A longboard with a regenerative-braking hub that turns your downhill runs into power for your phone, headphones, and bike lights. The first skateboard that's also a wearable battery you don't have to wear.
Feasibility at a glance
PT localization
8/10
High
The whole build can be sourced in Portugal.
Per unit
€340–€520 per deck
at 400-unit volume
Starter batch
400units
minimum viable run
To first batch
6 phases, design to ship
Budget
€136K–€291K
all-in estimate
Bottom line
Picked based on the localization score (8/10) plus the dominant process (cnc machining). For an early build at this batch size, this gives you the best balance of cost, risk, and speed of iteration.
4 capabilities
Lets you ride exactly like a normal longboard — no learning curve.
When you brake, the rear wheel runs as a generator and slows you down.
Charges your phone through a sealed USB-C port near the back truck.
Lights up automatically at dusk so cars see you on the sea-front road.
4 stations · build route
Lay the deck
Eight-ply maple plus a flax outer skin for stiffness without harshness.
Build the hub motor
In-house wound stator, custom rotor with embedded magnets.
Pack the cells
Spot-welded 21700 nickel strips, BMS supervised, potted in epoxy.
Tune the brake
Test riders on a closed hill until the brake feels analog, not jerky.
Lay the deck
Eight-ply maple plus a flax outer skin for stiffness without harshness.
Build the hub motor
In-house wound stator, custom rotor with embedded magnets.
Pack the cells
Spot-welded 21700 nickel strips, BMS supervised, potted in epoxy.
Tune the brake
Test riders on a closed hill until the brake feels analog, not jerky.
3 identified · 2 blocking
High
Battery transport / safety certification
UN 38.3 testing is non-negotiable and slow.
Mitigation — Book the test slot at the same time as the EVT build, not after.
High
Cell mismatch causes thermal events
Reclaimed-energy systems push cells harder than they would see in a phone.
Mitigation — Match cells within ±2% IR; thermistor every cell group; passive cell-balancing.
Medium
Brake feel disappoints riders
If the regen brake feels jerky, riders won't use it and the whole value prop collapses.
Mitigation — Tune torque ramp on a closed hill with at least 5 test riders.
20 weeks to first batch
CNC machining
wk 1–2Composite lay-up
wk 3Motor winding
wk 4Battery pack assembly
wk 5Anodising
wk 6Functional QA & batch sign-off
wk 7CNC machining
Composite lay-up
wk 1–2 is the longest stretch — CNC machining takes 2 weeks of the 7 weeks on this build.
6 materials · 6 processes
Materials
Processes
507 Portuguese manufacturers matched
None cover the whole build — it splits across steps.
9 tasks · 30 weeks to first batch
Week 1
2 tasks
Lock the pilot scope to one variant
One material set, one feature set, one user persona. Anything else is roadmap, not pilot.
Shortlist three vendors per critical step
Use GETMILK Match to pull a ranked list across the top three processes — cnc_machining, composite_layup, motor_winding. Send the same RFQ to all three; do not customise per vendor yet.
Weeks 2–3
2 tasks
Freeze the design for the first 10 units
Move the active CAD set to a tagged release; any change after the freeze gets logged in the change-board.
Place first-article orders with two of the three vendors
waits on Vendor shortlist signed off
Order one of each critical part at full spec. Do not buy 100 — buy 1, inspect, learn, then buy 100.
Weeks 4–7
2 tasks
Run the integration pilot
waits on First articles delivered
Ten complete units assembled in-house. Track yield, defect modes, and cycle time on a shared dashboard.
Kick off compliance + certification
Engage a notified body for the relevant standards. Booking a slot now beats discovering a 12-week wait later.
Weeks 8–16
2 tasks
Put 25 units in the hands of lighthouse users
waits on Integration pilot complete
These users help refine the product, but they also become your first paid customers. Charge a symbolic price so the data is real.
Scale-readiness review with the chosen primary vendor
waits on Lighthouse trial telemetry
Before you tool up for 1000 units, walk the line together and agree on capacity, payment terms, and the failure-mode plan.
Ongoing
1 task
Stand up a customer support loop
Every defect that reaches a user becomes a ticket, a root cause, a fix, and a regression test on the line.
3 roles to fill before month one
Battery-program PO
EIT InnoEnergy
First call for any cell-pack pilot funding in EU.
UN 38.3 test lab
TÜV Sud
Books out 12 weeks ahead — call them before EVT.
Cell research lab
INL Braga
Owns the best cell-characterisation rigs in Iberia.
3 things to avoid in this plan
watch-out
Founder time leaks into vendor management instead of customer development
certification
Compliance booked too late and blocks shipping for 8+ weeks
quality
Demand exceeds the chosen vendor's small-batch capacity right when momentum matters
2 tasks in week 1
Lock the pilot scope to one variant
Motor winding
Battery pack assembly
Anodising
Functional QA & batch sign-off
507 matched · 8 shown, ranked by coverage
Covers, left to right: CNC Machining · Composite Layup · Motor Winding · Battery Pack Assembly · Anodizing · Final Assembly
Manufacturer
Location
Covers
Certifications
People
PT18 — **Évora (Alentejo)** — combined site ~500 employees
—
—
PT11 — **Santo Tirso (Norte)**, Ermida industrial zone
—
—
PT16 — **Marinha Grande (Centro)** + UK / CN / BR / SE engineering offices
ISO 14001
1400
Portuguese producers per required step
Final Assembly
369
CNC Machining
212
Composite Layup
15
Battery Pack Assembly
3
Anodizing
3
Motor Winding
0
How many cover more than one step
The gap
Picked based on the localization score (8/10) plus the dominant process (cnc machining). For an early build at this batch size, this gives you the best balance of cost, risk, and speed of iteration.
Send one RFQ to the top 4
Almadesign, EDISOFT, Embraer Portugal Estruturas Metálicas, Mecachrome Aeronáutica — same package, one click.