It may be an American phrase, but ‘pimping your ride’ just got easier – and more eco-friendly, thanks to a Wellington company that specialises in customising motorised skateboards and scooters.

“We’re giving these rides the X-Factor, hence our name XRIDES, says the man behind the two-year old company, James Hammond.

“What we essentially do is to source these battery and petrol-fuelled rides and customise them to suit our applications, such as changing wheel size, controllers or seats.”

The company then wholesales and retails their product from hire and tour operators, and from selected Cheapskates stores throughout New Zealand, although a large component of their business also includes conducting tours for customers and hiring the rides out for corporate functions or birthday parties.

“All our rides have endless applications and they also appeal as a valid form of eco-friendly transport. If you’re interested in saving the planet then they’re perfect.”

Their product is also “extremely portable” and user friendly, and plans are currently afoot to create a bio-fuel option that will further strengthen their green credentials.

“We’re developing an advanced offering that’s still very commercially sensitive, so I can’t say too much about it. But we’d like Wellington to be the first city to take advantage of our idea for inner-city travel.”

James says being put in contact with the team at Grow Wellington gave his business the “shot in the arm it needed”.

“Grow Wellington put together a plan for us going forward, including applying for some funding from Weltec and protecting our idea with IP to help us with our prototype.”

So far, he says the experience has taught him that if you have a great idea, you’ll usually find support for it.

“I’ve learned that there is always someone out there that can help you, you just have to find them. For us, Grow Wellington are those people!”