Marbel electric skateboard lets you control your ride with an iOS app

Touted as the world's lightest electric skateboard at just 9.9 pounds, the Marbel sports a custom-molded deck made of carbon fiber and kevlar. The board's batteries sit in a compartment inside the deck, while motors mounted on the rear axle are said to have enough power to propel the board uphill at up to 20 miles per hour for 10 miles.

Riders can control the Marbel using a handheld remote throttle or via touch controls in a companion iPhone app. The app also allows owners to choose different "modes" for Marbel's power circuitry, such as a starter mode that limits the top speed to six miles per hour or an "eco" mode that dynamically adjusts power output to maximize range.

Additionally, the app provides a number of convenience features. An antitheft mode prevents the board from being used when locked with the app, and a map will show riders exactly how far they can go before the Marbel's battery dies.

Interestingly, Marbel appears to have chosen to build a Wi-Fi hotspot into the board, rather than connect via Bluetooth. That decision could prove problematic for riders who like to stream music or other media over a mobile data connection while riding.

At press time, the Marbel team had raised just over $314,000 of its $90,000 goal from 476 backers with 31 hours remaining as of Wednesday afternoon.