The Wowgo Pioneer X5 is a prototypical street-wheeled $1000 flagship electric skateboard, which comes with a lot more power, battery, and bells and whistles than the Pioneer X4, a mid-range board selling at $579.
Judging by the look and the $979 to $1079 price tag, it was designed to be the latest rival to the Backfire Zealot X and Meepo Voyager Limited, which all look especially similar at night with the board lights on.
But first, let’s get into the specs.
Wowgo Pioneer X5 Specs:
| Price | $979 – $1079 |
| Battery | 504wh 14s2p 58.8v Samsung 50s Cell |
| Controller | Hobbywing 14s ESC |
| Top Speed | 34 Mph (55 Kph) |
| Range | 22 miles (35 km) |
| Deck | 8-Ply Canadian Maple And Fiberglass Composite |
| Motor | Dual 2500w 6368 160kv Belt Motors |
Deck – 8-Ply Canadian Maple And Fiberglass Composite:
Starting with the deck, the Pioneer X5 deck is composed of an 8-ply Canadian maple and fiberglass composite, with a prominent concave similar to that of the Exway Flex. The deck is also layered with padded foam grip tape which helps dampen road vibrations. The deck has a medium flex—more than the Backfire Zealot X and about as much as the Meepo Voyager.
Battery – 504wh 14s2p 58.8v Samsung 50s Cell:
Next, the Pioneer X5 is powered by a 504Wh 58.8V Samsung 50s cell battery with a 14s2p configuration, an interesting choice as it’s similar to the 14s2p on the Zealot X but has eight fewer cells than the 12s3p on the Meepo Voyager Limited. It’s marketed at a range of 22 miles (35 km) and we managed to hit just that in our tests.
ESC and Remote – Hobbywing 14s:
As for the ESC, Wowgo sticks with the golden standard Hobbywing 14s ESC which is paired with a standard OLED remote. Unless you’re a newbie to the eskate scene, you’d know that the Hobbywing ESC provides smooth and intuitive control, from rocketing off from a standstill to buttery-smooth braking. The X5 Pro also comes with the Tuya Smart App so you can customize your ride profile on your smartphone, including key settings such as top speed, acceleration, and braking power.
Motor – Dual 2500w 6368 160kv Belt Motors:
Next, the Pioneer X5 runs on some hefty dual 2500W 6368 160KV belt Motors and Wowgo came up with a unique design choice and put covers over the belt drive, which is something you’d usually see on gear drive motors, which protects them from dust and debris. The board provides substantial power and is marketed to hit a top speed of 34mph (55 kph), which we managed to reach when we took it to the streets.
Trucks – 45-Degree Casting Trucks Or 50-Degree Cnc Trucks:
Moving onto the trucks, the X5 offers two options: 45-degree casting trucks for $979 or 50-degree CNC trucks for an extra $100. Wowgo sent us the 50-degree CNC truck option to review. These are 50° CNC aluminum reverse kingpin precision trucks that are quite wide at 9.2 inches. For reference, 8-inch trucks are more common with builds like this, and the extra width significantly impacts the ride profile, as we’ll explain later.
For those who don’t need the extra durability and peace of mind provided by CNC trucks, you can save $100 with the cast truck variant for $979. However, for a board that can go 34 mph, we recommend the CNC trucks for safety. An interesting feature of the X5 Pro’s truck setup is the difference in base plate angles: the Pro model has a 50° angle, while the standard version has a 45° angle.
A 50-degree truck should turn more sharply and quickly than a 45-degree truck if all else is kept equal. If you are getting a Pioneer X5, just get the CNC 50-degree trucks. The reason will become quite clear later.
Wheels – 105mm Galaxy Cloudwheels:
Next, the Pioneer X5 uses 105mm Galaxy Cloudwheels, different from other 105mm wheels like Madwheelz 105 or Cloudwheel Discovery. This was our first experience with the Cloudwheel Galaxy, which seems to have a larger contact patch and is grippier than the Discovery Cloudwheels, though a bit less soft.
