by Chris |
Last Updated: September 15, 2021 Meepo V3
Pros
- Acceleration: The acceleration on this board is so powerful! You can reach 20 miles per hour in under 5 seconds.
- Brakes: These brakes will stop on a dime without sacrificing any control and stability.
Cons
- Vibration: The Meepo V3 is a budget board, and the feature it sacrificed to offer great range and speed is dampening. This board is not very comfortable on terrain that isn’t perfect.
- Seals: This board’s seals are not good at all. They are left wide open! Even after you tighten the screws, your board’s ESC has no enclosure and the deck isn’t any better. Anything from moisture to dust and rocks are going to get into your board and degrade it.
Electric skateboards have been growing in popularity for years, now. They’re becoming so popular that it’s entirely possible they will be a mainstream market soon, instead of a niche. With the motor power you need to get up steep hills and the range and speed to power you through your commute, these are a fabulous way to get where you’re going in urban communities without taking transit or walking.
One of the main issues people have with electric skateboards is that they can be very expensive. Some of the fastest and most reputable boards on the market can cost several thousand dollars, which is a significant investment for beginners, students, and anyone who is new to the world.
The good news is that with the rising popularity, a lot of companies have been able to produce these boards at affordable prices without sacrificing too much in terms of power, speed, and range. This means that you can find a fabulous board for less than $500 if you’re a smart shopper.
The Meepo electric skateboard has a strong reputation as being one of the best budget electric skateboards available on the market, so we wanted to put it through the paces and see how it performed. We have loved every version of this board, and the Meepo V3 is no exception.
In fact, we couldn’t wait to write this Meepo Board V3 review! We will let you in on all the special features of this board. We can explain all the upgrades that this board got, because between versions it received a total overhaul. We can’t believe the Meepo V3 can even still be priced as a bargain board given how many amazing new features it has.
Table of Contents
Key features
This board starts with a fabulous deck. It’s 38 inches long ad 9 inches wide, with a 32.5-inch wheelbase. The deck is constructed with 7 layers of strong Canadian maple wood, offering plenty of dampening power without sacrificing too much flex.
At only 16 pounds, this board is pretty easy to carry when it runs out of power but is still capable of handling a 300-pound ride load. It uses Shredder trucks with a Meepo ESC that has also been upgraded.
The board offers 4 different ride modes with an 11-mile range on a standard battery and the option to upgrade to the ER battery for a 20-mile range. The battery takes between 2 to 3 hours to charge, depending on whether you’ve chosen the standard or ER model.
The board’s top speed will be impressive to speed demons because this budget board can hit speeds of 28 miles per hour! It goes from 0 to 20 miles per hour in just 4.5 seconds and can handle 9 miles per hour on a 15% uphill slope. The total uphill grade it can handle is 30%, and it can go from 20 miles per hour to a complete standstill in 10 meters (32 feet).
It’s got a Meepo ESP v3 controlling it. This is all powered by 2 motors, which are 540 watts each. It’s entirely sealed so it’s water-resistant and dustproof! The MR remote has a large screen so your data is all visible and the hub motors come with advanced magnetic chips and bearings. The PU can even last for 1,900 miles!
Meepo Board V3 review
When it comes to electric skateboards, for us it’s all about balance. We want to see a ton of great features at affordable pricing, and we understand that we need to focus on features we need and features we can let go of to achieve it. You can find what you’re looking for within your budget when it comes to electric skateboards as long as you know what you need and what you don’t care about.
For example, some extremely cheap boards rival the most expensive boards when it comes to top speed, but they sacrifice a lot of range to do so. Likewise, there are some affordable boards with incredible ranges, but they don’t go much more than 10 miles per hour.
One of the reasons we love the Meepo V3 is because it completely understands this balance. It’s got one of the fastest top speeds on the market but doesn’t sacrifice too much when it comes to the range – 11 miles is still pretty decent! Let’s take a look at some of the ways this board has improved upon itself and upped the game of everyone in the budget electric skateboard market!
Range
Range matters to a lot of commuters, and commuters make up the biggest market share for budget electric skateboards. That’s why we’ve listed it first. This board offers a pretty limited range compared to a lot of other boards, but it’s more than enough for most commuters. It’s also pretty energy efficient compared to a lot of other boards. We think you’ll be fine with this range.
