerful the engine and the faster your board runs, the faster the battery will run out. Currently, there are 3 types of motors that you can choose for your electric skateboard: single, dual or 4WD.

2.  Battery

The battery and the motor work together. If the battery does not have the same power output, then a powerful motor is useless.

When looking at electric skateboard advertisements, you may notice that the battery capacity is only stated in amp-hours. This is insufficient because it does not include the voltage and thus does not show the true energy capacity. So, if a 36-volt battery with a capacity of 9 amp hours is displayed on a board, the true size of the battery is 9 x 36, or 324 Wh.

The older the battery, the less power it can store and that mean the battery will drain faster so you will have to stop sooner. If the board and battery are maintained properly then a Li-Ion Battery (Standard Battery) will last for 300-1000 charge cycles before reaching 80% of its capacity (the international standard to rating cycle life). That means if you use your electric skateboard daily the battery will last for about 1-3 years.

3.  Weight

Weight is the next factor affecting the range of an e-board. When the board has to carry a lot of weight, it will need more energy to run, causing the battery to drain faster and the distance to be shorter.

Calculate your weight using the following rule: your board will drain approximately 4 Wh/mile for every 30 pounds of rider weight.

In addition, the rider’s experience is also very important. Experienced riders know how to reduce wind resistance and maximize skateboarding speed.

4.  Wheels

Wheels and wheel size also have an impact on eboard range. Big wheels have a higher top speed but accelerate slower than small wheels. Off-road or all-terrain wheels generate more drag on the pavement, resulting in less range. According to companies and experienced riders, the range reduction when using off-road wheels is from ⅓ to ¼, so the drop in range is significant. If you have off-road wheels, make sure to properly inflate them because under-inflated tires will reduce range.

5.  Your riding habit

How you ride your board also changes its life span. You will get more arrive at in case you ride at ordinary speed, don't accelerate/brake a ton, and don't stop again and again.

Good riding habits can help you save a lot of electric energy and thus travel longer distances. Power saving habits include: accelerating smoothly, riding slowly, avoiding sudden stops, and pushing your board with your feet to support the acceleration.

6.  Terrain

Slope terrain will make the battery work harder, so the battery will drain quickly. Muddy terrain creates more friction and similarly drains the battery faster. When moving on these terrains, the board range is usually very short. If you move on more even and smooth terrains, the distance traveled will be longer.

Most of the advertised ranges are tested in a flat environment. Don’t expect that the range will be the same in hilly and mountainous areas.

7.  Average speed

The faster you go the faster you drain the battery. That is because air resistance raises with to the second power. If you want to have a long-range you should drive conservatively at slow speed.

8.  Wind

The wind is another circumstance which interacts with electric skateboard range. A strong wind will obviously decrease your range if you have to drive against it and increase if you drive with the wind.

Tips to increase electric skateboard range

Choose batteries with bigger size

Reduce total payload, remove unnecessary things to reduce your weight.

Choose larger size wheels

If you don't need to go too fast, choose single motors

Use brand new batteries

Support the board when accelerating or climbing

Above are the factors that directly affect the board range you need to know and tips you can apply to increase the range.