Guide
e-mobility: the lie of the land
by Michael Restin
The electric Lou Board and why it somehow feels wrong
14.6.2019
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Thomas Kunz
I usually do the last mile on my Carver surf skateboard. And it will stay that way. After a few days with the electric "Lou Board", I had to realise: I can easily do without motors.
From the office, get on and push forwards on the small handle. The little "Lou Board" is ready to roll. Silently and with an additional 80 kg load. It masters inclines with ease. And when it goes downhill, the brakes don't let me down.
The Lou Board was launched around a year ago via the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform. Within a short space of time, around 320,000 francs were raised from 600 supporters. Originally, the Swiss company SoFlow, based in Flawil SG, wanted to raise 80,000 francs. Although it is banned on public land in Switzerland, it can also be purchased here.
With a weight of 5.4 kg, you can just about take the board with you on the bus, tram or train. However, I wouldn't call it a lightweight, as a normal skateboard without a battery and motors only weighs around half as much. According to the manufacturer, the Lou Board's battery is fully charged in two hours. If you remove the top cover, it can simply be taken out. You can also take the board on a plane without the battery.
Small, fast and with a bad app
The Lou Board is available in three different versions. I took a closer look at the most expensive one. This is equipped with a dual-stroke motor and a lightweight carbon deck. The two motors are hidden in the front wheels and deliver quite a lot of power to the road. Nevertheless, at first glance it is not recognisable that it is an e-skateboard.
A top speed of 35 km/h is possible - this means you can travel faster than a classic moped (maximum 30 km/h). That feels pretty fast in city traffic. Acceleration and braking are controlled by a small plastic controller. The brakes respond quickly and take some getting used to at first. I have to shift my body weight a lot when changing speed to avoid suddenly finding myself lying on the road.
The acceleration and braking behaviour can be adjusted to suit your own needs using the app specially developed for the skateboard. Unfortunately, the app works more poorly than well. At least for me. It recognises my board immediately when I open it for the first time and allows me to make various settings. For example, I can set an advanced or beginner mode. This noticeably changes the acceleration and braking force. But the second time I open it, the app crashes every time. The only remedy is to uninstall and reinstall it. This may work better on other devices, but it doesn't work on my Honor View 10. I don't seem to be the only one with these problems. On Google Play, the app is rated by 56 users with an average of 2.3 stars.
It feels strange
I never really feel comfortable on an electric skateboard when I'm travelling through Zurich. The high speed and the increased risk of accidents give me pause for thought. Because I'm standing on this little board and only have a small remote control in one hand, I don't really know where to put my other hand. I just stand on the thing and everything happens automatically, practically without any action on my part. I have too much time to look around during the journey. For example, I watch people as they react to my means of transport. Some turn their heads towards me and others don't even notice that I'm speeding through the neighbourhood on an electrically powered vehicle.
On my Carver surf skateboard, I have a much better riding experience and can move forwards using muscle power. It feels better for me. And I'm sticking with it.
Actually forbidden and yet seen everywhere
It is illegal to ride skateboards like the Lou Board on public roads in Switzerland. Nevertheless, it is now almost normal to see e-skateboards or other electrically powered vehicles on the road. Despite the threat of high fines and additional risks. Insurance companies can avoid paying out in the event of accidents.
As long as such vehicles can be bought, it will hardly be possible to ban them from public roads. Even if they are theoretically only permitted on private property.
Should e-skateboards & co. be legalized?
- Yes, this is long overdue.81%
- No, these things are too dangerous.19%
The competition has ended.
Conclusion
The skateboard gets you reliably from A to B. It's fast. Beautiful. Comparatively easy to transport. And has a miserable app. All in all, good prerequisites, provided the problems with the app are fixed with an update. For anyone thinking of buying an e-skateboard in the near future, the Lou Board is a good choice. I'll stick with my board without a motor. Because it's simply more fun and legal.
Manuel Wenk
Communications Manager
Manuel.Wenk@digitecgalaxus.chAs a Multimedia Producer, preparing multimedia content and knowing about cutting-edge technology is my business. My main focus at digitec is producing videos. I can’t wait to try out new products such as cameras, drones or smartphones as soon as they’re launched. This is where being at the source comes in rather handy. When I’m not working, I’m probably skiing, biking or hiking – the mountains are my place to be.
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