Skateboards typically include an elongated board, sometimes referred to as a deck, having an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface typically support the feet of a rider of the skateboard and the lower surface typically have two trucks attached to the deck disposed toward either end of the deck. The upper surface may support the rider who is sitting on the skateboard. The trucks typically include one or more axles. Wheels, typically one on either side of the truck, attach to the axles. The trucks typically provide several degrees of freedom to the wheels relative to the skateboard deck, allowing the wheels to roll over uneven ground and facilitate turning of the skateboard by the rider.
Skateboards typically require the rider to provide the propelling force to move the skateboard, usually by the rider having one foot on the deck of the skateboard and another pushing off from the ground.
Some skateboards have been developed that include a power source. The power source may be a gasoline powered engine. The power source may be an electrically-powered motor. Typically, such power sources are appended to the underside of the skateboard deck or rest on top of the skateboard deck. These power source is typically separate from the wheels of the skateboard and connected to the wheels by gears, chain or pulley. Such power systems can adversely affect the distribution of mass and are also aesthetically displeasing.