You’re Looking at a $20,000 Electrified Flying Water Board Thing, in Case You Thought It Was an Ironing Board
If I suddenly came into $20,000 that I had to spend in less than a minute, I’d be headed straight for Aussie company Fliteboard.
Their eFoil is simultaneously the coolest and most obnoxious gadget/device/thing I’ve come across in a little while – and I did go to CES this year.
To the uninitiated (read: me), Fliteboard is an electric-powered hydrofoil, also known as an eFoil. As the company explains: “Standing on the board, riders use a handheld Flite Controller to manage their speed. With a mast that is partially underwater, Fliteboarding gives you the feeling of freedom, as you glide silently just above the water.”
I…just look at this thing. It looks like a gold-plated ironing board.
The best way to think about it is to compare it to snowboarding through fresh powder but also flying. Of course, I’ve not tried it, I don’t even know how to surf, but I want it.
Luckily, one of the Gizmodo Australia team is a surfer, and she’s seen these things in action, so I now understand that it’s basically a very advanced surfboard, one that surfers like because you don’t have to paddle out. She explained that it’s relatively easy to mount, with the board lowering to water level to allow you to hop on before the propulsion kicks in.
“Almost anyone can learn in under an hour, no watersports experience necessary. As you gain confidence and skills, transform your ride by changing your wings, shims, propulsion or board,” the company adds, so that’s promising.
So anyway, today Fliteboard is adding to its inventory, launching the Series 3, complete with five new boards (upgrades to existing products an a new model): The ULTRA L (the new one), ULTRA, PRO, 100 and AIR.
The ULTRA L, Fliteboard said, is the ‘world’s lightest performance eFoil’, complete with the ‘world’s lightest lithium-ion eFoil battery’. For its new boards, Fliteboard also upgraded its propulsion system.
“Created with smart technology and safety in mind, the entire range of Flitecell batteries is made with phase change material for thermal management, and premium high-discharge and low-temperature cells,” the company said in a press release.
Flitecell Nano (battery) provides up to 45 minutes of ‘foil time’, or more when riding waves. It charges fully in less than an hour. The whole board weighs 22.5kg.
The ULTRA L is available in metallic gold, which the company said is “inspired by golden sunsets in Ibiza” (I’m not making this up), while the AIR is comes in a matte coral, “reminiscent of breezy days in Miami” and Pebble, and the standard Fliteboard and Fliteboard PRO now also comes in gold and bronze, alongside existing metallic colours.
The ULTRA L starts at $20,995, ULTRA at $19,495, PRO at $15,495 and AIR at $17,195.
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