The future of the electric car is...the skateboard

While car makers plough millions into pushing high-tech electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, a tiny Californian start-up is confident its battery-powered skateboard will not only shake up the electric vehicle (EV) market, but revolutionise the way we perceive personal transport.

Boosted Boards looks indistinguishable from a conventional longboard, but nestling between their wheels are a battery and twin electric motors rated at 2000 watts (2.6 horsepower) that propel a rider at 20mph over a distance of 6 miles.

The electric skateboards will cost around £800 when they go on sale next year.

Who will buy an electric skateboard?

There will be those who will scoff at the idea of an electric skateboard, but for many more the vehicles will be a revelation. While most people will use Boosted Boards as a fun recreational vehicle, commuters are likely to find them incredibly useful for what transport planners refer to as ‘the last mile’ – the distance between the railway station or bus stop and the journey’s end. The Boosted Board can be carried easily on any mode of public transport and stored without difficulty at the office or at home. And its range of 6 miles is more than enough for most commutes.

In terms of price, range and usability, lightweight vehicles like bicycles – and now skateboards – are the most practical option for those who want the benefits of an EV today. Electric vehicles of every description are currently in development, from aircraft to jet skis, but batteries remain expensive, heavy and troublesome to charge without widespread charging points.

Unlike cars, electric bicycles and skateboards are light enough to be carried into a house to be re-charged and if the battery runs flat, the rider can switch to leg power in an instant.