Electric skateboards are the modern types of regular skateboards which are normally used for fun or for commuting to work, you don’t have to be an expert skateboarder in order to ride one but you surely need to learn how to balance yourself while riding the board.
There are two ways to get an electric skateboard, the first option is by simply purchasing one from any reputable place like Boosted Boards or Evolve.
And the second option is by building one yourself, it may seem fun to some people and frustrating to the others, but if you’re sure enough you want to build your own board then keep reading so you can find out more about a vital component which is the VESC.
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What is a VESC
VESC or Vedder Electronic Speed Controller (Ben Vedder is the name of the person who invented the blueprint) is like an ESC but more advanced, it’s a crucial component that each person should have in order to control the speed, acceleration, and braking of their electric board.
It’s more ad that it utilizes the concept of regenerative braking, which recharges the battery every time you use the brakes.
It also protects the battery from failing and gives you the ability to program it for more features like acceleration and deceleration curves, plus other features.
VESCs aren’t only used for electric skateboards but also electric bicycles, electric scooters, and even electric cars.
The VESC’s main purpose is to protect the motor from burning up by setting limits to the temperature, voltage, and current.
The VESC enables you to control a lot of parameters and limits, one of its good features is the ability to recharge the battery when using the brakes (regenerative braking) or when you’re freewheeling.
Are all VESCs equal?
No, since VESC is an open-source project, different companies tweaked and improved on the first blueprint made by Benjamin Vedder, going for a cheaper VESC is a bad idea, the ones that come from the EU are more expensive and higher in quality than the ones that come from China.
ESC vs VESC
According to this video by Mike Beard which explains how to program a VESC, the main differences between an ESC and a VESC are:
ESC:
- It’s cheaper.
- It comes with a remote.
- Not customizable.
VESC:
- More expensive.
- It doesn’t come with a remote. (but you can basically pick any remote of your choice)
- Very customizable.
- High-quality components. (depends on where you got it from)