Today, we are reviewing the Wowgo Mini 2s, a new belt-driven electric shortboard from Wowgo.
In July 2023, Wowgo launched the Wowgo Mini 2s into stiff competition. Just this year, we saw a ton of new electric skateboards occupying what I called the mid-tier price segment ($500 – $800). For shortboards, we have the Tynee Mini 3 ($569) and Tynee Mini 3 Pro ($869), and for cruisers, we have the very good Meepo Flow ($729), Meepo Envy ($699) and Backfire Zealot S2 ($849).
And now, the Wowgo Mini 2s. Priced at $699, it is the upgraded sibling of the Wowgo Mini 2. However, with the Mini 2 now selling for $469, does the Wowgo Mini 2s do enough to justify that extra $200?
Wowgo Mini 2s Specifications:
| Price | $699 (Street) $819 (2 in 1) |
| Battery | 12S2P, 260Wh, 6.0Ah, Samsung 30Q |
| Controller | Hobbywing ESC V5.0 |
| Top Speed | 28 mph (45 kph) |
| Range | 18.6 miles (30km) |
| Deck | Canadian Maple, Bamboo, and Fibreglass |
| Motor | 2 x 700W Motors/Belt Drive |
| Net Weight | 17 lbs (7.7 kg) |
Deck – Same!
The deck remains largely unchanged from the Wowgo Mini 2, using a blend of bamboo, and fiberglass. It is completely stiff; the full-length enclosure underneath the deck makes sure of that.
The U-shaped concave design, popularized by the late-boost Mini, can be seen here, though with a more subtle concave compared to others like the Boosted Mini or Exway Wave. This concave provides a responsive yet comfortable stance for riders.
- Material: Bamboo, and fiberglass hybrid.
- Design: A milder U-shaped concave compared to the Boosted Mini or Exway Wave.
ESC and Remote – 12s Hobbywing ESC
The Wowgo Mini 2s employ the 12s Hobbywing ESC, offering four-speed modes and ensuring a smooth ride. Hobbywing ESC comes with a smart power-on feature ( the board power on automatically when you switch on the remote). The ESC pairs with the latest Hobbywing remote instead of going with the usual Wowgo remote. This is a bit sad, we like the Wowgo remote; it has an elegant look.
A smartphone app is now available for the 12s Hobbywing ESC, thanks to a recent update. You can select one of four preset speeds or download the Tuya app and adjust the speed profile.
- Powered by the 12s Hobbywing ESC, the Mini 2s provides four-speed settings.
- Supported by a smartphone app, users can modify their speed profile via the Tuya app.
Battery – Disappointing
The Mini 2s comes with a 12S2P battery using Samsung 30Q cells. This is bigger than the 10s2p of the Wowgo Mini 2, which gives the Mini 2s a larger 260 wh battery as compared to the Mini 2’s 10s2p 187 wh battery. Not gonna lie, we were a little disappointed here seeing the $729 Tynee Mini 3 Belt have a much bigger 393 Wh battery in 13S2P configuration and also use a 21700 battery in the Molicel P42A. I was expecting Wowgo to at least go with 21700 cells instead of 18650 cells in the Samsung 30Q, which, don’t get me wrong, are one of the best cells for an electric skateboard, but it’s not that juicy.
At the very least, it outperforms the Exway Wave, which costs the same $699 and has a measly 180-watt-hour battery.
Fortunately, this 12S2P pack still performs well. It’s claimed to last 19 miles (30km); however, in our tests, our 155-pound (70 kg) rider got to 15 miles (24km) by riding fast. While longer is always better (that’s what she said), 15 miles of range should be enough for a shortboard.
Click here to read our review of the Tynee Mini 3 (hub)
Despite this, the 12S2P promised a range of 19 miles (31 km), which, in real-world tests, translated to about 15 miles (24 km) at top speed.
- Equipped with a 12S2P battery using Samsung 30Q cells, totals to 260 Wh, bigger than the 187 Wh of its predecessor.
- Advertised range: 19 miles (31 km).
- Real-world test: 15 miles (24 km) riding fast.
Motor Type – The Star of The Tale
The belt drive is without a doubt, the biggest improvement going from the Mini 2 to the Mini 2s. The Mini 2s uses two 700-watt belt motors compared to the Wowgo Mini 2’s two 680-watt hub motors. These are the same size as those in the Wowgo Pioneer X4!
