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Not A Hoverboard, but Close (Video)

Posted by Roblimo on from the if-one-wheel-is-$1500,-does-the-two-wheeled-version-cost-$3000? dept.

It's a one-wheeled, self-balancing electric skateboard called (appropriately) the Onewheel. You can't buy one right now. They've already shipped all of their first production runs and still have Kickstarter backers' orders to fulfill. After that, though, they might make one for you -- if you come up with a deposit of $500 against a total price of $1499. Plus shipping. This may seem like a lot of money to some people, but enough folks have found it reasonable that Onewheel has sold out not just its first production run but also the second one. Their Kickstarter success was nothing short of amazing, with $630,862 raised although their goal was only $100,000. Inventor Kyle Doerksen is the man behind Onewheel, but he's also one of the people behind Faraday Bicycles, whose flagship model costs $3500 -- and whose initial production run is also sold out -- which means there are people around who are willing to pay $3500 for an electric bicycle instead of putting a motor kit on a used Schwinn for a total cost of less than $500 (with a little careful shopping). Alternate video link.

5 of 66 comments (clear)

  1. Not an advertisement... but er, yes, yes it is by phorm · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Not A Hoverboard, but Close

    This is no closer to a hoverboard than a skateboard is. Seriously, a hoverboard is a futuristic technology which through some form of anti-gravity field or whatever FLOATS IN THE FRICKING AIR. This is essentially a cross between a skateboard and a segway. Cool, but still attached to the ground.

    1. Re:Not an advertisement... but er, yes, yes it is by infogulch · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The benefits of a hoverboard over a skateboard include being a smoother ride, being able to navigate over rougher terrain, requiring less manual pushing, and, well, just straight up flying.

      While Onewheel doesn't exactly fly, it does cover the other three benefits (and on manual pushing, it's even better than Marty's), so I think it's fair to call it the closest thing to hoverboards yet.

    2. Re:Not an advertisement... but er, yes, yes it is by mythosaz · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Lighten up, Francis.

  2. nowhere close by akirapill · · Score: 1, Insightful

    This is not anything even remotely close to a hoverboard. Even more shameless than those cars with fold-out wings that people try to pass off as 'flying cars'.

  3. NO, No its not even close by maliqua · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Ok if you want to build up to something and guarantee it's a disappointment you found the perfect marketing strategy.