San Diego-based startup InMotion has announced a crowdfunding campaign for Scooterboard, a new kind of electric scooter that combines skateboard and scooter in one foldable electric vehicle. Scooterboard is a three-wheeled rideable that has a maximum speed of 15.5 MPH and can possibly reach 9.3 miles on a single charge. The base acts like a skateboard, allowing the rider to steer just by leaning side to side, while the large handle controls both the thrust and electronic brake alongside an additional mechanical brake for extra safety.
Although the market is getting flooded with electric rideables each day, not every one of them is easy to ride or manages to satisfy both beginners and seasoned skaters. InMotion is looking to fit into the market precisely like that – catering to both beginners and the younger crowd, while offering experience that feels like riding a skateboard. The creators of the Scooterboard claim the idea came to them while trying to learn to ride an electric skateboard and they believe everyone can learn to ride Scooterboard in just a single session. To prove their claims they even met with three Brazilian skateboarders, offering them the ability to test ride Scooterboard and compare it to other electric rideables. All three riders confirmed the ease of use, praising the ability to keep their skateboarding stance , something which they note couldn’t be done with the Segway or a similar hover-style vehicle. As for the riders’ safety, besides the dual braking system that’s incorporated, Scooterboard possesses a special kind of tires the company claims are explosion proof.
Customers wary of volatile batteries used in similar devices, that even caused explosions in hoverboards and electric skateboards, will probably want to wait for the first reviews as InMotion hasn’t clarified what kind of batteries their rideable uses nor what precautions have they taken for avoiding the overheating and damage to both vehicle and its rider. Thrill-seekers looking to give another skateboard-style rideable a go will have a chance to support this project via Kickstarter during the upcoming month. The Kickstarter campaign for Scooterboard starts on August 28 with a funding goal of $25,000 which InMotion hopes will be easily surpassed, giving significant discount for the early adopters. The release date of the final product is yet to be announced.
UPDATE: InMotion managed to reach its Kickstarter goal within 36 hours of launching its campaign. The company also added that overheating will not be an issues with the Scooterboard, as a temperature sensor is built into the device, so the battery will never get close to overheating, or anything of the sort.