When Was the Hoverboard Invented and Where They Are Made?
Do you know When Was the Hoverboard Invented? The first hoverboard was invented in 1989 by a man named Shane Chen. Hoverboards are now made in China, and the market is becoming more and more saturated as they become more popular.
From fun-loving kids to influencing tech enthusiasts- hoverboards are everyone’s cup of tea these days. Justin Beiber is riding one, it’s on the top-rated sports items in Amazon, and the list can go on and on.
But we are not here to discuss how hoverboards have many of this generation ‘onboard’ these days. Instead, we’re going to look back to the history of when and how it was invented. On top of that, it’ll also be revealed where those machines are being manufactured these days.
Sounds enticing? Grab a cup of coffee, and let’s hop right in.
History of the Hoverboard:
The first Hoverboard was a toy created by Greg Henderson and John Christie in 1992. It used two 12-volt motors with gyroscopes to create the “hovering” effect.
In 2003, a patent for the Hendo Hoverboard was filed by inventor Shane Chen. This board used magnets to achieve lift and stability.
In 2013, Hollywood stuntman Daniel Wesson created a working prototype of the Hendo Hoverboard.
In 2015, US entrepreneur Greg Henderson teamed up with Chinese company CEO Mattel to produce the world’s first mass-produced Hoverboard, which went on sale in 2016.
Hoverboard- Where The Name Came From?
The question looks as strange as it is because we all know what it is, right? But do you know the fascinating story behind the naming?
Before going into facts, let’s recall the story for a moment.
Although the name suggests, Hoverboards don’t ‘hover’ at all. It’s just a consideration in the media, which was vastly inspired by MK Joseph’s science fiction novel published in 1967.
To keep things more towards reality, Marty FC Fly had assigned an alternative name to this commuter, which is a Self-balancing scooter. Needless to say, both names had earned their share of popularity, however.
Shane Chen- Let’s Know The Inventor First
Let’s take some time and get to know the man behind the trend- Shane Chen, a Chinese-American investor, and entrepreneur.
After a glorious career in agricultural bioscience, Chen decided to sell up his successful startup named CID Inc in 2009 and focus on rather consumer products instead. And it was in 2013 when Shane came up with the founding idea of hoverboards.
And needless to say, a number of evolution processes had taken place since then. But the founding credit will be forever for the enthusiastic inventor- Shane Chen.
When Was The Hoverboard Invented?
It was in May of 2013 when Shane launched a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter, and that brought the Chinese tech entity Chic Robotics into the game.
Chic Robotics launched its very first hoverboard named the Smart S1 in August 2014. It was displayed in the Canton Fair Trade Show of that year. And once it drew its initial share of attention, the rest of its popularity just spread out like a bonfire.
Well, that’s when the hoverboards or self-balancing scooters were officially made public. Although, 2013 will be always remembered as the birth year of the original idea itself, dropped by Shane Chen.
Hovertrax: The 1st Ever Hoverboard:
Before they got to be known as the infamous ‘hoverboard’, Shane Chen, the founder named them the ‘Hovertrax’. But it’s a pity that the name of its father was not labeled on the device for so long.
Let’s explain why-
When Chic Robotics first released its hoverboard as ‘Smart S1’, it immediately started being produced in bulk in Shenzhen- the Chinese Silicon Valley. But there came some pattern conflicts in China raised by Chen.
It was Mark Cuben who announced that he would take over the patent of the hoverboard from Chen to his company. And that’s the day when the hoverboards stopped being called the Hovertrax.
Where Are Hoverboards Made?
As you already know, It was Chic Robotics from China started to manufacture hoverboards under their label on an industrial basis. But it was not so late when the manufacturing rights were revisited as the US International Trade Commission Took over this case.
Let’s break the facts down-
With the hoverboards that were manufactured in China, their technical issues were rising day by day. If you’d ask how much do hoverboards cost back then, the answer would be a pleasing figure. But right after those technical issues took place(in 2016), The US Trade Commission filed a patent infringement case against UP TECH, UP Robotics, UP Technology, and Free Go China.
On the other side, Segway- the brand came to a settlement in this matter and started manufacturing hoverboards officially. And right now, these are some of the popular brands manufacturing both heavy-duty and lightweight hoverboards that meet almost all ends, officially for the global market-
- Segway.
- Razor.
- EpikGo.
- Swagtron.
- Halo Rover.
- HoverZon.
However, that didn’t change that the machines are still being manufactured in Shenzhen, China. In fact, many established brands have been taking the facility from the Chinese silicon valley to manufacture devices from iPad to drones.
Therefore, they are still a device created in Shenzhen, China. And the city had earned the tagline of ‘purpose-built to bring the world electronics’ for very valid reasons.
A Bit of a Warning
The rise of hoverboards is no less than a dream come true for any tech entity. And it’s still on the rise of its popularity curve. But there are some dark spots on the other side of the coin.
Every now and then, the news is reported about hoverboards catching on fire. And it was labeled as official when the US and UK local fire departments reported in favor of this allegation.
But the fresh breath or air is, not all of the brands have those claims on them. And most fire incidents are easily avoidable if you are a little bit careful about your little commuter. Especially, recharging the battery safely is the ground rule to avoid something like this.
Parting Words
Tech is moving, and it’s moving faster than ever. And the epic rise of the hoverboard and its siblings points us to the fact that personal commuting is the arena where big tech giants will play.
Nonetheless, it’s always the hoverboard who crafted the way, and the fascinating story behind that will always be recalled.
Happy riding!
