Ditch your car and get this instead
We all know gas prices are ridiculous right now, so I want to replace my car (truck) with an electric vehicle. One I build myself. So in this video, I try to crank the electric skateboard volume knob up to 11 and build an over-the-top DIY electric skateboard (actually it's a longboard) capable of replacing my truck. It off roads. It goes scary fast. It has a surprisingly long range. But is all that enough?
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00:00 Introduction
00:37 Construction
14:52 Test Ride
17:33 Testing against car
20:21 Conclusion
I’ve got a production board of similar specs, that I’ve put over 180 miles on. Trust me when I say thread lock every screw, even when using nylon lock nuts. The vibrations from even road use loosen everything. Another thing you may want to check on is the motor mounting hardware. Mine came with m4 bolts… that after a while sheered off… at 20 mph. I drilled out the mounts for m6 and bought grade 8 hardware.
skateboards are trash. build or buy an euc
@@Blox117 ew.
@@tommynguyen8620 are you 4 years old?
@@Blox117 are you? Who wants to sit on an overbuilt unicycle?
@@tommynguyen8620 everyone loves unicycles. meanwhile, skatetards are winning darwin awards on their cardboard cutouts with wheels
Love it - but I'd be fully kitted out with protective gear riding that; the thought of falling off at 25kph on asphalt is terrifying to me!
25kph is not fast you can easily go that speed on a non-electric skateboard lol
@@5WIM I'd also be wearing pads on that too 😀
I can run 25kph
I go 43km/h (max speed) on my electric board in crocks, shorts and a t shirt. I’m an idiot
I've done it. 1 major fall per year. Since 2018. It doesn't matter how good you skate. It's always caused by an external source that you didn't expect.
12:52 Actually as a skater in my younger days you can use a Phillip's screw driver and run it along the edge of the grip tape to do the same and it marks where it needs to be cut, and then you can use the tip to poke the holes for your truck mounts ;)
Yep. I used to use the back of my buck knife that I was going to cut the grip tape with.
Honestly $1600 for a P.E.V Is the best price I've heard yet.
Loved your Oh Shit face when you gunned it on the initial test run. Great to know all of this is open source and right to repair as well ♻️❤️🩹
I was very shocked by the torque. I could easily throw myself off the board by just gunning it full throttle from a dead stop 😂
Wow! That is insane offline power
Coolest. Long Board. EVER!
Amazing video dude! So happy to see you love your board! Awesome build 👏🏻
Thanks Mike and thanks again for all the help! It really made the whole project a lot easier when I could just spam you questions on IG haha😂
Great video, Zac. They just keep getting better. Thank you.
Thanks Mark! That means a lot to me man
Almost identical to my first build. Also mostly from Mboards. Double Kingpin Trucks are big time fun but swop out the bushes for a set of Riptide. They do a kit to suit. Far more stable but still carvey. Next best is a colored set from Evolve. Don't forget the pivot cups. I also wish someone had explained how to setup the trucks when I started, always make sure board side bushes are tighter than roadside, and always have the rear tighter than the front. My favorite DKP board I comfortably do 40 mph on. I thought your vid was fantastic, I'm now a subscriber. Cheers
Appreciate the info man! I was definitely thinking some stiffer bushings would make it ride a lot nicer. Thanks for the sub too 👊
All gold tips
how much does it cost to build one?
This board is next level!!! Love seeing the changes and upgrades you've made from the last build. Love it!!!
Thank you and thank you for all the support on this build!
Great video Zac! I never thought the board would be that efficient! It seems really good and fun to ride! I might have to build one! And it’s cool you took my suggestion on the epoxy! It’s stiffer and stronger in my opinion, but I prefer just a standard epoxy rather than the specialty stuff. Again, great build and video Zac!
Sold! Keep being genuine!
You get to the point and l like that. Nice board, never get rid of it l have one and it has take me everywhere for over a year!
Dude becareful, you have dual kingpin trucks on a very high ride, that's definitely a recipe for speed wobble like a mf. I would've personally gotten single kingpin trucks or at least made your board a drop through setup
change to harder bushing double kingpins truck will be awesome
Double kingpins do not equal speed wobble if properly adjusted. No wobbles on my Exway Atlas with pneumatic tires, at least not at speeds that won't potentially kill me.
@@tailund3508 at higher speeds you'll get wobbles, which is why I said to becareful
@@tailund3508 yeah... higher speeds will totally lead to wobble
@@switchbeck6673not if you set it up correctly and know how to ride.
