Street Sign Electric Skateboard
Custom electric skateboard
Electric skateboards have always fascinated me for their practicality as a personal mode of transportation. When I embarked on this project, I had two main reasons in mind. Firstly, the traffic situation in my hometown was becoming increasingly problematic. Secondly, with my move to college coming up, having a lightweight and portable means of getting to class quickly became a priority. Originally, I planned to use a standard wooden longboard deck as the foundation. However, after finding a street sign that says "New York Ave" garage sale, I knew I had to use that as the deck instead. This decision brought about certain challenges, particularly in terms of structure, mounting, and overall weight.
The initial hurdle lay in ensuring the board's structural integrity. The street sign was very thin and flexible, so reinforcement was necessary to prevent any bending under weight. To address this, I used a narrow steel bar fixed between the two trucks of the skateboard. With the structural aspect resolved, attention turned to performance specifications. I wanted a board capable of a 10-mile range and a minimum speed of 10 mph on flat ground. I opted for a single-motor, belt-driven electric skateboard system, as it fit the desired budget and torque specifications. The last consideration remained the battery selection. Given the motor's specifications and ratings, a calculated battery pack comprising Samsung 25R 18650 cells arranged in a 10s3p configuration provided 36V and 7.2Ah. This translated to an approximate top speed of 15 mph and a 10-mile range under load.
Looking ahead, I'd recommend exploring lighter alternatives to steel for reinforcing the street sign, thereby reducing overall board weight. Additionally, a dual-motor drive system may a better choice for enhanced torque performance under load.
- Electrical Design
- Mechanical Design
- Research