Inboard M1 Electric Longboard Review
Originally launched as a Kickstarter Project in 2015, the Inboard M1 has made serious waves across the electric longboard market since it first came into fruition.
The M1 is the world’s first e-board that features a swappable battery that can be changed in seconds, so you can literally extend your range on the go.
I think this is really cool but off-course, you will have to have the spare battery; consider this if you know you will need a backup.
Table of Contents
Inboard M1: Technical Aspects
| MOTOR | - Manta Drive™. - Read dual. - 800 watts each motor. - 22 mph (35 kph). | DECK | - Strong Poplar Wood. - L: 95.25cm; W: 28.58cm. |
|---|---|---|---|
| BATTERY | - Powershift™. - Up to 10 miles (16 km). - 97 Wh lithium-ion. | CLIMBING ABILITY | - 18% inclination. |
| WHEELS | - 80 mm width. - 78A composition. | BRAKES | - Regenerative. |
| CARRYING WEIGHT | - 113 kg (249 lb). | OVERALL WEIGHT | - With dual motor: 14.1 lb (6.4 kg). |
| RIDING MODES | - Three (3). See the motor and remote control sections for details. | CHARGING TIME | - 1.5 hrs (if flat). |
The ability to fly down the roads and the opportunity to extend range means that this board has something to offer that is outside of the norm. The top speed, overall power, and performance are impressive.
If you are considering investing in a powered board to take you places, check out our extensive Inboard M1 review for everything you need to know about this premium electric skateboard.
Poplar Wood Deck, Futurist Design, and Inclusions
Overview
Offering a sleek and streamlined design, the Inboard M1 is an excellent-looking e-longboard that will make you look and feel like you are finally living in the future.
The dimensions of the deck are 37 x 10.25 inches and the entire board weighs in at 6.4kg. In comparison with similar boards.
The stiffness of the M1 electric skateboard allows for excellent control, even when taking corners at max speed.
The deck has been inspired by the design of snowboards, with a composite material that features solid Poplar wood.
Additions
Although luminosity is limited, the deck also includes front and rear small LED lights that will help improve your visibility. These can be switched off via the app when you don’t need them, and they are a useful touch that a few users seem to like.
My deck’s point of view
– Overall weight of the board: I think it is relatively heavy and you are not likely to carry this one for long distances.
– Stiffness: I believe this is great considering it could make you feel like you are riding a traditional skateboard and also, there will be more motor efficiency; I will not recommend to test it over the design limits; it might be too stiff for some people. If this is the case, I can recommend to check the Boosted Board Stealth e-longboard, which has a more flexible deck specs.
– Visibility: The incorporated LED lights are a good inclusion, helping you be more noticeable over limited light conditions.
80 mm Wheels
The Inboard M1 e-longboard feels stable and secure to ride, and the wheels play a significant role in its premium user experience.
Providing strong grip, excellent traction and a nice rolling experience (due to the ABEC 7 bearings), the wheels on the M1 are 80mm in width and have a durometer of 78A.
– The acceleration: whilst the wheels have been purposely designed to allow for a smooth ride, they suggest they prevent the board from achieving the top acceleration in the time they want. Nevertheless, this is also a combination between the wheels and motor power.
– The grip: this wheels doesn’t disappoint in terms of the grip you need however, they could be a little bit softer for smoother rides.
Manta DriveTM Motor
This e-board uses a rear dual direct-drive hub motors that has the potential to reach 1600 watts maximum power.
You can ride uphill, with a max grade of up to 18% (manufacture’s details).
The Manta DriveTM motor can offer three (3) riding modes: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Each of the modes has different maximum speed limits so that you can ensure the best possible user experience to match your skills. This is what you would find in terms of speed:
– Beginner: 8 km/h or 5 mph.
– Intermediate: 22 km/h or 14 mph.
– Advance: 32 km/h or 20 mph.
It utilizes advanced patented technologies to promise a smooth and comfortable ride whilst still reaching an impressive maximum speed of 22mph (35 km/h). If you think this is not that fast, I’ll assure you, you will feel it.
– The medium mode is particularly effective, with smooth acceleration and a generous top speed, whereas the top setting offers a speedy ride that is bound to thrill even some e-board pros.