Lights:
The board also integrates an LED lighting system that emits a bright orange glow and flashes when braking, adding both style and safety for night riding. The LEDs give off a distinct orange glow, bright enough to turn heads during daylight but truly shining during low-light and nighttime rides.
In terms of functionality, the LED system offers three modes: constant, breathing, and flashing. These are no ordinary LEDs; the board uses COB (Chip-On-Board) LEDs, which are densely packed, offering much more intense light than typical LED strips you’d find online. But they do drain your battery, so to maximize range, you might want to tone down the light show.
Specs Summary of the Wowgo Pioneer X5
It’s clear that the WowGo Pioneer X5 isn’t competing on price, as there are many $1000 boards with 12s3p or even 12s4p batteries, similarly powerful motors, forged trucks, and branded wheels. That being said, on specs alone, it is still on par with the likes of Backfire Zealot X, one of the most popular boards for this price.
It certainly has a complete spec sheet that promises a great—if not unique—ride, so let’s discuss that next.
Ride Experience on the Wowgo Pioneer X5
As we said before, the Pioneer X5 was built with power in mind. From our experience, its torque and power rivals even the likes of the Meepo Voyager X Limited, which in turn feels more powerful than the Backfire Zealot X. And this was done on purpose as the board was set up specifically to harness that power.
This power is firstly complemented by the board’s stability with the choice of wider 9.2-inch trucks, which, as we mentioned, are significantly wider than the 8-inch trucks found on Meepo and Backfire counterparts. Secondly, thanks to the Hobbywing ESC, the Pioneer X5 delivers very intuitive and smooth speed control and is paired with the grippy 105mm wheels that keep you secure on rougher roads. This 14s Hobbywing is certainly tuned to maximize power. And powerful it is, you will need to brace yourself for the acceleration that the board has to offer.
Next, the deck’s medium flex isn’t bouncy enough to feel unstable at high speeds, and the pronounced concave helps us lock our feet onto the deck while going fast.
We are pretty surprised that Wowgo packed so much power on the X5. It felt more powerful than Zealot X, and Meepo Voyager Limited, and those boards are already extremely powerful.
Click here to read our review of the Meepo Voyager Limited
Click here to read our review of the Backfire Zealot X
We are especially surprised because this was not what Wowgo tends to do. When we talk about packing a lot of heat on the board, we typically think of Meepo, and perhaps Tynee with their shortboards, but this is the first time a Wowgo board went in this direction.
However, this power-oriented setup also means the board isn’t exactly made for carving. Despite the 50-degree trucks, the turning radius is still wide, and the board isn’t very nimble with turns. Rider weight might make a difference: most of our team weighs 154 lbs and found the board hard to turn, while one of our 198 lbs friends found it quite manageable. We think the 9.2-inch trucks might be overkill, making the board too stable and not maneuverable enough, but we heard switching to softer bushings can help with this.
As for road feel, the 105mm Galaxy wheels are decent at handling vibrations. Unlike the Cloudwheel Discovery which has a foam core, the 105mm Galaxy feels harder and takes away less vibration. Luckily, the wheels aren’t working alone here. The flexible deck and the foam grip tape all contribute in making the board comfortable even when the road conditions are otherwise.
Verdict – Wowgo Pioneer X5
We are a bit saddened that Wowgo chose not to stick with the ride profile that started with the WowGo X3 and continued with the Pioneer X4. Those predecessors were known for silky smooth ride and buttery smooth carving, emphasizing softer wheels, more flexible deck, and very responsive trucks. Instead, for the Pioneer X5, Wowgo took a different turn entirely making it an absolute beast. It has one of, if not the most powerful acceleration amongst its competitors. And to cater to power, it uses wide trucks that keep you straight and steady. With that said, we see Wowgo Pioneer X5 as a board best for a smaller set of people—those who want extreme power while prioritizing stability or, in other words, those who want a board that beats even Meepo in the thrill game.
If you are interested in buying the Wowgo, be sure to check out our affiliate discount link here and use code: “ESKATEHQ” to receive $15 off during checkout.
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