*Each kit is described and summarized in the following sections underneath this table

We understand that making an electric skateboard is a long and difficult process.  If you start from scratch. you could take the easy way and just purchase an electric skateboard kit. 

This will allow you to:

• Save time, because you do not have to do extensive research
• Save money, because some of the good boards out there are very expensive. Also DIY can be very expensive if you want some degree of quality
• Choose your own board
• Swap to non-electric in a heartbeat

DIYeboard.com Electric Conversion Kits

If you look at their website, DIYeboard.com has the most variety kits to offer from among all the ones on our list.  Obviously, the quality of the Mellow Drive (our best rated conversion kit since Enertion decided to focus on building up the Raptor line) is far superior.  Be warned that these kits are made in China, but the vendor is unique in providing a  breadth of  offerings using belt drives  or hub drives.   In addition to the kit in the list above which is intended for all-terrain use (i.e. big wheels), we think it is worth mentioning  a couple of others.

The first is a dual belt motor configuration using a Samsung Lithium-Ion battery (10S5P90  36V 10Ah 50 cells) with 83mm wheels, 2.4 GHz 3-speed remote control, and regenerative braking.  The kit seems to provide a lot of muscle.   Note that we do not have first-hand experience with it.   Still, with most things from China, let the buyer beware.  We have heard a number of complaints about the quality of their parts as well.

The Specs: 

Wowgo 2s Kits

As a better alternative to the DIYeboard hub motor kits are the Wowgo 2 Kits (dual hub motors).  There are two options, the Wowgo 2 ($399 USD) and the Wowgo 2s ($409 USD).  Meepo also sell similar kits, but the Wowgo specs are slightly better.   The kits consists of the same parts they use for their boards, so the kits are proven and the benefit is that you can choose your own board design (which requires an added cost of course).

If you decide to purchase the Wowgo Kits, choose the 2s kit as it has better specs and parts for only a $10 USD upcharge.   Furthermore, they have excellent customer service for a Chinese manufacturer.  They are very pro-active in addressing any customer complaints and issues in a very timely fashion (3-12 hours depending on your time zone).  Please also use our discount code esk8off25 for $25 USD off if you decide to purchase one. (Note:  For the month of August 2018 and possibly for the remainder of the year, Wowgo is offering a special $45 USD discount to celebrate their first year anniversary having sold over 6,000 boards.  Please use discount code esk8off45)   

Airwheel M3

Nothing much to really talk about here.  This is basically a build-it-yourself kit.  All the parts including the board come unassembled and ready to build.  I do not own one, but if you are interested, I would recommend reading the reviews on Amazon.  Here is a video too.

Onan X2/X3 electric skateboard kits

Onan is a Chinese-based company, but before you go on to read about the next one, note that they have been in business since 2006.  So they may have some built-in quality after ten+ years?  The Onan X2 and Onan X3 are their second and third generation kits.  The X2 is slight more expensive and a little more powerful.  Thus it is more suited for longboards, rather than shortboards.  The X3 should be a decent candidate for boards of all sizes.  There are two types of battery packs for both of the Onan models:  1) BP10 - 90 Wh and a range of 7.5 - 9.3 mi (12 -15 km) and 2) BP-20 - 158 Wh with a range of  15.5 - 17.4 mi. (25 - 28 km).   Below are a couple of marketing videos if you interested.  One is about the company, the other shows the X2/X3 in action.

The Eon is a project by electric vehicle manufacturer Unlimited. The project got funded on Kickstarter for $335K USD, a huge amount, but not as huge as what Acton accomplished in December. 

This project is all about simplifying electric skateboard and offering an easy plug-and play solution.
They currently offer 3 products:

As you can see the cruiser and the R have better range than the solo. Unlimited claims that the R does hill climbs of 20%. which is pretty crazy.

DIYElectricskateboard.com (based in Dallas, TX, USA),  is a long time provider (since 2014) of electric skateboard parts and has an excellent history of providing high quality parts along with excellent customer service.  They take some of the hassle out of electric skateboard building by providing you with these pre-made sets. 

What is awesome about these sets is that the parts definitely fit and are very durable.   Also it has a pre-welded motor mount on the trucks,  awesome for the many who do not possess the needed welding equipment.

Since we reviewed it over a year ago, it looks like it has refreshed its product line with improved belt-drive kits.  At the price range of $769 - $1299, we highly recommend them for the serious ek8 DIYers.  The Pro1 Kit especially is a great value for a single belt drive kit.  All you need is a longboard with at least a 63.5 cm (25") wheelbase.

The Mellow Drive is a plug and play solution. I consists of a one piece module; trucks, hub-motors, batterypack and speed controller enclosure. As with the Eon, the battery pack is replaceable. This has a lot of benefits, imagine unlimited range.  

It is also really easy to change a battery pack, take a look:​

Specs:

• 25 mph top speed
• 7.5 - 10 miles per battery pack
• 3.5 Hours full charge, 45 mins with fastcharger
• Extra added weight: 2.2 lbs

The issue though is the price tag.  At its current price, it might be better to purchase a Boosted Board or an InBoard M1, and keep the hefty change and you get a new quality board as well.