Just because it’s Monday doesn’t mean you can’t start the week with a bang. And I’m at a loss of a better way than by feasting your eyes on the latest lethal animal from Australia: the Ungoverned Vendetta tracked electric skateboard.
At least, I think “electric skateboard” is the closest thing to a correct classification for this thing. There aren’t a lot of tracked boards out there, as tank tread-style locomotion is more commonly found on larger vehicles.
But considering it rides like a snowboard and shares most of its electronics with electric skateboards, this is probably the closest approximation we’re going to get.
Designed by Dan Baldwin, the Vendetta features a pair of electrically powered tracks in place of typical skateboard trucks and wheels.
The Repton, Australia-based company Ungoverned launched the Vendetta late last year, and the video below showcases just how extreme the riding can be (warning: volume alert).
The Vendetta features a hinged centerline with mountain bike suspension designed to help it climb up and over irregular terrain while keeping both tracks pressed to the ground.
The increased surface area offers plenty of real estate for the Vendetta to lay down its power, with the company claiming it has four times the contact patch of a typical dirt bike. Considering the geometry of tires versus tank treads, I’m inclined to believe them.
The Vendetta has a top speed of 50 km/h (31 mph) and can traverse terrains ranging from packed nature trails to wet beach sand and just about anything in between. There are also interchangeable mounts up front to swap in skis for snow use or blades for ice riding.
When operated at half of its top speed, the company claims a run time of 40 minutes, though the board comes with a second battery that could be swapped in to double the fun.
The Vendetta weighs in at 19.5 kg (43 lb), which might sound heavy but is nothing compared to the previous gas-powered design that tipped the scales at 45 kg (99 lb).
A hand-held controller is used to wirelessly control the acceleration and braking of the board, much like an electric skateboard.
Priced at AUS $9,895 (approximately US $6,980), the board certainly doesn’t come cheap – even compared to the most expensive traditional electric skateboards out there. But then again, there’s absolutely nothing traditional about the Vendetta.
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