Boosted Boards has announced a refreshed lineup of electric skateboards, offering more power, acceleration and riding options, most notably by way of the company's first ever shortboard with skateboard-like kicktail on the end.
Since rolling onto the scene in 2013 with the world's lightest electric vehicle, Boosted Board's catalog has consisted purely of electrified longboards. Measuring around 38 inches (1 m) in length, these boards offer comfortable battery-powered cruising over 14 miles (22 km) per charge, as a fun and efficient option for last-mile transport.
Nothing has changed in terms of range in the third generation of Boosted Boards, with three out of the four models still offering a 14-mile range. The Boosted Mini S, however, cuts that in half, covering seven miles (11.2 km) on a charge, although it does have a relatively friendly price tag of US$749, making it the cheapest Boosted Board yet. It has a top speed of 18 mph (28 km/h).
With a deck length of 29.5 in (75 cm), the Boosted Mini S and the Boosted Mini X (a souped-up version to offer 14-mile of range and 20 mph (32 km/h) top speed), are the company's first shortboards and also the first to feature full kicktails. This means that riders can make sharper turns by pivoting on the rear end, while the shorter deck length means they can more easily carry it under their arm when not in use. Indeed, the Boosted Minis appear more electric skateboard than electric longboard.
Both shortboards offer three ride modes with different acceleration curves ranging from beginner to a zippier expert level. The two longer boards ramp this up with four and five ride modes, with the top-of-the-line Boosted Stealth including a mode called Hyper and a top speed of 24 mph (38.6 km/h). The Boosted Plus, meanwhile, has a top speed of 22 mph (35.4 km/h) in Pro mode.
On both the Stealth and Mini X, Boosted has swapped its trademark orange wheels for gray. All wheels have been redesigned for extra softness on the outside to make things a little less bumpy, with 80 mm (3.1 in) versions coming standard on the shortboards and 85 mm (3.5 in) on the longboards.
The decks themselves also represent a departure for Boosted Boards, with bamboo cores replaced with poplar on all four new offerings. The poplar is surrounded by high-density foams, making for a less dense core that is still promised to offer good flexibility and damping. Impact-resistant polymer has also been added around the edges, helping make the boards wider and straighter, attributes that should give riders more control over their turning.
The $749 asking price for the Mini S is fairly reasonable for an electric skateboard, but you'll need to shell out a bit more for the other new boards in Boosted's lineup. The more powerful Mini X costs $999, while the lengthier and more powerful Boosted Plus and Boosted Stealth are priced at $1,399 and $1,599, respectively. Shipping is expected to kick off in late May or June.
You can check out the promo video below.
Source: Boosted Boards
