New 38 mph electric skateboard seeks to bring skating culture back into e-boards

Electric skateboard startup Defiant Board Society has just launched a new high power electric skateboard known as the Defiant: One. But the new company isn’t just about building fast board; rather, they want to bring e-skating back to its non-powered cultural roots.

But how do you capture the essence of skate culture for a product that has blown so far past it?

Electric skateboards these days are more about transportation than after school slacking. They’ve proven to be a massively popular alternative form of transportation, providing the speed and power of electric bikes in a form factor that slips under your arm.

As a new wave of riders take to electric skateboards without ever setting foot on a non-powered board, Defiant Board Society is trying to ride that wave while still pairing it with skating’s roots.

Sure, Defiant sells techie boards that are more Silicon Valley than Santa Monica, but you’ll still be greeted by an email newsletter pop-up on the company’s site that’s complete with a skater flipping you the bird.

And as the company’s interim CEO Niki Schur-Narula explained, the Defiant: One board is designed to bridge the old-school culture with today’s current leading e-skate tech.

At Defiant Board Society, we’re giving the everyday skater an elevated way to ride. Our focus on combining style, performance, and innovation with a nod to our rebellious skater heritage is evident in The Defiant: One. We believe that navigating around your neighborhood should always be efficient, but with The Defiant: One it becomes an adventure.

The Defiant: One electric skateboard doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen in a fisheye skate video before, but perhaps it doesn’t have to. The board still relies on the latest tech to compete with today’s growing crop of fast and powerful electric skateboards.

The board boasts a top speed of up to 38 mph (61 km/h) thanks to a pair of 4.5kW 6396 electric motors. The belt-drive motors can provide thrilling performance or a maximum range of 40 miles (64 km), though likely not at the same time. Slowing down by using the lower speed modes could help eke out more range and is probably advisable for more novice skaters.

The 930Wh Molicell battery is built in a 12s5p configuration and is divided into modules that are spread across the bottom of the 46″ long American maple deck, providing a more natural flex that mimics typical non-electric longboards. The top of the deck features a retro-looking display to show pertinent ride data right at your toes. You know, exactly where you’re staring while skating at 38 mph.

The boards are produced by hand in the US, which is a rarity in an industry dominated by mass-produced Chinese-made electric skateboards.

And that American manufacturing likely clues you into the next big question: What does one of these Defiant: One boards cost?

They are currently on pre-order and priced at a cool $3,000. I don’t know about today’s skaters, but the dudes in my high school weren’t exactly walking around with a roll of 30 Benjamins burning a hole in their pocket.

What do you think of the Defiant: One electric skateboard? Care to rediscover your wonder years? Or could you see yourself shaking your first at the “youths” as they rocket past on this bad boy? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comment section below.