Enhancing Electric Skateboard Security: Design and Development of a Dual-Motor Electric Skateboard with Anti-theft Features

Abstract

Over the past decade the electric skateboard market underwent tremendous growth, enabling a plethora of innovations and improvements. Despite recent innovations, the issue of theft prevention has remained largely unaddressed. The use of standard nuts and bolts to connect various mechanical components has left electric skateboards vulnerable to theft, as most locking methods can be easily bypassed with common tools. This project's objective is to design and prototype an electric skateboard with integrated security features that make it far more theft resistant than other electric skateboard skateboards on the market. Limitations and opportunities for improvement in the electric skateboard industry were identified by conducting a literature review of prominent electric skateboard company websites. A design thinking framework was employed to develop a deck integrated locking mechanism that cannot be bypassed with common tools, without compromising the electric skateboard performance and functionality. The resulting prototype eliminates the need for an additional locking mechanism while minimizing the risk of theft. This project contributes to the market by addressing a critical gap in security which is essential in preserving the users’ peace of mind when leaving their electric skateboard unattended and furthers the growth of the industry by making these vehicles suitable for more commuting cases.