A great project! Really cool video
Wish the battery was removable so I could carry an extra in a backpack, would be really nice, still a great build, really clean too.
I lived in markham for a couple years and worked in scarborough. I had a 15 minute drive to work and a 45 minute drive back from work. I was highly considering an electric skateboard for transportation. Youre living my dream at the time. lol
Ya sometimes when you have to contend with traffic taking a car is the last thing you want to do! Definitely looking forward to cruising past traffic in the future haha
My InMotion V11 cost me CAD3K, it goes 50kph and up to 120km I do most (if not all) of my moving errands with it, or the Ducati for fun. I literally haven't taken my car out this summer... Not open source, but amazing nonetheless
I hear you man, my other, other vehicle is a KTM 690 super moto. Hard to beat a bike for getting around
Just subbed. Watched this after watching the yt suggested video of the upgraded switch. This board is surprisingly affordable. Not cheap but affordable especially for the features it provides.
It’s amazing project! I love the “that’s what she said” moment by M. Scott 😂
It's always good to remember the child in us and in the process if it serves a purpose as an adult why not. Makes life so much more enjoyable. Like the video. 👏👏👏
Thanks for including the casual bong rip. LOL!
Always.
22:30 this is why I'll keep riding my board even though it's illegal here. I's the best feeling ever. The instant torque is just crazy
Very cool build, well done
Thank you!
wow Zac! what a cool project. inspiring!
Thanks Leon I really appreciate it man!
Pro tip: get a speaker like the JBL clip and clip it on your chest with a drawstring bag or your backpack straps and play some music while you ride. I've found that helps people hear me coming, acting like a bell but better.
Board and build look great, as someone who builds these for a living and used to commute on one, I agree with the loctite comment and the meat crayon comment…full padding or no ride
As a derby skater, the idea of doing *anything* at speed without padding is wild.
Dude such a rad board thanks for the video man helps a lot
Thanks dude! Glad you liked it
That is a TON of power out of those tiny little motors. Other than a personal preference for bicycles on account of being able to fit larger batteries (and potentially MUCH larger motors), this thing looks like a blast. that's a much nicer battery pack then my E-bike conversion has.
Small motors work great for small wheels. Biggest issue with ebikes is the wheel diameter , you need a much larger motor with absurd torque.
More power to you!
Love it, nice e board!
My ebike is the best thing I've ever built. 2,000W motor, 40mph(64km/h) top speed and 60 mile(96km) range. It powers through anything I need. I Don't even need a car at this point
8:36 Flashbacks to the PCB drilling scenes of past videos :D
Very cool build!
Thanks Joe!
Throw a waterborn surf adapter too this! 👏🏽👏🏽 great board !
Good on ya for ditching the one wheel. Everything should be repairable.
I purchased my board two years ago from MBoards. I just upgraded my battery to their new 21700 batteries. It screams. I’m going to build a long range dancer board, 4 feet long. Using MBoard motors and electronics, then set the world record electric skateboard ride from Boston to San Diego next year. It’s going to be a great ride! I like the epoxy board. Nice touch.
That is beautiful! I'd prefer to buy a production model that's similar, simply because I don't have the tools to build that, but yeah, in Toronto traffic, even when it's bad, that would be zero concern to you on a skateboard! I really hope we get dedicated/physically blocked off bike lanes at some point
I'm jealous of your self-built e-longboard. I drive the "Wowgo Pioneer X4", which is also a really cool e-longboard that has 2 belt motors with 700W power, range 21miles, top speed 28mph, 12s2p Samsung battery.
What a nice Build 😁👍
Thanks man!
Zac now your thinking. Very cool and unique project. Really likeing this design. Hopefully you get great use out of it for many years to come my friend. Keep up the great craftsmanship and hard work my friend. Fab On. Weld On. Keep Making. God bless.
Cheers Jared! Thanks for tuning in and watching and as always thank you for the feedback
@@ZacBuilds you're welcome my friend. Can't wait to see more videos soon my friend.
What dimensions did your board end up at? I saw that you made it bigger than the template, after using it for a while, would you recommend the bigger size?
Nice Love seeing a fellow Canadian
Awesome build awesome video. Hope to see you build an ebike as well!
Great video Zac! Now all we need is a video of a little trailer to tow behind it! 😂
Hahaha honestly I probably could... I've pushed some of my friends while they were on bikes with it easily, so a trailer would almost certainly work
@@ZacBuilds Would love to see that video. I have three boys I'd love to tow on an esk8.
@@ZacBuilds You should be able to fit a cargo platform on the rear of it if you wanted to.
