Electric skateboard glossary

Electrically motorized board — California

A floorboard no more than 60 inches deep and 18 inches wide, designed to carry one person, with an electric propulsion system averaging less than 1,000 watts and a top speed on a paved level surface of no more than 20 mph.

Cal. Veh. Code § 313.5, read 2026-09-20 · what it means for riding in California

Motorized skateboard — New Jersey

“Motorized skateboard” means “a skateboard that is propelled otherwise than by muscular power.” No wattage, no speed: any motor is enough.

N.J.S.A. 39:1-1, read 2026-09-24 · what it means for riding in New Jersey

Self-balancing electric skateboard — Utah

It means “a device similar to a skateboard that: (a) has a single wheel; (b) is powered by an electric motor; (c) is not capable of exceeding a speed of 20 miles per hour using the power of the electric motor alone; and (d) is designed for the operator to face perpendicular to the direction of travel while operating the device.” One wheel, sideways stance: this is the Onewheel-type board, not a deck on four wheels.

Utah Code § 41-6a-102(22), (32), (50), (75), read 2026-09-24 · what it means for riding in Utah

Electric personal assistive mobility device (EPAMD) — Nevada

The electric personal assistive mobility device is “a self-balancing, two nontandem wheeled device, designed to transport only one person, with an electric propulsion system that limits the maximum speed of the device to 15 miles per hour or less.” A four-wheel board is not self-balancing, and a one-wheel board does not have two wheels side by side.

NRS 482.029, 482.0295, 482.075, 482.135, read 2026-09-24 · what it means for riding in Nevada

Motorized personal transport device (ATPM) — Quebec

A vehicle meant to carry people that “is fitted exclusively with electric motors”, “has at least one wheel”, and “has no cabin enclosed by a rigid or soft material”. The exclusions are the motorcycle, the moped, the power-assisted bicycle, the motorized mobility aid, the motorized toy vehicle and off-road vehicles — an electric skateboard is none of these, so it is an ATPM.

RLRQ c. C-24.2, r. 39.1.002, read 2026-09-20 · what it means for riding in Quebec

Engin de déplacement personnel motorisé (EDPM) — France

Article R311-1, point 6.15, of the Code de la route defines an engin de déplacement personnel motorisé as a “véhicule sans place assise, conçu et construit pour le déplacement d'une seule personne et dépourvu de tout aménagement destiné au transport de marchandises, équipé d'un moteur non thermique ou d'une assistance non thermique et dont la vitesse maximale par construction est supérieure à 6 km/ h et ne dépasse pas 25 km/ h” (a vehicle with no seat, designed and built to carry one person and with no fittings for carrying goods, fitted with a non-combustion motor or assistance, whose maximum design speed is above 6 km/h and does not exceed 25 km/h — our translation). The article does not name skateboards.

Art. R311-1 (6.14–6.16) Code de la route, read 2026-09-25 · what it means for riding in France

Personal mobility device (PMD) — Singapore

Active Mobility Act 2017, s. 2(1): “personal mobility device” or “PMD” means a wheeled vehicle that “is built to transport people only (with or without carry‑on baggage)” and “is propelled by an electric motor attached to the vehicle or by human power or both, and includes a skateboard”. A “motorised personal mobility device” is “a personal mobility device other than a non‑motorised personal mobility device”.

Active Mobility Act 2017, s. 2(1), read 2026-09-25 · what it means for riding in Singapore

Electric rideable device (eRideable) — Western Australia

r 3A(1): “An electric rideable device is a scooter, skateboard, or other vehicle, that — (a)has at least 1 wheel; and (b)is designed to be used by a single person; and (c)has an electric motor or motors; and (d)is fitted with an effective stopping system controlled by use of brakes, gears or motor control; and (e)when propelled only by the motor or motors, is not capable of going faster than 25 km/h on level ground”. Under r 3A(2) the device must also be no more than 1 250 mm long, 700 mm wide and 1 350 mm high, with an unladen mass of no more than 25 kg.

