The complications of urban transportation have frustrated citizens of large cities for centuries.
In Ancient Rome, foot traffic filled the narrow streets until dusk, and wheeled traffic caused deafening noise until dawn.
In Los Angeles, you might not succeed five MPH for miles on the 405 freeway during rush hour.
The problem of unceasing congestion and accumulation that plagues urban transportation is addressed by some of the smartest men and women in our communities. Nonetheless, traffic engineers and urban planners will never be able to entirely remedy the situation due to growing populations, road repairs, auto accidents, and other omnipresent factors.
In many cases, alternatives to motorized transportation are the only option for the everyday city commuter. Walking or biking may eliminate traffic and parking problems, but come with separate issues as well. No one enjoys waking up an hour early to walk or breaking a sweat biking in to work before a ten-hour work day.
Here to solve your urban commuting woes is Marbel, a two-year old startup revolutionizing both skateboards and modern transportation.
After receiving over four times their $90,000 pledge goal on Kickstarter this June, Marbel will now be able to produce the world’s fastest, lightest, and most efficient electric skateboard. With a maximum thickness of 30MM and a weight of only 9.9 pounds, the Marbel skateboard is not only the lightest electric skateboard in the world, but the lightest electric vehicle as well.
The skateboard is powered by a 165 Wh lithium-ion battery within a carbon fiber and kevlar deck. Marbel skateboards have a range of ten miles per charge, and each battery lasts approximately 1,000 charges before its range capabilities decrease by 2.5 miles. In 90 minutes, your board can be fully charged and ready for the streets.
The battery energizes the 2,000W brushless motor located in front of the rear trux. This powerful electric motor allows Marbel boards to reach a top speed of 25 MPH, even when going uphill. In short, the Marbel board has the speed of a bicycle, the fuel efficiency of a Tesla, and the mobility, and convenience of an ordinary skateboard.
Marbel’s ingenuitive engineering has ensured that their boards will be long lasting and durable. The nose and the tail of the board are the only parts not made of carbon fiber or kevlar. Rather, these sections are constructed of urethane rubber, similarly to the wheels, to act as protective bumpers in the case of a collision on either side. Furthermore, the deck encases the battery cells and other vital electronics to avoid water damage; a Marbel board will not malfunction in the rain or after running through a puddle.
To those hesitant prospective buyers who dread these four-wheeled contraptions from either past experience or watching one too many episodes of MTV’s Scarred, fear not the Marbel electric skateboard.
Marbel boards are noticeably more stable than a regular skateboard or longboard, and once the motor is running, there is no need to shift your feet to keep balance. The only thing required of a rider is leaning whichever direction you want to turn. It is important to remember Marbel did not design these boards solely for the Tony Hawks and Ryan Shecklers of the world; Marbel designed these boards with the common, everyday commuter in mind.
The easy, smooth ride of these skateboards brings us to the next innovative aspect of these marvelous machines. Although you are supplied with a handheld wireless controller that controls the throttle and regenerative electric brakes upon your purchase, Marbel is in the process of finalizing a dashboard app that connects directly with your board and acts as its personal computer. Soon to be available on both the iOS and Android markets, the Marbel Dashboard App gives the rider complete control of speed, brakes, ride style, and more.
The app comes with three pre-designed riding styles: starter mode, ECO mode, and sport mode. Starter mode is useful for beginners, as it caps your speed at 6 MPH and accelerates steadily at 25%. ECO mode is for maximum distance. The Dashboard App examines your last hour of riding and uses an algorithm to enhance the efficiency of your personal preferences–usually resulting in an extra mile of range. Finally, there is sport mode. For those with a need for speed, sport mode gives you the full power the Marbel electric skateboard has to offer. Of course, there is a also custom mode where the board’s speed and style are entirely up to your discretion.
The app includes a built in mapping system that displays destinations within your board’s range, and a connection to the Marbel community, where you can share your thoughts, pictures, videos, and routes with the Marbel team and other Marbel riders. To prevent a thief from speeding away with your board, the Dashboard App has a passcode feature that neutralizes the motor when it is locked. Unfortunately, it is still feasible that someone could ride off with your board using the classic kick-push method.
Packaging and shipping will begin September 2014, and full production will commence in October.
If you are in the Tampa, Florida area, contact hell@ridemarbel.com, and the team will be happy to give you a test run.
Currently, you can pre-order a new Marbel Electric Skateboard for $1,299 on their official website. While it may seem like a hefty price for a standard skateboard or longboard, the time, effort, and money saved traveling around your city on this board will certainly be worth the initial cost.
If your daily commute is bothered by unbeatable traffic, a long walk, or an exhausting bike ride, investing in a Marbel electric skateboard may be your best transportation alternative. Thanks to Marbel, you can say goodbye to your morning headache and look forward to thousands of miles carving through the concrete jungle.