Skateboards have been existing for almost a century now. They’re still popular all over the world.
However, the demands of consumers in the modern age result in the existence of best electric skateboards of all time. People nowadays find the automatic system of e-skates practical for transportation.
The Pioneers
Motoboard
The idea that a powerful machine could be installed on a traditional skateboard was started by a company called Motoboard International. Their most famous product, the engine-powered Motoboard, was purely meant for extreme skaters who needed something more exciting than an ordinary skateboard.
The Motoboard had captured the attention of the masses, especially in California, from the middle part of the 1970s to the early 1990s. But, it was mostly about how destructive it could be to traffic and neighborhoods. That’s why people using it were always stopped by cops. According to Wired Magazine, it was a “vehicle cops love to hate.”
Gasoline was used for the engine, which was a red flag. It could make Motoboard travel for 30 miles per hour. It also contributed to pollution.
The only way to control the speed was by hand, specifically with a trigger throttle. Meanwhile, the brake relied on engine compression.
Surprisingly, the Motoboard wasn’t overly large despite the engine. It could be used for one hour with 16 ounces of fuel. It was sold for almost $700.
Louis J. Finkle
Anybody could claim that they were the inventor of the first-ever electric skateboard, but Louis J. Finkle had proof. He applied for a patent in 1996 and was granted in 1999.
Finkle was a hobbyist but with a great interest in machines and a tight connection with somebody who constructed longboards. The fact that longboard is a common type of electric skateboard[Electric Skateboard Types] makes more sense after knowing the story behind Finkle’s invention.
The existence of his invention officially called the “remote control electric powered skateboard” contributed to the end of the Motoboard era. It was much safer than any Motoboard because of the higher efficiency guaranteed by electronic control. It didn’t need gasoline as well, which meant zero pollution and low environmental impact of a typical electric skateboard[Environmental Impact of Electric Skateboard].
The patented design of Finkle is still being used today, mostly as an inspiration for modern electric skateboard systems. It had limitations, hence the current manufacturers boosting some aspects like the wheelbase, motor, RPM, torque, and drive train.
History of Traditional Skateboard
The success of the e-skate industry wouldn’t be possible without the foolproof design of ordinary skateboards.
There are no official records about the specific person who invented the traditional version. However, it was certain that California had the first group of skateboarders around the 1940s or 1950s.
That’s because skateboarding served as an alternative activity whenever the surfers couldn’t find good waves. It was even considered similar to surfing due to some techniques surfers used that flawlessly worked with DIY skateboards.
It was also established that the first commercial skateboards were sold by a surf shop owner named Bill Richard. He used the wheels of roller skates to make boards move. A lot of people still believe that he was the inventor of the first skateboard.