The First Electric Skateboard with a Real Riding Feel; the ZBoard

Nowadays, it seems that many forms of transportation are going electric; cars, buses, and some more portable ones like bikes and scooters. But one common form of transportation is missing from that list; that's right, skateboards. Well, truth is, electric skateboards have been on the market since the 90's, but you haven't seen them around too often. And there's a reason for that; you just can't capture the true feel of a skateboard with handheld throttles. But ZBoard just may have found the way to do it; using a weight sensor system.

The ZBoard, which is available for pre-order now, will actually sense your weight distribution on the board. The two foot pads (one on the left and one on the right) have weight sensors that find out how your weight is distributed. So, the more you lean towards the front, the more you accelerate, and the more you lean back, the more you slow down (the ZBoard uses a regenerative breaking system)

The pricing is a little hefty, but it just might be worth it, especially considering that it won't wear out your shoes as fast. The standard ZBoard costs $600 with a 15 mph top speed, and 5 mile range. The pro ZBoard costs $850 with a 17 mph top speed and a 10 mile range. The pro version uses a Li-ion battery pack for power, while the standard model uses a lead-acid pack. But, you get a $100 discount if you pre-order the ZBoard before March 15. Jump past the break for some pictures, and certainly do check out the promo video at the top of this post.