Electric Longboard Company Targets Men Age 30-55 with $130,000+ Annual Income

Francis Xavier

7 years ago

screen-shot-2017-02-06-at-9-11-57-am 32 year old former professional kite-boarder and current CEO of the electric skateboard company Inboard Technology, Ryan Evans, has an interesting approach to taking his fledgling company to the next level. In a recent article on fastcompany.com Ryan’s plan was laid out. It is loosely based on Elon Musk’s strategy with Tesla, to target upscale clientele with a premium product in the hopes of making enough money to go into mass production and make more affordable versions available:

“Musk first proved his company’s cool with the $100,000 roadster, then flashed its technical prowess with the $70,000 Model S sedan, before launching the every-person car with the $35,000 Model 3. With the M1, Inboard hopes to snare early adopters who the company identifies as mostly men between 30 and 55 years of age who live in urban areas and earn more than $130,000 annually. According to Inboard’s analysis, a million people fit that description, and with more than twice the median income in the U.S., they can afford the $1,399 price tag. As the price drops, the potential customer base grows. If the board costs less than $1,000, college kids are more likely to buy it, and at a price point under $600, high schoolers get in on it.”

At $1,399.00 the current version is priced out of reach for your common skater and is easy to write off as stupid/privileged mode of transportation that you would only see programers ride in Silicone Valley, but once it become more affordable I think that even the most hardcore skaters will have give it another look: