The $449 Raldey MT-V3 electric longboard is a worthy option for beginners venturing into electric skateboarding. While the range leaves a bit to be desired, this beginner board offers a quality ride with various speed settings you can work up to, just don’t try to take it too far off the beaten path… even with the CloudWheels I also tested.
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The Raldey MT-V3 Electric Longboard
The MT-V3 is electric skateboard manufacturer Raldey’s simplest and most affordable option in its current lineup. This makes sense considering it is marketed as a beginner board. After testing it out for a couple of weeks, I won’t disagree either.
That being said, this electric skateboard from Raldey offers plenty of go from a quality board at a reasonable price. The standard $449 MT-V3 package comes with everything you need to ride including an easy-to-use remote controller, charger, and tools to swap wheels.
Speaking of wheels, the MT-V3 comes standard with 97 mm polyester urethane (PU) wheels, but has an available upgrade to 105 mm CloudWheel donuts, upping the package price to $588. I got to test out the CloudWheels too and believe $588 is still a fair deal.
At the end of the day, however, it’s up to you to decide if this Raldey electric skateboard is right for you and your riding style, so let’s dig into some of the specs.
Technical Specs
- Max Speed: 29 mph (45 km/h)
- Range: Up to 12 Miles
- Rated power: 900W*2
- Waterproof Rating: IP55
- Charging time: 3-4 hours
- Max Climbing Grade: 30%
- Max power: 1,500W*2
- Battery Capacity: 10S3P 7.2AH (modular, swappable)
- Trucks: 45 ° 9 inches
- Wheels: 97 mm PU wheel
- CloudWheel Upgrade: 105 mm multi-step tread pattern
- Weight: 8.5 kg (18.7 lbs)
- Length: 980mm
- Maximum weight limit: 240 lbs
- Deck: 8-Layer Bamboo and Canada Maple (T6 heat treated)
The Raldey MT-V3 electric skateboard is also operable in four separate ride modes, controlled by the easy to use remote. Each offers a different speed and power level, so if you’re a beginner, you can start slow and work your way up. Speed modes break down as follows:
- Low: 8 mph
- Mid: 16 mph
- Hi: 29 mph
- Pro: 29 mph with maximum torque
I personally spent a majority of my time in Mid-mode, since I found Low mode too slow unless I was going down a steep decline or riding through a heavily congested area. The speed jump to Hi mode is also a larger gap than between Low to Mid, but I did find myself in Hi mode on open roads when I really wanted to get some speed.
In the introduction of my video below, I mistakenly say the MT-V3’s top speed is 28 mph. It’s actually 29 mph, but 28 was as high as I could get it with my weight.
You’ll also notice in the video that the reverse button on the controller does not actually switch to reverse mode, but instead switches between speed modes. I have since come to learn that clicking the power button twice initiates reverse mode. So the MT-V3 can go in reverse despite what I thought, the remote is just confusing.
CloudWheels and Performance
Again, as you’ll notice in the video below, the CloudWheels gave me a little trouble when I tried to swap them in to replace the standard PU wheels. The front wheels were no trouble at all, but correctly lining up each of the five pins in the rear motor assembly was a task in itself.
Still, the CloudWheel upgrade is worth the money in my opinion, as the multi-step tread absorbs way more of the road texture than the PU wheels. Although the CloudWheels say “all-terrain” on them, they are more like glorified street wheels than can handle bumps, cracks, and potholes. Even with the upgraded wheels, the MT-V3 is not built for grass or off-roading. That being said, Raldey does sell higher-end electric skateboards with those capabilities.
Overall, I think the performance of the MT-V3 is on par for its price as a beginner board. The ability to go up to 29 mph (or 28 in my experience) could be enticing for beginners, because that’s a pretty fast speed you can work your way up to once you’re comfortable in Low and Mid mode.
The 12 mile range leaves a bit to be desired, and I found that the board had trouble getting up steeper inclines, which usually also required a kick push or some previous momentum. Raldey only advertises 30% grade for inclines, so that feels about right from my experience. There just wasn’t any point where you feel the motors really kick in during a climb, even on Pro mode. It got up every hill, just slowly.
In my opinion, the brakes on this Raldey board were top notch and will certainly benefit the beginner riders this electric skateboard was designed for. No matter the decline, the MT-V3 brakes combined with the remote in your hand gives you complete control of your speed.
There’s plenty more I talk about in my full video review, so check it out below:
Raldey MT-V3 video review
Check out the Raldey MT-V3 electric skateboard for yourself
As I previously mentioned, the Raldey MT-V3 electric skateboard for beginners is on sale for $449 including the PU wheels.
If you’d prefer the upgraded board with CloudWheels (you do), that currently costs $588. Don’t forget to use promo code SCOOTERDOLL for a whopping $10 off your purchase.
Remember to ride safely, wear a helmet, and have as much fun as possible.
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Author: Scooter Doll
Source: Electrek
