Fliteboard unveils new electric hydrofoil surfboard to help surfers catch a wave
Fliteboard, a leading manufacturer of electric hydrofoil surfboards, announced the launch of its new sub-brand FLITElab* (there’s no more info below, that asterisk is frustratingly part of the name). The announcement coincides with the launch of FLITElab*’s first product, the AMP board, which can help surfers catch a wave, both assisted and electricity-free.
While Flitboard’s product line has largely served the wider electric hydrofoil board market that covers everything from lake and river surfing to open ocean, the new FLITElab* line is focusing on the niche within a niche of prone hydrofoil board surfing.
Also known as prone foiling, this sport differs in that the action starts more like on a traditional surfboard, with the rider starting out lying prone on the board and paddling to catch a wave. Once they’ve caught the wave on the body of the board, the hydrofoil allows them to rise out of the water and begin a more foil-style ride. That hydrofoil also allows surfers to ride waves that are smaller or faster than possible on a traditional surfboard.
So where does the electric part of the sport come in? That’s exactly what FLITElab* wants to showcase in its new AMP board featuring the company’s AMP Jet technology. The AMP Jet is an electric thruster built into the body of the board instead of just above the hydrofoil as we’ve previously seen on most electric foiling boards. That means it’s all but invisible to the naked eye – and is lighter while creating less drag.
As the company explained, “the AMP Jet is a self-contained and removable cartridge, delivering optimal power for prone foilers, wingers, and downwind enthusiasts, to get up and riding with ease regardless of the conditions. Strategic placement of the AMP Jet ensures there’s no added drag, maintaining the board’s performance integrity throughout the entirety of the ride.”
That’s the big idea: it can help foilers catch a wave even on smaller boards, yet it is less cumbersome than a traditional e-foil drive and can also be completely removed, turning the board back into a good old-fashioned (and lighter-weight) ride.
The company is also touting another motor design that they’ve dubbed the AMP Mast. It’s a slimline motor that mounts to the mast to give hydrofoil board surfers that extra boost to catch a wave or quickly return to the lineup.
Chris Reynolds, the project manager on FLITELab*’s first release, explained how the system solves a unique challenge faced by prone foilers:
“From the moment I started prone foiling I was amazed at the kind of waves I could ride; big, small, clean or messy it didn’t matter, the only problem was catching them in the first place. The agile and responsive boards I love to ride just weren’t up to the task of efficient paddling. The AMP system is our solution, the AMP Jet is integrated into the board and delivers the perfect amount of boost exactly when you need it, and is safely out of the way when you don’t.”
Controlling the board is designed to be a simple process by using the FLITELab* LAUNCH Pad embedded in the board’s nose. The unit allows riders to activate the AMP Jet for a power boost while remaining hands-free. The LAUNCH Pad enables riders to customize the power strength and timing of the boost, while an intelligent feature monitors rider position, automatically cutting power once upright or in the event of a fall.
The actual tech specs seem to be pretty slim at this point. We don’t know key figures like the power or battery capacity, though the company claims that the batteries will be allowed on airplanes, which would likely put them at under 160 Wh – comparatively tiny in the world of electric surfboards. But since the system is designed for just a quick boost to catch a wave, battery demands should be much lower than traditional electric surfboards used for surfing flat water like lakes and rivers.
Release date and pricing also seem to be somewhere out on the horizon as well. But hey, at least we’ve got some pretty videos set to some perpetually chill Fleetwood Mac, below.
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The US Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $1.2 billion in financing to replace Puerto Rico’s fossil fuel plants with solar and battery storage through 2032.
