Blake Bell

Ms. Dahle
English 1010
15 December 2015
The Future of the Electric Commute
For hundreds of years mankind has been inventing ways to get from place to place quickly,
conveniently, and economically. Transportation continues to evolve today as innovative companies
such as Boosted, Magneto, and E-Go have begun to sell longboards with complex engines attached. We
live in an age defined by its countless new technological advancements which are changing the way we
live. New devices such as these electric skateboards are positively shifting the direction that
transportation technology is taking.
A significant benefit of these upcoming devices is that their prices are significantly lower than
that of a car or motorcycle. Boosted began manufacturing and selling these boards in 2013, and they
have already dropped the price of their cheapest board to one thousand dollars. To put that into
perspective, the price of a new car in America will run you roughly twenty-nine thousand dollars
(Gerbis, Nicholas). In addition, a car requires routine maintenance and regular refueling. The Federal
Trade Commission has information showing that the average family unit spends around five thousand
seven hundred and forty-seven dollars per year on owned vehicles (Gerbis, Nicholas). In order to spend
the same amount of money while only purchasing Boosted boards, you would have to buy six of them-and you would still have money left over. Despite whether or not using one of these devices would save
time, and though it could be argued that owning at least one car is ultimately necessary for emergencies
and other long-distance journeys, the amount of money that could be saved by using a Boosted board as
a primary means of transportation is too substantial to ignore.
Not only would riding an electric skateboard save the owner an exceptional amount of money,
but it would save them from boredom. Riding and driving in a car, especially when alone, can be

extremely boring. Also, compared to a traditional longboard which is powered by the skater pushing
with his foot, an electric skateboard does all the work itself. The board allows you to travel at speeds
that are impossible to reach on a traditional longboard on roads with a flat grade as well as an uphill
grade. Ethan, a man sponsored by Boosted Board, says in one of his videos that Having a Boosted
board really changed the whole way I transport myself because it feels like constantly Im on a
downhill run It turns a flat sidewalk into an epic race course. Unless you enjoy doing extra work
and traveling at a slower speed, the much more intense and enjoyable alternative of riding an electric
skateboard is ideal for having the most enjoyable experience.
Another benefit of using an electric skateboard is that it diminishes the negative effects that a
car would have on the health of the environment. In an article about car pollution and the ozone layer,
Jennifer King explains that cars emit greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, which contribute to
global warming, and certain chemicals from cars enter the food chain and affect many animals in
numerous ways. When someone decides to ride an electric skateboard rather than drive a car, the
environment is being spared from toxic chemicals, and that benefits everyone. There are many
chemicals given off from cars that also affect human health. One of these chemicals is benzene, a
substance that causes cells to not work properly and damages the immune system (CDC). Another
dangerous chemical given off by automobiles is carbon monoxide: a poisonous gas nearly undetectable
to human senses. This gas can deprive the heart and brain of oxygen, resulting in unconsciousness and,
ultimately, death (OSHA fact sheet). These are only two of the many potentially harmful chemicals that
automobiles give off. With electric skateboards and other similar devices on the rise (such as selfbalancing unicycles and hoverboards), there is a lot of potential to prevent such chemicals from
entering the air that humans must breathe to live. Electric skateboards are healthier in another way-they require one to be more physically active, which yields various health benefits. An example of just
one these benefits is that blood sugar is less likely to rise. Time Magazine gives examples of how
driving a car every day is associated with higher blood sugar (Kylstra, Carolyn). Having a higher

blood sugar is dangerous because it can lead to damage to the heart including heart attack, heart
disease and congestive heart failure (American Heart Association). The ability to stand up on a
skateboard and physically engage on your way to school or work can significantly help your health by
preventing high blood sugar. Time Magazine continues with several other ways driving a car can be
detrimental to your health, such as increased anxiety, increased cholesterol, and even a higher chance of
depression. A new way of transportation can help to prevent these negative effects on our health.
Not only can electric skateboards be used as a way of commuting, but there is another
significant use: recreation. For so long the only way to accelerate on a skateboard/longboard has been
to repeatedly push your foot against the pavement. It has always been necessary to walk up hills and
ride down them in order to pick up enough speed for a trick or two. However, with electric skateboards
that are able to reach speeds of up to 22 mph uphill (a highly reasonable speed for tricks) there is no
longer the need to work up a sweat or take a notable amount of time to climb a hill. I interviewed an
experienced longboarder named Jack Bakker who was able to give me some opinion on the Boosted
Board. Based on his experience riding a friends Boosted Board in the summer of 2015, he explains to
me that being able to ride a longboard without having to touch the ground with your feet is way
convenient, especially for doing tricks. You can get yourself to a good speed in two seconds. He
described it as an insane experience. Jack, like many others who have ridden a Boosted Board,
experienced the exciting emprise of riding a skateboard that is more convenient and cutting-edge than
ever before.
Although there are numerous assets to electric skateboards that make them arguably superior to
traditional longboards, a number of downfalls and disadvantages exist for people in certain categories.
These downfalls prevent companies like Boosted Board from convincing a larger number of people to
use their board as a means of transportation. One con is decreased safety. Riding an electric skateboard
as opposed to driving in a car poses a higher chance of sustaining significant injury in the event of an
accident, even a minor one. Since electric skateboard riders would ideally ride in bike lanes, they are