– Although this Inboard model has the potential to reach pretty good speed, the acceleration is limited. And this board is well suited for long stretches of road rather than tight curves and corners.
– The climbing ability of the board can’t be considered as a standard rule. Surely, this will be affected by the load the board has to carry and other conditions. Give it around 10% inclination to go uphill.
PowershiftTM Li-Ion Inboard M1 Battery
The battery is the component that takes the Inboard M1 ahead of the rest. Not only does this board feature a swappable battery, but this process also takes just a few short seconds – with no tools required.
You can take additional batteries on your journey to maximize the board’s range potential, but I recommend considering the overall cost.
The Inboard M1 features a PowershiftTM Lithium-ion battery with a charge time of around 90 minutes (from flat).
One battery on full charge has a range of approximately 7-10 miles on a full charge, but it should be noted that this can vary due to factors such as rider’s weight and cargo, speeds reached (in terms of motor assistance selected), and somehow the terrain.
– Swappable: it can be a significant challenge to find an e-board that is flight-friendly, but the PowershiftTM feature of the M1 is a plus. This could make it one of the best electric longboards in the business if you need to take it abroad.
– Battery longevity: even though the range is not the best, I would recommend removing the battery to save some energy in the long term. Batteries tend to drain when not used; this could make a difference at the end of the day.
Braking Performance
The brakes on an e-board are undoubtedly important, and this model certainly does not disappoint. These brakes are smooth, and you will certainly feel in control.
The board features electrical regenerative brakes, so when you apply them, the energy captured is fed back into the battery for an extra boost. Just pull back the joystick slightly for a smooth and intuitive braking motion.
A hub motor is certainly a good point to determine the braking performance. It is known that hub motors don’t perform the same way as a belt operated motors. Having said that, don’t expect this board to stop super fast. Also consider other factors, such as the total weight and ground conditions; this will affect the performance of it.
RFLXTM Remote Control
You can fully control this e-longboard with the RFLXTM Remote or the Vision Mobile App. Ergonomically designed, this remote control is curved in shape to fit your hand neatly.
It is an intuitive and functional controller, with several handy features. For example, it will vibrate to let you know when the battery is full so that you can turn off regenerative braking.
Lastly, to change the assistance levels, you will have to press the Inboard logo three (3) times per mode.
My point of view:
– The control VS the app: the ability to control the board via the app is also useful as this means that you will not need to take your remote control everywhere you go, but from my perspective, 1) using the app doesn’t feel as natural as using the remote control, 2) you will be distracted by other things happening on your phone and 3) you are more likely to be involved in an accident. USE YOUR PHONE APP AS A BACKUP.
– Changing the modes: I know it is a bit troublesome to press the remote logo every single time to change between modes, but I think it is a good way it was programmed. Why? If just one click, it is easy to change modes accidentally, and lastly, it doesn’t take long to press it 3 times (however there is a small delay there! between modes).
Inboard M1 Final Thoughts
The Inboard M1 electric longboard looks is a solid board created using innovative technology to provide responsiveness and performance.
The swappable batteries feature are what really take it to the next level, offering something new and exciting, the M1 has the potential to transform your entire e-board experience.
Offering an intuitive and user-friendly interface, it has three (3) different riding modes (and possibly one more will be included in the future) to suit your skills and abilities.
Although purchasing extra batteries are undoubtedly helpful, these come at a pretty hefty additional price.
The overall cost of the board is certainly well within the higher ends of the market and you are definitely paying for quality. Furthermore, such pricing is pretty typical of premium e-boards, and it is relatively comparable when you look at similar models.
Is it worth it? If you want to invest in a premium electric longboard, the Inboard M1 is a reliable choice.
Images courtesy of Inboard Technology
Inboard M1
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What we like
- ✅ Front and rear LED lights are great to keep you, somehow, safe if riding in poor light conditions.
- ✅ If your battery dies, you can always use it as a traditional longboard.
- ✅ The Inboard M1 is flight friendly due to the battery detachable feature.
What we do not like
- It is cool to be able to replace the battery when you need to, but this also indicates the area will be not 100% impermeable; more importantly, this could compromise its electronics.
- The battery range is very short, so make sure you carry a backup if skating longer distances.
- It is a bit heavy, which is not ideal if you have to carry it a few times.