The motor is significantly more powerful, and the Mini 2s has a marketed top speed of 28 mph, or 45 kph, and we hit that in our test. This is definitely a lot faster than most riders need, but I’m sure some of you have an appetite for the adrenaline rush.
Although the extra power is exciting, the belt drive’s main advantage is a smoother ride. The original Wowgo Mini 2 was already incredibly powerful with efficient large hub motors; however, they have a tendency to transfer road vibrations a little too well.
- A significant leap from the Mini 2, the Mini 2s is powered by two 700-watt belt motors.
- Marketed top speed: 28 mph, which was consistent with our tests.
Trucks – Wowgo’s Proprietary Trucks
The trucks are Wowgo 45-degree RKP trucks with double barrel bushings. These are the same trucks seen on the Wowgo 3E and Wowgo Pioneer X4, and we already know they are pretty good.
Wheels – Cloudwheels Compatible
The board comes with standard 78A 90mm polyurethane wheels, and you can upgrade to 105mm cloud wheels for an additional $100 or get both wheels for $819.
- Standard: 78A 90mm polyurethane wheels.
- Optional: 105mm cloud wheels for an additional $100 or bundled at $819.
Weight
The board weighs 17 pounds (7.7 kg), making it slightly lighter than typical electric longboards but heavier than the Wowgo Mini 2, which weighs 15.32 pounds (6.95 kg).
Summing Up the Specs
To summarise, the $699 Wowgo Mini 2s is essentially a drivetrain and battery upgrade over the $469 Wowgo Mini 2.
At $699, the competition is fierce, with shortboards like the Exway Wave and Tynee Mini 3 and cruiser boards like the Meepo Flow all competing. The Wowgo Mini 2s features a decent battery for the price and two powerful motors. It looks nice, so let’s see if it rides better than the competition.
The Riding Experience of Wowgo Mini 2s
It’s no surprise that the Wowgo Mini 2S has flawlessly smooth and intuitive speed control; after all, it’s powered by a Hobbywing 12S ESC.
The Wowgo Mini 2s, like many of this year’s shortboard debuts, offer a lot of power and torque, even more than most electric longboards. It’s always exciting to take off from a standstill, and the Mini 2s accelerate quickly but smoothly, owing to the Hobbywing ESC. It is still punchy and quick, but the acceleration ramped up smoothly enough that it wasn’t jerky. It can also accelerate quickly to near top speed. And, as a powerful board with belt drive, traveling uphill would be no problem for even the heaviest rider. In terms of power, the Wowgo Mini 2s outperforms the Exway Wave and falls somewhere in between the Tynee Mini 3 Hub and the Tynee Mini 3 Pro.
Click here to read our review on the Exway Wave
And just like Uncle Ben said, with great power come great needs for stability, especially for a shortboard. The Wowgo Mini 2s performed well in this aspect; it has a short, narrow deck, but the trucks are well-balanced in terms of stability and ease of turning. We feel pretty comfortable going 25 mph or 40 km/h on it, but afterward, it starts to get scary for us. Again, we believe that no one should ride a shortboard this fast.
After all, most people ride shortboards for the agility they provide, such as maneuvering around pedestrians on the sidewalk and rounding tight corners. And these are the things that the Wowgo Mini 2s excelled at. The truck is responsive and easy to control, and the kicktail, despite its tiny size, is useful for kick turns.
When it comes to reducing road vibrations, the Wowgo Mini 2s outperforms the hub version of the Mini 2, but that’s obviously a very low bar to clear. On uneven roads, all shortboards felt awful, but those with belt drives fared significantly better than those with hubs. The 105mm cloud wheels helped a lot, but we still wouldn’t recommend owning a shortboard if you mostly ride on rough roads.
Verdict – Should you buy the Wowgo Mini 2s?
We really enjoy riding the Wowgo Mini 2s. I mean, we like the Wowgo Mini 2, and the Mini 2s is a lot more powerful and has a smoother ride after switching hub motors for belt drive. Black and grey also look better to our eyes than the purple color of the Wowgo Mini 2. For $699, we wish it came with a bigger battery, but if you are not that concerned about maximizing battery per dollar, the Wowgo Mini 2s is a great electric shortboard to get.
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It will help you get a small monetary discount and help us out too. On top of that, you’ll be tagged as an Electric Skateboard HQ customer and probably be treated better. Cheers!