Speed – accelerating and braking
When it comes to speed, this is the second feature everyone uses to determine whether or not to buy a board. Usually, people choose based on either the top speed or range of their board. We weren’t sure about their choice to use the LingYi ESC instead of the Hobbywing, but they convinced us.
The Meepo Board V3 ECM actually works pretty well with the upgraded LingYi ESC part. It has a pretty smooth acceleration in the first few modes, and the pro mode is pretty punchy! In fact, the acceleration went from 8 seconds down to 4.5 seconds between the Meepo V2 and the Meepo V3! That is a significant upgrade.
The braking experience has been significantly improved. It’s very strong but happens gradually, so it’s smooth and you don’t lose control over your board. It even comes with smart features to turn them on, making for an even smoother ride.
Is the ride stable?
The Meepo board uses some decent parts for the trucks and barrel bushing. The board allows you to customize the bushings based on your weight and personal preferences, so you get a more personalized ride. If you’re new, then the 96A blue works well for average weights around 150. Yellow barrels are a softer experience.
Carving works pretty well. The deck is nice and flexible, but thanks to the multiple layers of hard Canadian maple wood, it’s still got plenty of stability. Hitting top speeds while maintaining control has never been easier!
How does it compare?
One of the things to do is compare boards to their competition. This lets you decide which one is better by looking at the pieces together side by side.
Backfire G3 vs Meepo V3
The Backfire G3 is an absolute beast. It’s probably the fastest and most performant “budget” electric skateboard. It’s got a super flexi deck and huge 96mm wheels that make it a comfortable ride. Compared to the Meepo, the build quality it’s better and it’s noticeable in the higher price point. It’s a much more comfortable ride and the bigger batteries give the Backfire G3 an advantage in terms of range.
However if you’re really budget conscious and wouldn’t mind a stiffer deck, smaller wheels and slightly shorter range, the Meepo is your choice (or check out the Backfire G2 Black which still offers very good quality and performance, at half the price of the G3!).
WowoGo 3 vs Meepo V3
WowGo 3 highly resembles a Boosted Board from an aesthetic point of view. But the price is a fraction of it! And it still uses high quality parts, like the Paris trucks, the Zealous bearings and the nice bamboo deck. It’s definitely a comfortable ride. That said it’s not as performant as the Meepo V3, speed is lower as well as range (even with the extended range battery).
Considering it’s still more expensive than the Meepo (not much more though), here it will come to choosing between a bit more comfort with the WowoGo or a slightly better performance with the Meepo.
Yecoo XJ or Meepo V3?
Yecoo is a newer brand in the electric skateboard market. The XJ is an upgrade to their older model. When it comes to the seal, it has the Meepo beat. The Yecoo board is waterproof, dustproof, and wear-proof.
In a range comparison, they are about equal. Their standard range is about 11 miles each, and both offer an upgrade to the battery that allows for 20 to 21 miles. The Meepo wins when it comes to top speed, offering 28 miles per hour instead of the Yecoo’s 25 miles per hour max. The Meepo also offers higher load capacity and more power.
Lycaon GR vs Meepo V3
This one is a closer competition. The range on the Lycaon is between 15 to 25 miles depending on your setting, so it beats the Meepo. Still, the top speed is 26 miles per hour on the Lycaon, so the Meepo wins that competition. This differentiates them, so the one that wins will be decided based on whether you want to focus on range or speed.
They’re tied for their ability to climb the hills, both sharing 30%, ad their motors aren’t too different, either, although the Meepo has a bit of an edge over the Lycaon here. The Lycan wins against the Meepo’s seals, too, offering a waterproof cover for the motor that will protect it from moisture, dust, and crashes.
Conclusion
The Meepo V3 is a fantastic budget electric skateboard. Meepo has over 30,000 riders in over 70 countries across the world and there’s a reason! Not only do they offer a 100% guarantee of all of their electric skateboards with free shipping to 60 countries, but they also continue to upgrade their features without raising their prices beyond the budget range.
We love all the features this board has to offer, especially compared to the price. This electric skateboard costs a fraction of the price compared to other boards, and despite that, it manages to hang with them in terms of top speed, acceleration power, and range. If you’re okay with a bumpier ride and with needing to seal your own board against weather and dust, then this is a fantastic option!