Ur builds are dope 🔥🙌🏽
Good my friend I'm happy to watching your videos thank you
Your projects are always so f'n cool dude.
Thanks man!
This is great! As a fellow torontonian we need solutions like these as an alternative to cars. Skateboards, scooters, bikes like this are all great solutions to move people and free up traffic on the streets.
I don't trust the wattage claims on those tiny motors. But your battery pack can only support 7-3/4 HP at the most. Whish is still insane for a longboard. My EUC is only 3.5 HP, which is more than enough for daily commuting. The problem with PEVs right now is most states require anything over 3HP electric (2,250 watts), or 50cc fuel to be registered.
it sucks you had to sell that OW. I hear Floatwheel will be a solid replacement.
alternative: floatwheel (or onewheel) very good for getting around toronto
For epoxy on top layer - use peel ply.
Zac Built. Perfect. Open source is first class.
Thanks Benny!
If your city is bikelane friendly you won't just be saving money on gas, you'll be saving oil changes, tire changes and auto insurance may even go down when you have proof you aren't using the vehicle as much. I'm working on building my own 10s12p battery for my Bajaboard and it's already a mess of a project but I just want to wrap it up already and hopefully not cause a fire. Great project 👍
Cool build but please wear the proper PPE! I was going ~20mph on a very familiar path on my Eboard when there was sudden unmarked construction. The sidewalk just ended into a hole. I ended up being hospitalized for a week with a traumatic brain injury. All this happened when I wore a helmet through the crash. My neurologist said I’d most certainly be dead if I was not wearing one. Helmets save lives. All it takes is being in the wrong place at the wrong time and it could cost you your life.
Wow skateboards have came a long way since we took roller skates apart and screwed it to a piece of wood in 1980.. very nice longboard. I give it a 9.5
Thanks for the vid man. I'm interested in that ecopoxy. I'm currently building a board but mine will have two steel bars threw the center and alot of void space to save weight. Rigid but flexible with carbonfiber plates then covered with two layers of carbon aramid. Truck mounts are built with kydex inside wrapped over the two bars on both ends. Sealed with the ecopoxy I've been lookin for! Enjoy man
Sounds awesome! I'd love to see the finished results of that. Ecopoxy makes an epoxy called UVpoxy that might be a bit better for this application. I only used the Biopoxy because that's what I had on hand at the time. It's holding up just fine but UVpoxy is clear as opposed to Amber and it cures faster.
To be honest I kinda like the amber. And the set time is not really an issue at the moment. I'm still in the slow development phase and M waiting on materials to get here aswell as needing to purchase all the electronics still so it will be awhile. No rush just a project
Hey man I just read your post here describing your "double back bone" idea (I believe that's the analogy, correct) Well I've been wanting to this for a board also? I've got a dog that likes to come with me when I ride on things? He's been surf paddle boarding etc. I wanted to make a tandem deck that's equivalent of 2 people? My dog isn't small. He's a solid American Bully 🙂 I was considering the idea making a deck slightly thicker than the battery container and then routing out the battery bay and effectively sinking it into the board? With the combined weight and due to the fact that I already purchased 2 hub motors without thinking...... I'm considering an additional 2 hub motors? With us both onboard I still want to be able to climb hills? Hub motors have the down side of load=resistance=heat=premature degradation of magnets The idea now is load/4 So more motors means the load is shared? Hub motors don't accelerate as fast, but they don't snap belts either? Note: I used to work at a wheel manufacture making mag wheels for cars.....I decided to use chromed "chariot spike" dress bolts for the bead locks on the hubs 😁 I'm too committed now in other words? Plus this isn't for performance this is to look awesome 😎
@@Jarmezrocks check out the finality hub system from etoxx you may be interested. And yah it will be a double backbone idea, already is anyways I'm just held up by shipping of materials and my own dwindling funds 😄. The routered out idea is ok but lipo batteries through alot of heat and need ventilation. I like the tandom idea for the bully and I'd suggest at least a 6374 outrunner motor on helical geardrive or a chain drive system and motor on all 4 corners of your deck will pull his pup trailer np
When using a vac bag for surfboards (only really ever done for carbon fiber) there's a layer of breather cloth that goes in between the piece and the bag. This may have helped?
Hello, I have a few questions How much epoxy did you use for the board? The layers of the board were glass fiber and wood? How did you manage for the enclosure to fit the shape of the deck?
I love how the small tires came together! Why can't this be a thing for e-scooters?
This is 'preem content! Dream build no doubt.