The DOE’s Loan Programs Office announced two conditional commitments and one loan closing to power producers in Puerto Rico. Each supports a project contracted with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The announcements include:
- The closing of a $584.5 million loan guarantee to subsidiaries of Convergent Energy to finance a 100 MW solar farm with a 55 MW (55 MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in the municipality of Coamo and BESS installations in the municipalities of Caguas (25MW/100MWh), Peñuelas (100MW/400MWh), and Ponce (up to 100MW/400MWh)
- A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $133.6 million to a subsidiary of Infinigen for a 32.1 MW solar farm with an integrated 14.45 MW (4.76 MWh) BESS, and a co-located standalone 50 MW (200 MWh) BESS expansion in the municipality of Yabucoa
- A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $489.4 million to a subsidiary of Pattern Energy for three stand-alone BESS in the municipalities of Arecibo (50 MW/200 MWh), and Santa Isabel (50 MW /200 MWh and 80 MW/320 MW), and a 70 MW solar farm with an integrated BESS in the municipality of Arecibo.
If all are finalized, these projects would more than double LPO’s support for utility-scale solar generation and battery energy storage in Puerto Rico.
LPO provides low-cost financing and a rigorous due diligence process, making it a valuable resource for Puerto Rico as it works to rebuild an affordable, reliable, and clean energy system. As a result of reliance on imported fuel, the persistent threat of tropical storms, and underinvested infrastructure, Puerto Ricans today face average energy costs that are twice the US average – all while consuming only one-quarter of the energy of the US per capita.
LPO’s initial loan to a power producer in Puerto Rico, Project Marahu, closed in October 2024, and when complete will add more than 200 MW of solar and up to 285 MW of stand-alone energy storage to Puerto Rico’s grid.
Through its September 2023 partial loan guarantee to Project Hestia, LPO also supports virtual power plant (VPP)-ready rooftop solar and battery storage installations in Puerto Rico. As a nationwide project, Hestia’s sponsor is committed to at least 20% of installations under Project Hestia going to homeowners in Puerto Rico.
As part of its procurement plan, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority seeks to install 1,500 MW of battery storage and requires a minimum capacity of storage to be co-located with each utility-scale solar project. Energy storage systems currently online in Puerto Rico are being dispatched every day.
When including Marahu, LPO’s closed and conditionally committed financing supports over 100% of the capacity Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority aimed to procure under its initial request for energy storage project proposals, the first of six.
Read more: Cleantech investments to top fossil fuels for the first time in 2025
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Chevy just introduced new deals on the Equinox and Blazer EV models to make them even more affordable. With 0% interest and a new trade-in bonus, Chevy is offering over $5,000 in savings.
Chevy adds new Equinox and Blazer EV deals in January
Although the Chevy Equinox EV is already “the most affordable” EV in its class with over 315 miles range, it’s getting even cheaper.
Earlier this week, Chevy launched new deals on the 2024 Equinox and Blazer EV models. According to a note sent to dealers, viewed by CarsDirect, the electric SUVs are now available with 0% APR financing for 60 months. You can also choose from 0.9% AP for 72 months and 2.9% APR for 84 months.
This marks the best financing offer on Chevy’s newest EVs to date. The previous best rates were 0.9% APR for 60 months, 3.9% for 72 months, and 5.9% for the longer 84-month option.
On a 7-year $45,000 loan, online auto research firm CarsDirect estimates the new deals amount to around a $5,200 price cut. The lower APR rates are already offered on the Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup.
In addition, Chevy is offering a trade-in bonus of up to $3,000 on the Silverado EV and $1,000 on the electric Equinox and Blazer models. If you choose to lease, the bonus is cut in half: $1,500 for the Silverado and $500 for the electric SUVs.
Chevy’s new EV deals started on January 14 and run through March 3, 2025. The deals come as rivals like Hyundai and Ford recently launched new EV promotions.
On Thursday, Hyundai launched a new promo on the upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5, which includes monthly leases as low as $199 and a free ChargePoint home EV charger (or $400 charging credit). Meanwhile, Ford extended its “Power Promise” program earlier this month, which also includes a free home charger, among several other benefits.
The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV started at $41,900 with up to 315 miles range. Prices for the electric Chevy Blazer start at $43,690 with up to 279 miles range.
If you are ready to try out Chevy’s new electric SUVs for yourself, we’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to view offers on the Chevy Equinox, Silverado, and Blazer EV models near you.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss non-Tesla EVs getting Supercharger access, Cybertruck sales in the spotlight, Rivian getting some money from Biden, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):
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