Stoke: the perfect electric commute option!
Electric skateboards are the perfect electric commute option, especially in times of social distancing where we need to have a way to get around the city without getting close to people. Evolve boards offer big power, huge range, a super stable ride and the agility to navigate through a city commute.
Introducing the Evolve Stoke!
The reason why we chose Evolve Stoke is because that's the feeling you get when you ride this board. We've been getting many requests in recent times to make a board that's light, has got a kicktail and is at a cheaper price point. So we've taken on board all these requests and focused our attention on creating a surf-inspired pocket rocket that is light, that is portable, super high quality and is an absolute blast to ride.
⚡ It's lightweight
⚡ Has a kicktail
⚡ It's an absolute ripper.
The perfect electric commute option
What I love about this board is that it is so convenient. It is really easy to pick up due to its lightweight and its shorter length. And when it comes to storing the board, it takes up very little room. For example, a great place to keep the board is right at your front door, ensuring your last-mile vehicle is always at your fingertips, plus it looks pretty damn cool too. Here at Evolve, we are passionate about the endless wave. So this feeling must translate into all the boards we design, including this little pocket rocket.
The challenge we faced here was creating a shorter deck that still allowed for widening our foot stance when riding and placing the kicktail at the perfect angle so the rider has maximum stability and can sidewalk surf all day long. We feel as though we've nailed it. The deck is made from four-ply bamboo and two-ply fibreglass and is 33 inches in length. The deck also has the bonus of a surf-inspired EVA foam pad for the back foot and a swallow-shape kicktail which allows the rider to pop off small curbs and lips that you may encounter on your daily ride.
We're using much the same hardware that we currently use on all the Evolve GTR Series, that being the forged SuperCarve Truck. These trucks are moulded into shape under extreme pressure and heat, which results in maximum strength and durability. As they are double-jointed, you can really throw down some awesome carves. We're also using high-performance ceramic bearings for the smoothest, quietest and fastest ride possible and Orangatang Caguamas. These are some of the sweetest carving wheels out there. As we've placed the motors behind the rear truck and there's a fully-functioning rear kicktail, we've gone ahead and designed a rear bash guard to protect the engines. It really does give the board a tough, durable look and is designed to get scratched and to cop a beating if you're that kind of rider. It allows doing 180s or 360s or pop-off gutters. The bash guard is removable, and the good news is we will be offering this as a kit to all GT and GTR boards in a couple of weeks.
When it comes to the electrics, we've used the brains and the power from the GTR Series boards. For the battery, we are using Sony VTC4 battery cells constructed in a 2P 10S arrangement that uses no wires in the construction. This makes it a very clean, organized and safe battery structure. The battery is also travel-friendly, giving us a total capacity of 151.2 Watt-hours and is a significant feature of the Bantam board, meaning you can travel with it and take it to other cities for fun and adventures. The battery case is made from glass-filled nylon plastic, making it super strong, and it has a silicone seal designed to prevent moisture and dust from entering the enclosure.
For the motor controller, we are using the GTR ESC. This offers an instant, smooth and reliable connection, and the PCB has been treated with an anti-moisture spray. The motor controller is also packaged into a glass-filled nylon casing that has a silicone seal to prevent moisture and dust from entering the enclosure. For the remote, we are using the Phaze Remote, which has a super smooth control with an instant trigger response. The connection, it's extremely quick and reliable, and the remote feels incredible in the hand when riding. There are four-speed modes. There are battery, speed and distance displays and a whole heap more.
Specs
Okay. Let's talk high-level specs:
⚡ 3000 Watt power, up to 15 km or 10 miles range per charge,
⚡ 1,5h to two hours recharge time
⚡ Approximately 36 km per hour or 22 miles per hour top speed,
⚡ Total weight of 8kgs or 17 pounds.
The only limitation we see with this board is the fact that it cannot fit all-terrain wheels or larger size urethane wheels because it could get wheel bite. And as the deck is very compact, it cannot fit a larger sized battery like our GTR models. Having said this, carrying a spare travel battery when you're out on longer roads will undoubtedly overcome the shorter ride times and the ability to travel with this board is fantastic. There you have it, folks. We think this board is a little ripper. We haven't skimped on anything here. It is top-shelf quality, especially for the price point.
