How far can a hoverboard go on a full charge?
Average hoverboard models can go approx. 7 or 8 miles on a single charge, whereas the best hoverboard models can go between 10 – 15 miles on a single charge. Kids hoverboards will normally travel shorter distances before requiring recharging.
Hoverboard Range
How far a hoverboard can travel on a single charge is more commonly referred to as the range of a hoverboard, and it is an important stat to consider when you are buying a hoverboard.
Naturally we want to get the best range from a single charge so that we don’t have to worry about running out of juice too soon whilst we’re out riding our boards.
A hoverboard’s range will determine how far you can travel before you have to recharge.
If you want to use your hoverboard off-road to explore new terrain, or use it as a personal transportation device to commute to work or college, you need to pay attention to the range.
“How long does a hoverboard last on a single charge?” is the same as asking “how far can a hoverboard travel on a single charge?” – they both mean the same thing but one is asking for an answer in terms of time, and the other in terms of distance.
Both questions are referring to the hoverboard’s range.
On average a hoverboard can last 7 miles on a single charge, which could be equivalent to an hour.
Some of the fastest hoverboards and best off-road models can last for anywhere between 10 - 15 miles, which could be equivalent to 2 -3 hours.
Most hoverboard manufacturers give the range in terms of mileage as this is more accurate than giving a range in terms of run time.
What Determines A Hoverboard’s Range?
A hoverboard’s battery will determine the range capacity of a hoverboard.
Hoverboards are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries which supply power to the hoverboard’s motors which are housed in the wheels and make them turn.
The more battery power you have, the further you can travel.
When you start to run out of battery power it means less power is supplied to the motors and you won’t be able to travel too far.
The range of a hoverboard is dependent on the quality of the battery and how long it can last.
More powerful batteries will naturally give a hoverboard a greater range, whereas lower quality batteries, which you find on cheaper and mid-range hoverboard models, will give your hoverboard a shorter range.
Check out this article to find out more about how hoverboards work.
So we now know that range is determined by the hoverboard’s battery, but what affects the hoverboard battery life?
Factors That Affect Hoverboard Battery Life
How far a hoverboard can go on a single charge before the battery dies will depend on a few factors.
The range you will get from a single charge of a hoverboard battery will differ each time, so don’t expect it to always be the same.
The reason you won’t get the exact same range out of each full charge because the battery life is affected by a few key factors. These are:
The weight of the hoverboard
How much a hoverboard weighs can affect the range of the hoverboard.
Heavier hoverboards will require more power to get them moving, especially if you are going at fast speeds or up steep inclines.
This applies mostly to cheaper boards and mid-range models rather than the best hoverboard models and off-road boards.
Top quality boards may be heavy, but they also have high quality batteries with sufficient power to compensate so that the weight doesn't affect battery power too much.
Cheaper hoverboards that are heavy and cumbersome may have weaker batteries which leads to them having a shorter range.
The weight of the rider
Rider weight affects how far a hoverboard can go on a single charge before the battery dies.
The heavier the rider = the more power is required to move the board and therefore the faster the battery starts depleting, giving you a shorter range.
This is one of the reasons for hoverboard weight limits. Exceeding the weight limit of a board can affect its performance, so stick to a board designed for your weight.
Speed
How fast you are travelling also determines how long you can ride a hoverboard before the battery needs recharging.
The faster you are travelling = the quicker you will use up the battery power, so you may not get too far before needing to recharge.
If you want to ride constantly at fast speeds you will be sacrificing miles, so keep this in mind.
If you want to buy a hoverboard purely for speed purposes and are not bothered about range, you should consider buying a fast hoverboard rather than one designed for long distance use.
Terrain
The terrain you are riding on also affects the range of a hoverboard.
If you are riding an off-road hoverboard on rugged and more difficult terrain such as sand, gravel, dirt trails, and grass, the more power the motors will require to keep the wheels moving smoothly.
Riding over a lot of inclines and slopes will use up a lot of the battery power very quickly, so you won’t get a huge range out of it and will need to recharge it sooner.
Having said that, off-road hoverboards normally do have impressive ranges when compared to cheaper hoverboards, so you should be able to get a good balance of performance and battery life out of them.
Looking After Your Hoverboard Battery
There are a few things you can do to make sure you get the most out of your hoverboard battery to improve your hoverboard’s range and overall performance.
Use the charger supplied with the hoverboard
It is always best practice to use the same charger that came with your hoverboard.
Some chargers may have more or less power output, so you shouldn't use any random charger to charge your board as this can lead to damaging the battery overtime, affecting it’s lifespan and having a negative effect on the range.
If you do need to buy a replacement hoverboard charger always buy one from your hoverboard manufacturer, but if that’s not possible you should make sure you buy one with an equivalent power output as your existing one.
Avoid running the battery down to 0% power
Running a battery down till it’s completely empty can negatively affect the battery life.
You should stop using your hoverboard and recharge the battery when there is at least 5% battery power left. Avoid running it down to 0%.
When your battery gets to around 5% power level your hoverboard will beep to alert you its time to recharge.
Avoid leaving the battery empty
When your battery is down or at a minimum of 5% you should not leave it turned off or in storage before recharging it.
Leaving a hoverboard battery empty or on low power for several days before recharging can reduce the lifespan of the battery, so make sure you charge your battery regularly to avoid this from happening.
Do not leave the battery charging overnight
Overcharging your hoverboard battery can lead to damaging it and reducing its ability to hold its charge.
This can lead to the battery running out of power faster, meaning the range of your hoverboard will be reduced.
Most lithium-ion batteries are smart enough to detect when they are fully charged and can stop receiving any more power from a charger even if they are left plugged in.
However, its always best practice to remove a charger from a hoverboard once the battery is fully powered.
Turn the hoverboard off before charging
Turning your hoverboard off before charging it is a good habit to get in to.
It allows the hoverboard to reset and get a full charge without wasting unnecessary power.
Turning your board off whilst it is charging is also safer in general.
Leaving an idle hoverboard lying around with its power on can lead to accidents if someone accidently steps on it.
Store your hoverboard out of direct sunlight
Keep you hoverboard in a cool area out of direct sunlight when it is not is use or when you are charging it.
Keeping your board in a hot area or in direct sunlight whilst it is in storage or when it is charging can lead to overheating which can damage the battery and other other circuitry.
Conclusion
How far a hoverboard can go on a single charge is known as the range of a hoverboard.
Hoverboard range is determined by the battery.
The more powerful the batteries are, the greater range and performance.
Hoverboard range is also affected by riding conditions such as the terrain you using the board on, weather conditions, slopes etc.
Off-road terrain and upward sloping surfaces will deplete your battery faster as the motors need more power to drive the hoverboard forward on these surfaces.
How fast you ride will also affect the mileage you get out of a single charge.
The faster you ride your hoverboard the faster the battery will deplete, leading to a reduced mileage.
Rider weight also affects range as heavier riders will cause the board's motors to use more battery power in order to move the board.
If you have had your hoverboard for a while it is natural for your battery performance to start decreasing overtime.
Continuous charging and use lead to a reduction in battery performance, and therefore your range will start to decrease as a result.
When this happens you can consider replacing the battery with a new one to increase the range, or look at buying a new hoverboard altogether.
Before you do that you can reset your hoverboard to see if that improves performance.
As long as you look after your hoverboard and the battery you should be able to keep the range up for a long time before having to think about replacing your battery or hoverboard.