02 go for a spin on an electric skateboard
As if skateboards weren’t cool enough, now they’ve gone and made an electric one! And by ‘they’, we mean Shanghai-based manufacturer Stary Boards. Originally funded to the nines on Kickstarter (it raised a target-blowing $742,740 back in August 2015), the Stary electric skateboard is one of the most hotly anticipated ‘ toys’ for early 2016.
Built from a combination of bamboo, fibreglass and Canadian maple, this e-skateboard weighs in at 8.6lbs, leading Stary to claim that it’s the lightest base of any skateboard in the world. “Using composites creates a unitary deck structure that’s light, simple and strong,” says Team Stary. “Even a child can lift the board easily with one hand.” The skateboard also comes with its own compact controller that enables you to increase and decrease speeds with just a flick of your finger, as well as displaying the battery level on a crisp LED screen.
Sadly, the delicate nature of the board and its electronic components means that this little crowd-funded curio can’t be taken to your nearest skatepark, but it can ride across a variety of flat surfaces and gradients, making it ideal for commuting to work or the pub.
You can travel at up to 18mph on flat surfaces with the Stary. The board also has three gears: the first is set to 9mph, the second can reach 13mph and the third can blast along at up to 18mph.