subject to all the danger that may occur to bikers. Approximately 21,287 people were either killed or
injured in a cycling accident in 2014 according to a study done by The Royal Society for the Prevention
of Accidents. The fact that it is much less safe to ride an electric skateboard than to drive in a car
discourages people from making the change to riding an electric skateboard. Even though driving in a
car has its fair share of danger, in the event of a Boosted Board accident, there is no airbag or seatbelt.
Wearing a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads along with remaining alert and oriented are just about the
only safety measures one can take. Improvement in the safety realm of these devices is necessary in
order to encourage their use.
In terms of speed, the electric skateboard has pros and cons. In highly populated areas, you can
definitely save time on your daily commute. According to a popular YouTuber named Casey Neistat
who uses the Boosted Board almost daily, Its literally faster than the speed limit in New York City
allows. However, another setback to the use of electric skateboards as commute is the fact that in
many areas of the world, specifically suburbs, you would lose time on your commute rather than save
it. In New York City, the speed limit is thirty miles per hour unless otherwise posted. When we take all
the traffic lights and stop signs and traffic into consideration, it is safe to say that cars are not constantly
moving at thirty mph. In this situation, skateboards like the Boosted Board likely allow you to travel
faster than cars are moving. In suburban areas like Draper, Utah, the speed limit ranges anywhere from
twenty-five mph to fifty mph on roads other than the freeway and highway. Since the area itself is not
nearly as populated or busy as cities such as New York, people almost always drive five mph over the
speed limit. Since the top speed of electric skateboards doesnt exceed twenty-five miles per hour, it is
extremely rare to be able to travel faster than traffic is moving in these areas. Unless your commute
time is reasonably short anyways, to many people the time you would lose by riding an electric
skateboard isnt worth the benefits of the board itself. Only time will tell if companies like Boosted can
overcome these problems in the future and, hopefully, entice more people to purchase their boards.
It is easy to see that the world is becoming more technologically advanced, that it evolves daily

and continuously becomes more convenient for humankind. Products like the electric skateboard are
contributing to the health of the planet. They are cost-efficient and good for the lungs in the sense that
they both encourage exercise and help take away from greenhouse gases. Though the switch from
driving a car to riding an electric skateboard has a few negative aspects, they are a big step toward a
healthier world and a more exciting way to get where you need to go. As the technology continues to
develop, it is likely that daily commutes will change to accommodate these exciting new changes.
Maybe, one day, everyone will ride to work in technologically advanced vehicles based off of the
electric skateboard.

Works Cited
Ajmani, Vinod K. "Carbon Monoxide Poisening." CO-Nu (2002): n. pag. Osha.gov. US
Department of Labor. Web. 26 Dec. 2015.
Bakker, Jack. Personal Interview.
"Cycling Accidents Facts & Figures - August 2014." Cycling Accidents Facts & Figures. The
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 12 Apr. 2015. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.
"Facts About Benzene." CDC. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.
Gerbis, Nicholas. "How Much Does Auto Maintenance Cost over Time?" HowStuffWorks.
Nicholas Gerbis, 14 July 2010. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.
King, Jennifer. "How Does Car Pollution Affect the Environment & Ozone Layer?" Home
Guides. Demand Media, n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.
Kylstra, Carolyn. "10 Things Your Commute Does to Your Body." Time. Time, 26 Feb. 2014.
Web. 26 Dec. 2015.
Williams, Gina. "Carbusters." Carbusters The Environmental Impact of Cars and Trains
Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.
"Why Blood Pressure Matters." Why Blood Pressure Matters. American Heart Association, 13
Aug. 2014. Web. 10 Jan. 2016.