Meepo V5 Review

Meepo is a global e-skate brand that has been making ready-to-shred boards that we've been ripping around on for years. Now in its fifth generation, the Meepo BLDC hub motors deliver 500 watts to each rear tire, giving you improved speed and acceleration compared to other boards at the same price tier. When beginners step on a board with plenty of power, zippy models can feel hard to get the hang of during the learning process. To help smooth the on-board feel for e-skate newbies, Meepo has tuned the V5's LY-FOC ESC processing system, adding beginner-friendly modes that let you share wind-in-your-face ride experiences with your friends who are new to the electric game.

Performance Comparison

Ride Comfort

This board has average flex and a concave deck that our more aggressive carvers appreciated during turns, but some testers felt the concave was a little overpronounced at the edges for straight-cruising comfort. Deck feel often comes down to personal preference, and Meepo seems to be trying to meet in the middle, giving it a middling score for ride comfort. When you're really leaning into a turn, a bit of concave can help you feel more confident that your feet will stay on the deck as the deck leans. For mostly straight-line commutes, flatter boards are usually more comfortable, but let's face it: Straight ho-hum rides just aren't as fun as carving your way to work or school.

Meepo's 5th Gen Shredder 45° trucks also play a role in curvy ride comfort, making it relatively easy for beginners to turn the V5, especially at lower speeds. Some intermediate and advanced riders tighten the trucks for better stability at high speeds, but it wasn't something we felt the need to do right out of the box.

The stock PU wheels picked up more vibration over cracks than all-terrain boards with rubber and pneumatic wheels, which is expected, but the vibration wasn't enough to cause discomfort in our riders, even after long test rides. “I could feel road vibrations all the time, but my feet didn't feel tingly at all,” explains our range tester. As for performance over medium-to-large pavement cracks, the V5 is just as jarring as similar boards we've tested, no better or worse. Overall, Meepo's meet in the middle tactic seems to be working, and our lead tester noted, “I liked how the V5 carved at slower speeds yet maintained stability at higher speeds.”

Range

The V5 has a below-average range relative to other models we tested. It managed to deliver 10.9 miles before stopping, which is just .10 miles under the manufacturer's 11-mile rating. With such a low manufacturer-rated range, we knew this board wouldn't top our charts with its performance in this metric, and you should be aware that this V5 isn't intended for the long commuter. If you add in the fact that heavier riders, hilly terrain and riding at faster speeds act like electric vampires sucking your battery dry, many riders will likely get even less range out of the V5.

To put the V5's limited range in perspective, if you're a friend who wants to feel the wind in your hair, zoom up hills, and go on long shred sessions, the stock V5 will be hard to recommend, as it is unlikely to last more than an hour before the battery needs a fresh charge.

If you need more range, Meepo offers an extended range battery option that they say will push the range up to 20 miles. Because the standard-range configuration tested so closely to the reported range, we have faith that the higher capacity battery option will perform similarly, meeting the manufacturer's claim.

Braking

Hub-based motors and belt-driven motors have different braking characteristics. Most belt driven motors have more rolling resistance, making it nearly impossible to push them manually like a standard skateboard. This also means they stop more easily. Because hub-based motors roll easier than belt-driven motors, they don't always have the same braking ability. However, despite having a hub-based motor, the Meepo board performed above average in our rigorous braking tests.

After putting it through multiple rounds of braking tests on a flat surface, and averaging the results, this beginner-friendly V5 was able to come to a stop in an average of 24 feet. This is just a hair above the average stopping distance for the group, and is impressive for a board with a hub-based motor.

The challenging hill stop test was even more impressive. While the V5 didn't come to a complete stop, it slowed to a nearly complete stop, allowing our tester to easily step off. To put this performance in perspective, our lead tester explains: “Most boards, even those that cost quite a bit more than the V5, aren't usually able to come to a complete stop on our tough hill test. The fact that the Meepo V5 slowed to a near stop — with a hub-based system — was impressive.”

Speed

We've tested electric skateboards as they've evolved for nearly a decade. Along the way, we've seen average speeds rise dramatically. To fairly evaluate the performance of each board for our our speed rating metric, we measure top speed as well as acceleration, running these tests in the most powerful mode offered by each skateboard.

We clocked the top speed for the V5 at 24.5 mph, which is close to average for the group, and is 3.5 mph slower than Meepo's claimed top speed of 28 mph. However, our test rider was 190 lbs, so we believe a lighter rider might be able to get closer to Meepo's reported top speed.

We could definitely feel the wind against our faces when we maxed out the control at full throttle… but if you're not used to zipping around at 25 mph on a board and 4 wheels, a beginner might wonder how fast is fast enough? To answer that question, we get to the thrill zone when we start to climb into the 20s on our boards. So, although the Meepo V5 doesn't top the charts, we found this board provided enough zip to get our blood pumping.

Hills

Because some riders have unavoidable hills near their homes and routes, we test boards up a variety of hills. Our two measured hill tests include one solid 10% grade as well as a much harder, steeper hill with a 14-15% grade. In general, our experience shows that pavement cracks on hills tend to rob power from boards with smaller wheels, affecting boards with PU wheels (like the Meepo has) more than those with larger pneumatic wheels. Still the V5 had enough punch to make it up both hills in our testing.

The Meepo V5 dropped a bit of power occasionally as it rolled over cracks in the pavement, but overall we were satisfied with the performance on the 10% grade. The steeper hill was more of a challenge, and it took this entry-level board 58 seconds to get to the top.

For comparison, the highest rated boards in this category zoom up this hill in less than half the time — but they also usually cost more than twice as much. “Still,” our lead tester said, “the V5 did make it to the top without sounding or feeling like like the motor was going to break, which is a solid performance for its price range.”

Beginner Friendly

The V5 is solidly average in our beginner friendliness category, but our favorite feature here is the excellent separation between its 4 mode categories. While many boards simply limit the top speed in various modes, the Meepo actually adjusts braking and acceleration speeds as well. In Mode 1, the acceleration and braking are very gentle, which is great for new users who are still getting the hang of the remote. Mode 2 increases acceleration and strengthens braking, making the board noticeably faster out of the gate and quicker to stop. Mode 3 is a good intermediate step that lets users achieve top speed with somewhat dampened acceleration and braking, and Mode 4 is all out on all fronts, for when you want to really let it rip. The main reason it didn't score higher in this metric is due to it's somewhat jerky startup when used in beginner mode.

The remote for the V5 is just a little more robust than most that come with cheaper boards, and it's easy and straightforward to use. We also appreciate the USB-C charge port vs the older Micro-USB charge ports. Overall acceleration and braking are a little jerkier and twitchier than the highest-rated boards we tested, but this Meepo option is very competitive for those on a tight budget.

A final perk that our testers very much appreciated was the built-in carry handle. It makes the board much easier to haul around without getting your hands dirty or having rough deck tape scratch your sleeves or clothes. And, hey, win is a win.

Should You Buy the Meepo V5?

This electric skateboard delivers average performance across most metrics of the boards we tested, but it does so at a competitively affordable price point for new riders with tight budgets. The gentle beginner mode is great for those learning to ride, while the zippy top speed is fast enough to grow into. As riders start pushing this board, they'll appreciate the surprisingly strong brakes. The low-maintenance hub-based motors could be considered another plus for new users not interested in the extra maintenance required with belt-driven boards, which can require more cleaning and periodic belt replacements. While the lighter weight and presence of a carry handle are great features for commuters, the below average range with the standard battery limits the Meepo V5 to shorter trips before needing a recharge, so we'd recommend this mainly to casual/hobby riders who are looking for a fun ride without making a massive investement.

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