Bolt electric skateboard is smallest, lightest of its kind

Bicycles, electric bikes, scooters, and similar contraptions are all green and energy-efficient ways to get around, but the lowly skateboard doesn't get as much attention as it should when it comes to getting around campus or downtown. Electric skateboards are a valid option for those with the balance to wield them, however, and now there's an ultra-light and small option called the Bolt. Its makers hail this as the world's smallest and lightest electric skateboard — a necessity in a market packed with big, heavy offerings.

Bolt, upon first glance, looks like your average skateboard, but it comes with a twist: it is electric, making it a more feasible option for commuting relatively long distances. Commuting, indeed, is what the Bolt was created for.

Maker Lorenzo Cella had an hour and a half of walking per day as part of his university commute, and so he developed the electric skateboard as a way to cut down on both the time and the amount of walking that was needed. Portability, however, was also necessary, otherwise the skateboard would be its own burden.

The end result is a skateboard that weight 8.8lbs, and that is 23.5-inches long/10-inches wide. This includes the on board electronics and battery, which includes a 2,000 watt motor and a 5,000Ah LiPo battery. The range is 6.5 miles, and the top speed is 13MPH, though your actual top speed will depend on things like whether you're going up an incline and your body weight. Control is offered by a joystick for accelerating and braking.

The device is being funded on Indiegogo, where it can be had with a $549 USD pledge.

VIA: Gizmag