The Evolve Skateboards Carbon GT hits the Goldilocks zone of electric skateboards. It’s “just right.” It’s got crazy power, great battery capacity, can be converted from all-terrain tires to street wheels, plus, it’s just plain gorgeous. This sleek electric skateboard is great for all sorts of situations and deserves your attention. Starting at $1,959.99, the investment is not insignificant.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Evolve Carbon GT 2-in-1. Evolve seems to have thought of everything when they designed this board. Firstly, it’s absolutely stunning to behold. The carbon fiber frame is sleek, shiny, and perfectly smooth. What impressed me the most is the thinness of the board; the entire board is molded together, including the battery compartment, which creates a seriously thin profile.
Check out the specs on this board straight from Evolve:
Range – Up to 31 miles on the street version. Up to 18.5 miles on the all-terrain version. Varies depending on rider weight, terrain and riding style.
Top Speed – Approximately 22-26 mph on the street version depending on wheel and gear size. Approximately 22-25 mph on the all-terrain version depending on wheel size. This may vary depending on rider weight and terrain.
Hills – Up to 25% gradient in GT mode.
Recharge – Approximately 4-5 hours with standard charger (Optional fast charger 3 hours).
Weight – 17 pounds (street) and 21 pounds (all terrain).
Max Load – 220 pounds.
Terrain – Smooth and hard surfaces (ie: tarmac, bitumen, concrete for the street version). Any hard or compact surface (ie: tarmac, bitumen, concrete, short grass, dirt, uneven and poor terrain surfaces) for the all terrain version.
Remote – Magnetic trigger controls for smoothest acceleration and brake feeling. LCD digital screen giving real-time riding data such as speed, distance and board diagnostics. Programable Safety/Deadman switch. Four speed modes (GT, FAST, ECO & SLOW). Ergonomic design with a rubber over-mould for ultimate hand comfort.
The all-terrain wheels are large and air-filled, so you’ve really got some cushion when you’re riding off-road. They also provide excellent stability and grip. Unlike some of the other boards I’ve ridden, I never really felt like the board was going to come out from under me thanks to the stability and grip provided by the all-terrain wheels. The other advantage to the inflated tires is that it adds shock absorption that helps reduce leg fatigue during long rides. The excellent grip tape atop the board doesn’t hurt as well; my feet always felt firmly planted.
The included remote, Evolve’s R2 Remote, is bar-none the best electric skateboard remote I’ve ever used. The R2 felt great in my hand thanks to its ergonomic design; it has an LED display, separate gas and brake triggers, speed mode toggle buttons, and a programmable safety/deadman switch. The LED screen displays board battery status, remote battery status, current speed mode, speed, and trip mileage. The remote communicates with the board using the 2.4G wavelength and I had zero connectivity issues during my testing. The design of this remote made me feel like I had complete control over my board and that’s priceless when you’re bombing down a hill at 25 mph.
My complaints are few and fairly minor, depending on your use case. The board is fairly heavy in all terrain mode, at about 21 pounds, and 17 pounds in street mode. If you plan to need to carry the board, you might want to consider the weight. The board is also a bit unwieldy to carry since it’s long and the weight is unbalanced toward the back, where the motors are. Another minor gripe is that the board doesn’t flex a ton, so I found that the carving to be slightly lacking compared to other wood boards I’ve used. If you’re looking for a board that’s great for carving, you’ll want to check out Evolve’s Bamboo GTX series. Again, minor complaints, but something to consider before you take the plunge.
I’m a huge fan of the Evolve Carbon GT and I especially love the versatility of the 2-in-1 version. Riding with the all terrain tires was a game changer for me and would look for that option in any board I buy in the future. The remote gets high marks from me and I’m sure I’ll be spoiled for the rest of my e-skate life. The Carbon GT checks all the boxes for me, and I’m sure it will do the same for you as well. Speed, range, versatility, great remote, it’s all there.
You can purchase your Carbon GT directly from Evolve at EvolveSkateboardUSA.com.
Source: The Evolve Carbon GT was a loaned to me by the manufacturer.
What I Like: Gorgeous, sleek design; Versatility; Excellent remote; Long range; Comfortable ride; Fast speed/torque
What Needs Improvement: Weight could be reduced; Flex & carvability could be improved