Road Traffic Code 2000 (WA), rr 3A, 15, 210B, 223B, 228, read 2026-09-25 · what it means for riding in Western Australia

Motorised personal mobility device — Victoria

The official list of “Motorised personal mobility devices” includes “electric skateboards”, “hoverboards”, “electric unicycles” and “self-balancing electric devices with a single tyre (e.g. Onewheels)”.

Transport Victoria (Department of Transport and Planning), “Hoverboards and similar devices”, read 2026-09-25 · what it means for riding in Victoria

Powered transporter — the United Kingdom

Road Traffic Act 1988, s. 185(1): “motor vehicle” means “a mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads”. The Act does not name electric skateboards; the DfT guidance says of powered transporters that “they fall within the legal definition of a “motor vehicle”” and that “There is no specially-designed legal regime for powered transporters.”

Road Traffic Act 1988, s. 185, read 2026-09-25 · what it means for riding in the United Kingdom

Electric mobility device (EMD) — Hong Kong

Transport Department, Electric Mobility Devices: “Electric Mobility Devices (EMDs) are banned on roads”. “Using EMDs (for example: electric scooters, electric unicycles, electric hoverboards, electric skateboards, electric bicycles, etc.) on carriageways, footpaths or cycle tracks may commit an offence under the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374), its subsidiary legislation and other relevant legislation.”

Transport Department, Electric Mobility Devices, read 2026-09-25 · what it means for riding in Hong Kong

Elektrokleinstfahrzeug (eKFV) — Germany

§ 1(1) eKFV defines Elektrokleinstfahrzeuge as electric motor vehicles with a design speed of more than 6 and not more than 20 km/h that have, among other features, “eine Lenk- oder Haltestange mit einer Länge von mindestens 500 mm für Kraftfahrzeuge mit Sitz und von mindestens 700 mm für Kraftfahrzeuge ohne Sitz” (a steering or holding bar at least 500 mm long for motor vehicles with a seat and at least 700 mm for motor vehicles without a seat — our translation). § 1(3): “Elektrokleinstfahrzeuge im Sinne der Absätze 1 und 2 dürfen nur nach Maßgabe der folgenden Vorschriften auf öffentlichen Straßen verwendet werden.” (Personal light electric vehicles within the meaning of paragraphs 1 and 2 may be used on public roads only in accordance with the following provisions — our translation.)

§§ 1–3, 10 eKFV, read 2026-09-25 · what it means for riding in Germany

Vehículo de movilidad personal (VMP) — Spain

Annex II of the Reglamento General de Vehículos defines a vehículo de movilidad personal as a “Vehículo de una o más ruedas dotado de una única plaza y propulsado exclusivamente por motores eléctricos que pueden proporcionar al vehículo una velocidad máxima por diseño comprendida entre 6 y 25 km/h.” (a vehicle with one or more wheels, a single place and exclusively electric propulsion, with a maximum design speed between 6 and 25 km/h — our translation). It may have a seat only if it is self-balancing. Skateboards are not mentioned.

Art. 22 bis and Annex II Reglamento General de Vehículos, read 2026-09-25 · what it means for riding in Spain

Miniature vehicle — Alberta

“A miniature vehicle must not be registered as a motor vehicle.” A miniature vehicle is defined as “a go cart, a 3 or 4-wheeled vehicle of less than standard size, a golf cart, a 3 or 4-wheeled vehicle that the registrar considers would present a hazard to other highway users because of its novel size or operating characteristics” — a four-wheeled board of less than standard size is inside that description twice over.

Alberta Transportation — Rules & Regulations Applying to Small Vehicles, read 2026-09-20 · what it means for riding in Alberta

Each definition is quoted from our reading of that jurisdiction's law; texts not in English are quoted in their language and translated by us. The full survey covers 81 jurisdictions: where you can legally ride.

