How Much Does Electric Skateboarding Cut Emissions?

What’s the carbon footprint of your current commute? If you take your car, you can cut emissions by riding an electric skateboard.

How Realistic Is It Really To Cut Emissions From Your Daily Commute?

After all, time and convenience are usually of the essence when it comes to commuting. However, it might be easier than you think. It could even shorten the time of your trip by avoiding traffic.

If your commute is longer than average, you can still cut emissions by partially commuting by electric skateboard. Taking public transit or driving halfway and parking, then skating for the last half of your commute still means a more sustainable journey.

Expand Your Range To Cut More Emissions

You don’t need to stop at your commute when it comes to cutting emissions with an electric skateboard. Think about all the short trips you take around town to meet friends, run errands and more. You can even bring your board with you while traveling by air or car, then using it to get around once you reach your destination. You can take your board instead of Ubers or rental cars, because even if it isn’t your car, it still guzzles gas and adds tailpipe emissions. When you get creative, the miles traveled by electric skateboard can all add up significantly.

Especially with an electric skateboard with the option to swap batteries along your journey, your range and freedom from creating carbon emissions can expand dramatically. 

Is Micro Mobility Just A Trend?

The rise in micro mobility like electric skateboards is not just a trend. Whether you’re on an ebike, escooter or electric skateboard, any trips taken on one of these contributes to less pollution and congestion on roads, leading to less traffic and cars idling on the road.

A recent study says that carbon emissions could be reduced by 12 percent if just 15 percent of urban transportation miles traveled were instead made by e-bike.

Being that eskates are smaller than ebikes with little difference in average range, the actual numbers for emissions saved by electric skateboarding can be even higher.

What About The Energy It Takes To Charge An Electric Battery?

While all of these battery-powered ways of getting around are not charged without consuming energy, data on electric cars shows that in every corner of the United States, driving an EV produces significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions than cars powered only by gasoline, regardless of the local power mix. And electric skateboards only use a small fraction of the energy it takes to charge an electric car.

One electric skateboard rider, Will O'Connor, has done the math on his Revel Kit:

"I’ve mapped out my mileage if I drove vs. taking the board. I have a pretty efficient hybrid so I get 55MPG driving, or on my commute of 11 miles round trip use 0.2gal gas, or about 4lbs CO2 per day. I have the extended range board and can just make it to and from on one 216Wh charge.

My electric supply is ComEd with 947.6 lbs CO2 per 1000kWh in a recent analysis. Therefore I only use 0.20 lbs CO2 to charge my board, or only 5% of the CO2 vs. driving. And that’s with a 55MPG hybrid! And it’s fun as hell to ride!"

Plus, average EV emissions have continued to decline over time thanks to accelerating coal plant closures and the decarbonization of America’s power sector. So while burning gasoline won’t get much cleaner, using electric-powered vehicles can get cleaner every year.

Efficiency—For The Environment And Your Lifestyle

Sure, less emissions come from walking or riding a regular skateboard, longboard or bicycle. But if you’re like most people, you probably need to cover more distance and get there faster than is doable on foot, or a regular board or bike. Instead of showing up to your destination late, sweaty and exhausted without the boost of a battery, let’s be honest, you might be more likely to end up just taking your car anyway.

These trips are exactly what electric skateboards were made for. To make riding actually more convenient than driving, not less. Save your energy, time in traffic, money on gas, frustration of parking, and most importantly—help save the environment.

Among reasons to make an electric skateboard your next electric vehicle, sustainability could be one of the most important. However, it’s also a great way to destress and get active, cut costs, and simply—have more fun. 

Want our recommendation on the ultimate commuting electric longboard? Look no further than April’s Board Of The Month, the Rayne Crush.

CHECK OUT THE RAYNE CRUSH