Electric Longboard vs Shortboard: Which Should You Choose?

Electric skateboards come in two broad shapes: longboards and shortboards. The choice between them affects your ride quality, portability, and what kind of riding you can actually do. This guide breaks down the real differences so you can pick the right one.

What Counts as a Longboard vs a Shortboard

There is no official cutoff, but the general convention is straightforward. Longboards are typically 90 cm or longer, with a wider deck and longer wheelbase. Shortboards are under 80 cm, often closer to 70 cm, with a narrower deck and shorter wheelbase.

Some boards sit in the middle ground around 80 to 85 cm. These are sometimes called mid-length or cruiser-style boards. They try to split the difference, and for some riders they succeed.

Stability and Ride Quality

This is the biggest practical difference.

Longboards have a longer wheelbase, which means the trucks are further apart. This makes them significantly more stable at speed. If you plan to ride above 25 km/h regularly, a longboard is the safer choice. The longer deck also gives you more room to adjust your foot position, which reduces fatigue on longer rides.

Longboard decks often have more flex, particularly bamboo or fibreglass composite models. This flex acts as suspension, absorbing bumps and cracks. On typical Australian suburban footpaths and bike lanes, which tend to be rougher than what you see in promotional videos, this flex makes a noticeable difference to comfort.

Shortboards have a shorter wheelbase and feel twitchier at speed. They are more prone to speed wobbles, especially for less experienced riders. The compact deck means your feet are closer together, which some riders find less comfortable over distance.

That said, shortboards are more responsive in tight spaces. If your commute involves weaving through pedestrian areas or making sharp turns, the nimble feel of a shortboard can be an advantage.

Portability and Weight

This is where shortboards win decisively.

A typical electric shortboard weighs 5 to 7 kg and is compact enough to carry in a backpack or hold under one arm. You can take it on a bus, walk it through a shopping centre, or stash it under your desk without much hassle.

Longboards weigh 7 to 10 kg on average, and some premium models push past 12 kg. They are awkward to carry because of their length. Fitting one in a car boot is fine, but carrying it through a train station or up several flights of stairs gets old quickly.

If your routine involves any segment where you cannot ride, whether that is a train, a flight of stairs, or an office lobby, weight and size matter more than you think.

Range and Battery

Longboards generally offer better range, but not always for the reason you might expect.

Longer decks have more space for batteries. Many longboard manufacturers take advantage of this by fitting larger battery packs. A mid-range longboard might offer 20 to 30 km of range, while a shortboard of similar quality might manage 12 to 18 km.

However, battery capacity is what actually determines range, not deck length. Some premium shortboards pack impressive batteries into compact enclosures and match or exceed budget longboards on range. Check the watt-hour (Wh) rating rather than relying on the manufacturer's optimistic range estimate.

For Australian commuters, the practical question is whether the board can do your full journey on a single charge with a margin for headwinds, hills, and the reality that real-world range is always less than advertised.

Commuting

For a daily commute of more than a couple of kilometres, longboards are generally the better tool.

The stability at speed means you can cruise more confidently in a bike lane alongside traffic. The larger wheels (usually 80 to 90 mm on longboards versus 70 to 80 mm on shortboards) roll over rough patches and small debris more easily. The deck flex reduces the jarring impacts that make short-deck commuting tiring.

Shortboards suit short last-mile commutes where you need to jump off, pick up the board, and transition to walking or public transport frequently. If your commute is a quick 1 to 2 km dash from the train station to the office, a shortboard's portability might outweigh a longboard's ride comfort.

Tricks and Technical Riding

If you want to do kick turns, manuals, or any kind of technical street skating, shortboards are the obvious choice. Their shape often includes a kicktail, which longboards rarely have. The lighter weight and shorter wheelbase make them more manoeuvrable for this kind of riding.

Most electric longboards are designed purely for cruising and commuting. They are not built for tricks, and trying to use them that way is a good way to damage the board or yourself.

That said, the overlap between electric skateboarding and trick skating is small. Most people buying an electric board want transport, not a skate park experience.

Terrain Handling

Neither standard longboards nor shortboards handle genuinely rough terrain well. For that, you need an all-terrain board with pneumatic tyres.

Between the two, longboards handle moderately rough surfaces better. The larger wheels, longer wheelbase, and deck flex all contribute to a smoother ride on imperfect paths. Shortboards with small, hard wheels can be genuinely unpleasant on the chip-sealed roads and cracked footpaths common in Australian suburbs.

If your routes include a mix of smooth and rough surfaces, a longboard with 85 mm or larger wheels will handle the transitions more comfortably than a shortboard.

Hill Climbing

Motor power, not board shape, determines hill climbing ability. Both longboards and shortboards can come with powerful motors.

However, longboards have one practical advantage on hills: stability. Descending a steep hill at 30 km/h on a shortboard requires significantly more skill and confidence than doing the same on a longboard. If your area has hills, factor this into your decision.

Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane all have suburbs with significant grades. If you cannot avoid hills on your route, a longboard with strong regenerative braking is the safer bet.

Cost Comparison

At any given price point, longboards and shortboards are broadly comparable in component quality. You are not paying more for one shape over the other.

In Australia, expect to spend $600 to $1,200 for a decent entry-level board of either type, and $1,200 to $2,500 for a mid-range to premium option. Budget options under $500 exist but often have poor build quality, unreliable electronics, or both.

Which One Should You Choose

Choose a longboard if:

• Your commute is more than 3 km each way
• You value stability and comfort over portability
• You ride on mixed-quality surfaces
• You plan to ride above 25 km/h regularly
• Your routes include hills

Choose a shortboard if:

• You need to carry the board frequently (public transport, stairs, offices)
• Your commute is short, under 3 km
• You want a board for fun and casual riding, not primarily transport
• Manoeuvrability in tight spaces matters more than high-speed stability
• You want a kicktail for occasional technical riding

Consider a mid-length board if:

• You want a compromise between the two
• Your commute is moderate, around 3 to 5 km
• You need some portability but also some stability

There is no wrong answer here. Both types work. The key is matching the board to how you will actually use it, not how you imagine using it on the best possible day.