It’s been a while since we’ve done an in-depth review of an Electric Skateboard like the Meepo V5. Today we’ll try to answer the question: are Electric Skateboards fun and practical, or are they lame and useless? The Meepo overall impressed us with it’s 28 mph top speed and solid build quality, all for less than $400. Keep reading for our full review of what we liked and didn’t like about the Meepo V5, and who we think should get this board.
Click here for the latest price of the Meepo V5.
Meepo V5 – Specs
- Range: 11 miles OR 20 miles
- Speed: 28 mph
- Dimensions: 38.1″ x 11.1″ x 5.7″
- Battery: 144Wh OR 288Wh
- Motor: 500W x 2
- Rider Load: 330 lbs
- Weight: 17.6 lbs OR 19.4 lbs
- Charging Time: 2.8 hours
- Water Rating: IPX5
- Price: $399 OR $529
- Wheels: 90mm x 60mm
Meepo V5 – Features
- Controller with 4 speed modes
- USB-C cable for controller
- 8-Ply Canadian Maple wood
- 5th Gen Shredder 45° Truck
- Larger battery version includes 3A charger, smaller includes 1.5A charger
Things We Love
Price Point: $399 (for the smaller battery) is a super affordable price that makes the Meepo V5 electric skateboard a great 1st PEV, and perhaps a sort of “gateway drug” into the more expensive PEVs like Onewheels, EUCs or Scooters.
Deck Flexibility: The 8-ply Canadian maple wood has an excellent “springiness” to it, which helps to soak up vibrations from the road.
Portability: We’ve seen a lot of comments online from people who hate the built-in handle, but we love it. The Meepo V5 also weighs 17 lbs (or 19 lbs for the larger battery), and is a great option for those living on college campuses, high-rise apartment buildings, or need to frequently use public transportation. The Meepo is a great accessory for last-mile commutes.
Speed/Price: The Meepo V5 is the only 28mph PEV you can get for $400 or less. In fact, the next cheapest (at $579) is this scooter that looks like a pretty sketchy Chinese-manufactured scooter that doesn’t look very reliable at first glance. Needless to say, the Meepo V5 has impressive build quality for something so cheap, and it’s a huge bonus that it goes 28 mph.
Check out our PEV comparison tables for more data like this, that you can compare yourself.
Trucks: We like the trucks on the Meepo. They are super easy to adjust for the maximum level of comfort and stability when turning, and in fact Andrew after riding the Meepo instantly tightened the rear trucks to reduce wobble.
Water Rating: The IPX5 rating gives you the confidence to ride in light rain or through shallow puddles. We definitely wouldn’t recommend taking the Meepo V5 out in a torrential downpour or through large amounts of standing water, but getting it a little wet should be fine.
Ergonomics: Even if you run out of battery on the Meepo V5, it’s ergonomics are fantastic and it basically rides like a regular longboard. There isn’t a lot of motor resistance, so you should be able to ride this normally until your next charge-up.
What We Don’t Like
Light: Most, if not all PEVs that we have tested come with some form of lighting, but the Meepo V5 has nothing. We’d recommend an external rear helmet light and some sort of front-mounted headlight when riding this at night. Meepo does offer a few accessory lights on their website, but those aren’t included in the $400 sticker price of the board.
Water Resistance: While the electrical components do have a water rating, the bearings don’t, and we would be worried about the front bearings specifically when riding in the rain or through water.
Wheels: The wheels are somewhat soft, but we wish they were even softer. Road vibrations are uncomfortable after even just a few minutes of riding, and wheels that absorbed more of those vibrations would reduce range, but greatly increase ride quality and comfort.
China-Based: Meepo is a Chinese company, and their customer service is based in China. They do have somewhat reliable phone and email support, but it will won’t be the silky smooth customer service experience that we enjoy from brands like Minimotors or Lectric.
Motor Covers: We’ve heard from a lot of folks online that the motor covers on the Meepo V5 are prone to falling off. We didn’t have issues with our specific board.
The Freshly Charged Take
The Meepo V5 is perfect for people who are looking to get into the E-Skate space, or maybe even are trying out their first PEV. It’s one of the least expensive PEVs we’ve ever tested, and provides thrilling speed in a very compact, portable package.
Click here for the latest price of the Meepo V5.
PEV Comparison Tables
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