Onewheel is a self-balancing skateboard

The Silicon Valley gives birth to many innovative green technology ideas, and now one of the latest is the rather unique Onewheel, a “self-balancing electric skateboard that lets you fly over pavement on only a single wheel using self-balancing technology.”

Onewheel, developed by electric vehicle start up Future Motion, lets one

accelerate up to 12MPH only by leaning toward their front foot. Leaning back slows down, or even reverses. Regenerative braking recharges the battery during deceleration.

The device is also capable of a technique called carving on pavement, that’s described as being similar to snowboarding on powder or surfing a wave. Making use of a flat paved surface, light heel or toe pressure carves turns and can even turn 360 degrees within the length of the board. This is all on an 11 inch air filled racing go kart tire.

image via Future Motion

A special hub motor using “state-of-the-art axial flux brushless motor technology” is powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries that recharge in under 30 minutes using the fast charger option. The range of the Onewheel, depending upon terrain and riding style, goes to between four and six miles.

The electric skateboard is currently up for crowdfunding support on Kickstarter, where its developers hope to raise $100,000 to finalize engineering and set up the production process. Those who support to the tune of nearly $1,200 will get a $100 discount on the nearly $1,300 regular base model price tag.

* Nino Marchetti, EarthTechling