All the pleasure of wind-in-your-helmet adrenaline without any of the legwork? If you think zipping around on an electric scooter looks fun, wait 'til you try an electric skateboard.
With reasonable price tags and decent motors, these four-wheeled slabs of rapture are the latest trend in personal electric vehicles, both for entertainment and practical use.
As the interest grows, new manufacturers are emerging with fresh ideas to stake a bigger claim on the eboard market share, and with it, the capabilities of the boards are improving all the time.
Travelling anywhere by electric skateboard is a surefire way of improving the entertainment value of the journey, but there are a few things to keep in mind before picking up your first board.
Fancy a go on another type of electric vehicle? Check out or lists of the best electric scooters and the best budget electric scooters.
The Law
This is where it gets a little bit complicated. Since electric skateboards are considered to be motorised vehicles, it is illegal to ride them on public roads or footpaths in the UK.
There has been a lot of campaigning in recent years for this law to be amended, allowing eboards to be classed in the same bracket as bicycles and the legality changed as such, but for now, the law is still the law
However, UK laws over personal electric vehicle use are slowly relaxing. It is now legal to ride an electric scooter in the UK, providing it’s ridden on the road or in a cycle lane and the scooter has been rented from a government-approved scheme.
Eboard restrictions may also be soon for the chop but stick to riding on private land, for now, to avoid getting in trouble.
How to stay safe
Keep to a safe speed – It’s always tempting to put your foot down, but without any seatbelts to hold you back, a high-speed accident could result in major injuries. Always be sensible on an electric skateboard, match your speed with the clarity of your vision and always slow down around other people.
Wear protective gear – Always wear a helmet at the very least. Eboard crashes have already proven fatal through a lack of appropriate safety equipment, so don a helmet with knee and elbow pads to protect yourself as best you can.
Good conditions – Ride your board when you feel it’s safe to do so. Wet weather will impede the braking performance of your board, with potentially disastrous consequences. To preserve the condition of your board’s motor and indeed yourself, stick to clear days and high-light conditions.
When it comes to electric skateboards, the difficult choice is deciding which to get. Here are our picks of the best on the market right now.
Best compact baord
With a shape closer to a traditional street or vert skateboard, the Mini2 S is ideal for those who prefer shorter and wider boards. At 33 inches long, the board is comfortable to ride and easily portable.
The eight layers of maple ensure a robust board, too. Two 540w motors, controlled by remote control, power the Mini2 to a speed of 29mph for 11 miles.
Great for cruising
This electric skateboard from Caroma features a classic wide-deck board design for easy and enjoyable cruising. The board is available in two colourways, both of which feature coarse deck tape for optimum grip beneath your feet.
The deck is powered by a quiet yet potent 350W motor that’s non-resistant, meaning this board can function as a conventional skateboard when the battery runs out, but we especially like this electric skateboard for its pressure-sensitive technology. Stepping onto the skateboard will automatically turn it on, and then after a few minutes of inactivity, the motor will automatically turn off to save power and improve range.