Amazing video ..keep going ❤️❤️
What are your thoughts on weather? Or when you in the shop and realize you need your truck for something? I'm all for downscaling transportation needs (less cars less traffic etc), but I often struggle with practicality questions on non "commuter" routes.
I'm sure that will happen from time to time but it is what it is. I'll just have to think and plan ahead about which vehicle I'm going to take in the morning. Just like a motorcycle or a bike you aren't going to want to run this thing in the rain. I did my best to seal the inside up pretty well, but the motors are just hanging out there in the open. Definitely gonna wanna check the weather report before leaving on this thing
*Google map has all the non-commuter routes if you decide to walk or bicycle(perfect for PEV), etc...*
Nice build, but stay safe with all the oblivious drivers out there. Casual bong rip? In Scarborough?! No way. 🤣
I like the title, but I fall off skateboards way more than I do a car.
Great video i would say though change those trucks to traditional or reverse kingpin trucks, you will get faster speed less wobble.also blue locktite is your friend.
So will you get a vesc onewheel (Floatwheel)? A big wheel in the middle can go over more obstacles than any skateboard wheel. Range might be lower but still.
How did you fly the drone at Tommy Thompson? Mine gives me a no a fly warning cause it's close to Billy Bishop. Any tips?
I went down this same rabbit hole. I love it. But for me I went for an EUC and it's perfect for manhattan.
I can't even imagine a lifestyle supported by so many sponsors, lol.
Just so eveyone whos new into electric skateboard the electronics he used is some of the best u can buy u can build a budget board for alot cheaper but his board will probably never have a major issue beside maintenance if u looking to get into the hobby witch i recommend it got me out the house and meet a bunch of people in my community check out the backfire zealot or the backfire g2 black both under 1000 and are great boards i recommend the zealot for range and power
good job 👍
bro really swapped the grip installation process around. for future boards zac, try using the file to mark the line the the offcuts of the griptape to smooth the edges. really enjoyed the video👍👍👍👍
Appreciate the tip! I'll try that next time. Thanks for watching
@@ZacBuilds thanks for replying it means a lot lol
You should try the same test with a DIY electric bike build!
Electric bike build would be fun
Great build. How much does it weigh?
heck ya as long as you plan out the days you ride should be good i ride my boards everywhere i got my first board years ago a teemo board its 1200w hub motors lasted 2000 miles still going all original then upgraded to a meepo bamboo ultra hurricane dule 3500w motors belt drive (i chose belts over the gear drive option) and after my wife gets done learning on the teemo and i snag her a meepo ima do a huge overhaul on the teemo board make it belt drive and make it into a long range board with lipo
11:05 Ecs? more like esc, but very nice Build overall!
I went an entire summer in 2018 riding a V1 boosted board with an ER battery 5 miles each way to work. I was surprised that it took me roughly half the time to get to work, granted I live in a large city.
I can’t believe you made your deck. Glutton 😩😩😂
I felt like that honda civic comment was directed at me 😜
Look man someone had to say something, the amount of mods you were doing to it was getting out of hand 😂
By placing the driving wheels on the front of the board, you'll almost never have to worry about handling the wheel spin. You have much more stability while standing with front wheel drive on these things. That being said, this is an amazing build.
There's a reason front wheel drive isn't used on esk8. Front drive means you're much more likely to get thrown off under hard braking, which is a much bigger concern - and it's not like rear drive struggles with wheel spin or getting sufficient grip, if anything Front wheel drive gives worse grip off the line.
@@tommynguyen8620 RWD is better for climbing due to your weight being shifted backwards, but not better for stability. FWD can also be just as good for climbing. All you have to do is shift your weight forward and it's perfectly fine. You don't get shot forward when heavily breaking. I've owned both FRD, RWD and AWD boards. Obviously AWD is the best.
@@DaroffApFire why do you think heath Lewis runs rwd? I'll give you a hint, it's not because he's crazy. And no, you can't just "shift your weight forwards". Under hard acceleration the board is going to shift all your load to the rear, unless you plan on leaning forward with your rear foot basically in the air. You're going to get a worse launch on fwd than you would with rwd, and there are plenty of people riding stable at insane speeds with rwd.
@@tommynguyen8620 .... you can shift your weight forward when doing literally anything but climbing a hill. Have you ever been on a skateboard in your life? Because I have. I was a professional local boarder in Illinois, won several state competitions in the late 90's and early 2000's. It's almost as if I have 30 years of actual experience or something. Weird.
@@DaroffApFire have YOU? Shifting your weight forwards isn't going to help when you're pushing upwards of 10kw to the motors. I'll guarantee you can't put that much power down running fwd regardless of what you do, even on flat ground. Manual skating experience doesn't apply the same when you're pushing thousands of watts of power accelerating you down the road.
