Electric Skateboard
Over the course of the summer of 2017 I designed and built an electric skateboard.
The video above shows the first test run of the finished electric skateboard. It can hit speeds over 25 mph.
Battery Pack
The skateboard is powered by a battery pack consisting of thirty 18650 cells. To construct the pack, I soldered together the 18650 cells using low resistance nickel strips with a high wattage iron. I then connected a battery management system, charging port, and battery indicator. I designed the battery case in Solidworks and 3D printed the case in red ABS plastic.
First Charge
Directly soldering 18650 cells can be potentially hazardous. I made sure to take the proper safety precautions while charging the battery for the 1st time.
Building The Board
I enjoy working with my hands, so I decided to make a custom board. I went to the local lumber yard and found a beautiful piece of Tiger Maple to make the board from.
Cutting Trucks
My electric skateboard design used a belt and pulley system to transfer power from the motor to the wheels. To make room for the driving wheel, I used a Dremel to cut away parts of the trucks to expose more of the axial.
The final step of the project was to attach the motor to the truck. I designed a bracket to mount the motor on the truck and used my 3D printer to make it.
My first print used ABS plastic with a 100% infill. This failed initial testing because the bracket was to compliant for the torque produced by the motor.
My final design utilized carbon fiber reinforced filament to increase the bracket’s stiffness and this worked really well.
CAD model of motor bracket
Finished 3D print of motor bracket
After the bracket was complete it was time to add components and test the board!
Parts coming together for final assembly.
Me programming the open source electronic speed controller that regulates the power to the motor.