Are you putting money aside for a good skateboard? Before you pull the trigger, consider whether you want to use hub motors or belt drives. These drives will undoubtedly have an impact on the performance of your e-board. The truth is that many people have strong opinions about which drivetrain is best for electric skateboard. We will assist you in deciding between hub motors and belt drives for your next e-board.
Before comparing, let’s learn the basics of the two drive systems first.
Belt Motors
Belt driven boards have been around for some time now so let’s start there. Belt driven boards are propelled by a gear system. The motor that is connected to a drive pulley (gear). This gear is attached to a belt that is connected to the wheel pulley (gear) on your skateboards wheels. When you hit the accelerator on your remote, power is pulled from your battery into your ESC (electronic speed controller) and into your motors. When your motor turns, the belt spins and in turn propels your wheels.
Hub Motors
Hub motors have not been around as long, but are proving to be very popular in the e-skate world. With a hub motor, all components are located inside the wheel. It is basically a motor, with a skateboard sleeve wrapped around it. When the accelerator is hit, the whole entire wheel assembly is triggered to spin, Instead of a motor turning a gear, turning a belt and wheel, The motor and wheel are spinning as 1 unit with a 1 to 1 ratio. 1 spin of the motor = 1 spin of the wheel. Now that we have that out of the way
👍Advantages of a belt driven electric skateboard
- Belt-driven boards are better at climbing. This is due to its gears. When the elevation changes, the belt-driven board always soars past the hub board.
- The Belt motor has a stronger brake system. The board can stop immediately after braking.
- Belt-driven boards have more touque than hub-driven. This leads to the fact that the hub board has a higher top speed.
- There are numerous wheel options for belt motors. However, for hub motors, you may only have 1-2 options.
- Better heat dissipation: A belt driven board has the motor attached to the trucks, and is open to circulating air when you’re riding. This provides better heat dissipation when compared to a hub motor that is insulated by a Urethane rubber sleeve.
👍Advantages of a hub driven electric skateboard
- Hub motors are very quiet, especially when compared to belt-driven motors.
- The hub motor skateboard has less torque and friction, so it has a longer battery life and range.
- Hub motors provide the least amount of friction when not being powered. So when the battery runs out, a hub motor powered electric skateboard is fairly easy to push on, especially compared to a belt-driven board.
- Because there are no gears, belts, or chains to lubricate or replace, maintenance and costs are reduced. It also makes the motor more water resistant because there are fewer places where water can get into.
- Hub motors combine the wheel and motor into one unit, and therefore are lighter than a comparable belt driven electric skateboard.
Belt | Hub | |
Structure | Complex | Simple |
Noise | Higher | Lower |
Torque | Higher | Lower |
Braking | Superior | Inferior |
Repair | Replace the damaged part | Replace the whole drive system |
Upgrade (Customizability) | Upgrade the part | Upgrade the whole drive system |
Maintenance | Higher | Lower |
Price | Higher | Lower |
Free Roll | No | Yes |
Best Belt Motor Electric Skateboard
Possway Lynx Belt Motor Off-road E-skateboard
- Battery: 8Ah,50.4V,12S2P 21700 Samsung 40T Li-ion Battery
- Range: 18-26mi / 30-42km
- Top Speed: 32mph / 52kmh
- Motors: 2700W
- Wheels: 105*65mm + 90*54mm
- Hill Climbing: 48%
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Best budget belt motor board! Currently, at $879 this is an insane deal. At speeds of 32 mph and a range of around 26 miles, this board will have you surfing the streets without range anxiety.
And the standard factory configuration of the Possway lynx is 2-in-1. you can experience 105 wheels and 90mm wheels all at once.
In addition, there is a Shredlight taillight kit in the package, the 40-Lumen Shredlight SL-R1 light kit ensures you remain visible from over 2km away. Keep your night fun and safe.
Best Hub Motor Electric Skateboard
Possway T3 Electric Skateboard
- 28 Mph Top Speed,Fastest in class.
- 17-20 Miles Super range,Great for your daily commute.
- 105mm shock-absorbing wheels for a more comfortable ride.
- Ergonomic deck design for excellent turning control and easy to carve.
- Great passability, adaptable to all kinds of terrain.
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The Possway T3 electric skateboard stands out as one of the fastest electric skateboards with hub motors on the market. Hub motors have a bad reputation for having low power in the past, but T3 is evidence that hub motors are no longer associated with poor power. The high top speed and decent range at a very low price make it an excellent value for money option for those looking to get into eskating.
At $499, you'll have to look far and wide to find a better bang for your buck. The board is not only comfortable to ride, but it also has good power and braking. Possway T3 outperformed its competitors in a few key respects. It’s nice and quiet and has plenty of range and top speed to get you to most places you want to go in a decent time.
Conclusion
Which one is better? Electric skateboards powered by a hub or a belt? The answer is dependent on what you require.
If you want maximum power output, a belt power board is the way to go. The hub motor is catching up to belt driven, but it will take some time.
If you want something affordable to casually ride around on, is quiet, and you don’t want to spend time maintaining the board or tinkering with the parts, then a hub motor electric skateboard is for you.
If you don’t like loud noises, a hub motor is quieter. If you want a better hill climbing ability, choose a belt.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for power, you like to play around with different configurations to make your eboard unique and you don’t mind the odd maintenance jobs here and there, then a belt-driven electric skateboard sounds like it’s right up your alley.