Watt-hour (Wh)

The energy a battery stores. It decides whether a battery may fly: airlines need to approve a lithium-ion battery above 100 Wh, and IATA forbids a small vehicle whose battery exceeds 160 Wh in any baggage — which is why almost every airline refuses electric skateboards. More →

IP rating (IP65, IPX5…)

The ingress-protection code of the IEC 60529 standard. The first digit rates dust, the second water; an X means that part was not rated. For water, 4 is splashing, 5 water jets, 6 powerful jets, 7 temporary immersion. No electric skateboard maker we read claims 7. More →

Personal electric vehicle (PEV)

The category New York's MTA uses for powered devices carried on its subway and buses. Its policy page never defines the term or names electric skateboards; it prohibits riding or even powering one on in any MTA facility. More →

Micromobility device

A transit agency's word for small wheeled vehicles — bikes, scooters and, depending on the agency, boards. SEPTA's definition names hoverboards and monowheels; many agencies never say whether an electric skateboard counts. More →

Onewheel

A self-balancing electric board with a single wheel in the middle, made by Future Motion. The rider stands sideways and steers by leaning. More →

Electric unicycle (EUC)

A self-balancing single wheel with pedals on each side; the rider faces forward. InMotion, King Song, Begode and Veteran are the main makers. More →

Hoverboard

A self-balancing board with two wheels side by side, steered by the feet. Most airlines name it among the devices they refuse. More →

Hub motor

A motor built inside the wheel. Quieter and lower-maintenance than a belt drive, with no belt to replace, but the wheel and motor are replaced together. More →

Belt drive

A motor mounted beside the wheel that turns it through a belt and pulleys. Belts wear and are replaced; motors and wheels can be changed separately. More →

Gear drive

A motor that turns the wheel through enclosed gears instead of a belt: fewer parts exposed to the road, at a higher price. More →

ESC (electronic speed controller)

The board’s controller: it turns the remote’s signal into power for the motors. VESC is an open-source controller design widely used in DIY boards. More →

BMS (battery management system)

The electronics that protect a lithium battery pack: they balance the cells and cut power on over-charge, over-discharge or over-heating. More →

Price drop

On this site, a price that fell between two of our twice-daily readings of the same shop — measured by us, not announced by the shop. More →

Fake discount

A “sale” whose crossed-out price no other shop was charging that day, or whose sale price other shops already beat. We check every advertised discount against the market. More →

New low

A price lower than any we have read for that product before, including dated Internet Archive captures of the shop’s page. More →

Enforced price (MAP)

A minimum advertised price set by the maker, which is why many boards cost exactly the same at every authorized shop. It shows up here as “same price everywhere”. More →

What is an electric skateboard called in law?

It depends on the jurisdiction: an “electrically motorized board” in California, a “motorized skateboard” in New Jersey, an EDPM in France, a personal mobility device in Singapore and several Australian states, a “powered transporter” in the United Kingdom. Most US states have no word for it at all.

What is the difference between a Onewheel, a hoverboard and an electric unicycle?

A Onewheel has one wheel in the middle of a board and is ridden sideways; a hoverboard has two wheels side by side; an electric unicycle has one wheel with pedals on each side and is ridden facing forward. All three balance themselves.

What does Wh mean on an electric skateboard battery?

Watt-hours: the energy the battery stores. Airlines must approve a lithium-ion battery above 100 Wh, and IATA forbids a small vehicle whose battery exceeds 160 Wh in any baggage.

What is a PMD?

A personal mobility device. Singapore's Active Mobility Act defines it as a wheeled vehicle propelled by an electric motor or human power or both, and says it “includes a skateboard”. Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT use the same term.

What is the difference between a hub motor and a belt drive?

A hub motor sits inside the wheel; a belt drive sits beside it and turns it through a belt. Belts wear and are replaced; a hub motor has no belt, but wheel and motor are replaced together.