It would be cool to see a quick swap battery as future upgrade to help with the range anxiety
Interesting concept! Could definitely be done with a little bit of engineering
But I thought it charged from a normal wall wart type thingie. One you could put in your bag and bring along? I've done that in several occasions with e bikes. Never feared to run out.
Yeah now that I've had a 3 boards then built my own. No less than 12S4P... Nice thing with M boards those batteries are the Molicel P42A. Mine does 45km with quite a few step hills! It's such a blast to ride. DKP is so much fun for that show boarding like experience. Wheels should be no less than 175mm but 200mm might be ideal (next build). Upgrade to ceramic bearings for reduced friction. I tested with one hand spin and the ceramic spun 8-9 times longer than stock ones.
@@klausnielsen1537 a wall wart doesn't have ANYWHERE near enough power to charge it in any acceptable amount of time. Those are max 65-90 watts. So if you have a 500 Wh battery, you'd need hours to charge it even half way. Even with a 200 Wh battery, you'd need an hour to get a half charge. Not terrible for most trips you'd take with a skateboard.
Have the Evolve GTR seems the same setup. Would highly recommend Cloudwheels, running 120mm ones on mine.
Ya definitely looks like it's pretty similar. Though some parts are a bit different. The cloudwheels should net longer range, but im not sure theyd handle offroad as well. I hear theyre quite a bit stiffer.
@@ZacBuilds supposed to handle packed gravel fairly ok, not sure about true off-road
Maybe weird question. Are the motors sensored? Also to be fair if ypur going to your shop you will likely be there for awhile and have a chance to give it charge while your there
Isn't the board supposed to rest for a certain length of time in the mold to ensure it remains in shape after curing??
Sadly I live in NSW Australia where everything is illegal. Looks fun though.
my friend got me into e boards, my first one is a Syl-08, i have a wowgo 2s max on the way, the cheaper stuff, ive had no major problems with the syl more than the range is a disaster... i barely get 6 miles out of it, its barely enough to get me to work and home again.
9 HP? No wonder it's fast, I've been in 4 person cars with less power. Also, I cycled this distance to school for six years, so taking a massive truck is definitely crazy imo.
Today I learned you’re also a local Toronto boy! 👋🏼
every time the closed captions says "ESC" it says something different lol, "the easy" the ES" "the VCR" xD
Hey Zac I have a idea so that you could go full speed and still feel safe and or be safe maybe put foot straps almost like a snowboard.
I did think about that Tyler, I've never ridden a skateboard with foot straps before so I was a unsure if I would like it. I'd like to try one out before I commit to install it on my board
What phone APP are you using to see realtime battery information?
Great now I want one
Nice scary project :D Isn't there some sort of regulation for electrical vehicles that yours has to comply to and pass a certification or something ? I'm pretty sure that in Europe you can't just DIY something and ride it on the streets like that (I mean you can if you don't get caught)
Germany and one other country required physical brakes which is hard for a eboard
@@quinnfoster4671 At least in France there is also a speed limit (I believe Germany as well) of 25kph
I believe there are some regulation about electric vehicles here in Canada, specifically the maximum wattage you're allowed, but enforcement is absolutely non-existent. The streets of Toronto are awash in all sorts of electric bikes, scooters and boards.
@@quinnfoster4671 I mean, naa, physical brakes on an eboard are very possible. Just use some small bike disk brakes and a servo that engages it. No problem there.
I have a corded jigsaw because it was $140 less than the cheapest cordless ones, and didn't require new batteries every once in a while, and didn't need to be charged, and I don't jigsaw anything more than 25ft from power, and I own an extension cord...
great idea with the heat gun
I mean with the bubbles
If you only need a truck to haul things sometimes and for long commutes, would you be better off renting? efficient vehicle for long commute and home depot or U-Haul pickup truck for hauling. Americans seem to be stuck on the idea they have to own all equipment for every job.
You forgot a third criteria 3) WINTER
Your use case is pretty much exactly in line with e-bikes. Have you thought about giving one of them a go?
For sure! And that was part of the inspiration for this build. I was looking at an electric mountain bike but then thought this project would be something I could get more hands on with and I just love riding boards
ebike and skateboard is trash, euc only
@@Blox117 EUC’s look lame.
@@Inv8erZlM better than a sheet of cardboard with pizza cutter wheels LOL
@@Blox117 four pizza cutters are more stable than one big boy, get with it