Quick answer: Some warmth after a ride or on the charger is normal: lithium-ion batteries warm up as they work. Hoverboard overheating is different, and the signs are a battery area that feels unusually hot, a smell, hissing or a bulging casing. Then stop, switch off and let it cool away from anything that burns, and keep it off the charger.
Is it normal for a hoverboard to get hot?
Warm, yes. Hot, no. The London Fire Brigade points out that batteries can become warm during use or charging, and the government's battery advice agrees: some heat is normal, but a battery that feels extremely hot to the touch may be faulty and is a reason to stop.
| What you notice | Usually | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The underside is slightly warm after a ride on grass | Normal: the board has been working | Let it cool before you charge it |
| The charger is warm while it charges | Normal | Leave it uncovered on hard flooring; unplug it at the end |
| Too hot to keep your hand on, or hot while switched off | Not normal | Stop and follow the stop box below |
| Heat together with a smell, hissing, crackling or a bulge | A battery warning sign | Stop at once; dial 999 if there is smoke |
| One wheel much warmer than the other, with rubbing or grinding | Something catching, or a drive fault | Check it by hand once it is cool |
Why do hoverboard wheels get hot?
The drive works through the wheels, so after a long session the area around them can feel warm, especially after soft ground or a heavy rider. Hoverboard wheels getting hot after a hard ride on grass: on its own, that is not a fault. A single wheel that runs clearly hotter than its partner is different. Once the board is cool and switched off, turn that wheel by hand and look for grass, string or hair wound around it; our guide to cleaning grass out of the wheels shows how to clear it. If it still rubs, grinds or drags, that is a wheel that rubs or grinds and a job for us.
What makes a hoverboard overheat?
Heat builds when the board works hard, when the weather adds to it, or when the battery gets no chance to cool:
- Sun and hot weather. High temperatures put stress on lithium-ion batteries and raise the risk of overheating. A board left in strong sun between rides starts the next one already warm.
- Soft ground. On grass, sand or loose gravel the tyres sink in slightly and the motors push harder; read about soft ground and the extra work it asks.
- A load near the limit. A rider near 100 kg on the smaller board, or near 120 kg on the larger one, keeps the motors working hard; our guide to riding close to the weight limit explains why more weight means more work.
- Long sessions without a break. A board that never rests never cools.
- Charging straight after a ride, or under cover. Fire services advise letting the battery cool first, and government advice is never to cover a charger or battery pack while it charges.
- Damage. Once a battery has taken a hard knock or shows damage, stop using it.
Even the 8.5-inch board for riders up to 120 kg, built for grass on off-road tyres and twin 400 W motors, works harder with a heavy rider on a hot afternoon. The smaller 6.5-inch board for hard ground belongs on patios and driveways, where the going is easier. Our overview shows which board suits which rider, by weight and by ground.
Can you leave a hoverboard in a hot car?
No. Fire services advise keeping lithium-ion batteries out of direct sunlight for long periods and storing them somewhere cool and dry, and a car parked in the sun is neither. If you drive to private land to ride, keep the board shaded inside the car, take it out as soon as you arrive, and never leave it there between sessions or overnight. If it comes out hot, let it cool in the shade before you ride or charge it.
What changes for hoverboard riders on a hot day?
- Ride in the cooler part of the day, early or late.
- Keep sessions short, and rest the board switched off in the shade between them.
- Take grass and sand more gently, above all near the weight limit.
- Ease off and stop if it warns you; our guide to beeps and tipping footpads explains what the warnings can mean.
- Wear a helmet and guards for wrists, knees and elbows, however warm it is.
How long should a hoverboard cool down before charging?
There is no set number of minutes, and our product information has no figure for it. Fire services say to let a battery cool after use and not to charge one that already feels very hot. In practice, wait until the board feels no warmer than the room it is in. Then charge it indoors, out of direct sunlight, on a hard, flat surface with nothing over it, while someone is awake in the house. If it refuses to charge, start with the charging checks.
When is a hot hoverboard a warning sign?
Heat together with swelling, a strong or unusual smell, hissing, cracking or popping sounds, leaking liquid, or a battery that no longer charges fully can mean the battery is failing. What to do then:
- Stop riding or charging. Switch the board off; if it is charging, switch the charger off at the wall and pull the plug.
- If that can be done without danger to you, carry the board outdoors and set it down well away from people, pets and things that could catch fire.
- Never cool it with water or ice: water in the port and seams can cause a short circuit.
- Do not charge or ride it again, and contact us. Our battery guide covers battery warning signs and what follows.
- If there is smoke or fire, leave, keep everyone out and dial 999. Never try to put out a battery fire yourself.
Where should a hoverboard be kept in summer?
Somewhere cool and dry indoors, out of direct sunlight, away from the way out and from anything that burns, which rules out a sunny windowsill or a shed in full sun. These are the habits from our guide on the cold-weather side of battery care, with heat in place of frost.
Whatever the season, the land must be private and its owner must agree. Pavements and roads are off-limits, and so are parks and cycle lanes.
Stop and contact us
Power the board down, leave it off the charger and get in touch if:
- the battery area is too hot to touch, or stays hot after the board has rested in the shade;
- heat comes with a smell, hissing, crackling, smoke or a bulging casing;
- one wheel runs much hotter than the other, or still grinds or rubs once it has cooled;
- the board keeps cutting out on warm days although the battery shows charge.
If smoke or flames appear, leave the building, keep everyone out and dial 999.
Questions riders ask
Should I ride a hoverboard during a heatwave?
Only gently, and only in the cooler hours. Hot weather stresses the battery before you have even started, so keep sessions short, rest the board switched off in the shade, and stop if the battery area feels hot rather than warm.
Why did my hoverboard cut out on a hot day?
A low battery, a heavy load or soft ground can each make a board give up, and heat adds to the strain. Get off the board, turn it off and let it cool in the shade. If it keeps happening with a charged battery, stop using it and contact us.
Can I cool a hot hoverboard down with water?
Never. Water can get into the port and the seams and cause a short circuit, and freezing cold is bad for a lithium-ion battery too. Let it cool on its own, switched off, in the shade or indoors.
Can I keep a hoverboard in a conservatory or shed over the summer?
Not if the sun gets in. Fire services advise keeping lithium-ion batteries out of direct sunlight and somewhere cool and dry, which a sunlit conservatory or shed is not. A shaded room indoors, away from the way out, is the better choice.