![First ride on the Flite eFoils: Easy to learn and outrageous 'flying' fun out on the water [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/06/Flite-eFoil-review.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
First ride on the Flite eFoils: Easy to learn and outrageous ‘flying’ fun out on the water [Video]
I have seen the future of sustainable water sports; my friends, it is good. I recently got the chance to take Flite’s lineup of eFoils out on the waters of South Carolina, and all I can say is, “What a feeling.” Watch me hydrofoil (and fall plenty) in the video below.
Flite began and still reigns as one of the pioneers in electric hydrofoils, or “eFoils” for short. In less than six years, the Australian eFoil developer has put its brand and the young new segment in electric water sports on the global map.
When you’re creating a new form of mobility, there’s plenty of room for innovation and improvement, something I’ve admired about Flite in the years I’ve been covering it. Its ever-growing portfolio of electric hydrofoils of varying sizes and levels of rider expertise has genuinely helped grow the segment since the debut of the original Fliteboard.
In the past year and a half alone, we saw Flite launch its Series 3 lineup of eFoils, including the ULTRA L, marketed as the “world’s lightest,” the more affordable Flite AIR, and even a Flite Scooter with removable handlebars that can help get people of all skill levels involved.
While I’ve covered much of Flite’s progress, I had never gotten the opportunity to experience the sensation of “flying” above the water’s surface until recently, when some experts with the company took me out in Charleston, South Carolina, to give it a go. Here are my thoughts.
Flite eFoil boards are fun as hell if you can afford one
On the morning of our rides, I found myself slightly nervous but overall excited to test out Flite’s lineup of eFoils. I had seen them ridden by others plenty of times and always wanted to experience the technology for myself. I just wasn’t sure how good I’d be since I had only surfed once in my life and truthfully didn’t enjoy it that much.
During a crash course on the dock before taking to the sea, I learned that the art of the Flite eFoil is nothing like surfing. In fact, it’s the opposite, as your weight distribution relies heavily on the front of the board to keep the nose down instead of the rear, like in surfing.
The instructors, who were extremely helpful and knowledgeable, by the way, explained that the stance and movements are more like snowboarding—an activity I’ve been doing since I was a kid. This was music to my ears.
After learning how to prime the throttle and get the all-electric motor running, I was in the water on the classic 100L carbon Fliteboard – the original that started it all that is one beginner level up from the previously mentioned Flite AIR eFoil.
From my very first ride, I almost immediately got to my knees, learning the nuances of balancing and steering. After less than a minute, my instructor, who also happened to be a decorated water sports champion, told me to stand up. I quickly got up and began foiling, and then I quickly got down, taking a dip.
It’s all part of the learning process, and I was equipped with plenty of protection. When falling, the trick is to really embrace the spill and leap as far away from the board as possible. That’s an art form in itself, and the water provides a nice soft spot to land. You can see some of my best spills in the video below.
There’s definitely a learning curve to eFoiling, but I was surprised at just how easy it was. You may recall I once tried an electric surfboard, and I admittedly couldn’t get up on the damn thing. Flite’s eFoil’s are much easier to familiarize yourself with, and once you get the hang of it, you may just be hooked.
After a couple of runs, I learned just how subtle your leans forward and backward have to be on the eFoil to “fly,” the sensation of floating above the water cannot be over-emphasized. It’s truly a feeling of weightlessness and joy, and the lack of noise from the electric motor allows you to take in the moment cutting through the water… until you get too cocky, wobble, and get humbly ejected.
The Flite instructors soon saw me doing my thing on the eFoil, soaring up and down with control and comfort while stalling in the air at points. Due to my early talents, the Flite team decided I was ready for a smaller, lighter eFoil, the Flite Pro. I took a second to hydrate on the land (foiling can be a workout when you’re new to it), then I was back to it.
For this one, I had to put much more weight on the front end to get it hydroplaning before I could hop to my knees and eventually stand up. On my first couple of attempts, I got yeeted pretty hard off the board but quickly bounced back for more and eventually tamed the stark white aquatic dragon.
Overall, I spent well over an hour on the water and had plenty of battery life left across the two Flite boards I tested. The company sells three Flitecell battery packs that can be swapped out, offering varying operating times between 45 minutes and two hours, depending on your size, weight, and eFoil.
Overall, I had an amazing time testing the eFoils from Flite and would recommend them to anyone as a fun and innovative new way to get around on the water. The Flite AIR is currently your most affordable option, but it still starts at $7,000, so it is not cheap. From there, prices can go well over $15,000 for the “Ultra” professional-level boards, but if you have the money for a yacht, this would be an excellent toy to bring aboard.
If you can’t afford a Flite eFoil, I recommend checking to see if there’s a Flite school near you where you can rent one and get hands-on training from professionals like I did. Hydrofoiling is an amazing sensation you’ve got to try, and I’m debating getting one for myself to cruise around Lake Michigan.
Who knows, maybe I’ll go pro. Hey, it could happen!
Want to see me eat salt water? Check out the full video of the Flite eFoil experience below:
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The Dodge Charger Daytona EV made headlines when it rolled out fake engine noises as a way to make the EV appeal to muscle car drivers. As it turns out, they weren’t the right sort of fake engine noises – and now Stellantis has to recall 8,000 of them for a fix.
According to the ChryCo fans at Mopar Insider, Stellantis is recalling ~8,390 examples of its 2024 to 2025 Dodge Charger Daytona EVs because of an exterior amplifier that may be missing critical enabling the amp to emit exterior sounds – including the Federally mandated pedestrian warning sounds designed to keep pedestrians safe.
What’s more, the recall’s “suspect period” reportedly begins on 30APR2024, when the first 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona was produced, and ends 18MAR2025 … when the last Charger EV was produced.
RECALL CHRONOLOGY
- On April 17, 2025, the FCA US LLC (“FCA US”) Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance (“TSRC”) organization opened an investigation into certain 2024–2025 model year Dodge Charger vehicles that may not emit exterior sound.
- From April 17, 2025, through May 13, 2025, FCA US TSRC met with FCA US Engineering and the supplier to understand all potential failure modes associated with the issue. They also reviewed warranty data, field records, and customer assistance records to determine field occurrences.
- On May 14, 2025, the FCA US TSRC organization determined that a vehicle build issue existed on certain vehicles related to a lack of EV exterior sound, potentially resulting in noncompliance with FMVSS No. 141.
Without the software patch, the vehicles don’t comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) No. 141, “Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles.” The rule requires noisemakers for EVs and hybrids when operating under 19 mph, the safest speeds for pedestrians.
Basically, if you have a Dodge Charger EV, expect to get a recall notice.
It just keeps getting funnier
If you’re not familiar with the Charger Daytona EV’s “Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust,” it’s a system that employs a combination of digital sound synthesis and a physical tuning chamber (translation: a speaker) to produce a 126 decibel sound that approximately imitates a Hellcat Hemi V8 ICE. That’s loud enough to cause most people physical pain, according to Yale University – putting it somewhere between a loud rock concert and a passenger jet at takeoff.
While you could argue that such noises are part and parcel with powerful combustion, they’re completely irrelevant to an EV, and speak to a particular sort of infantile delusion of masculinity that I, frankly, have never been able to wrap my head around. Something akin to the, “Hey, look at me! I’m a big tough guy!” attention-whoring of a suburban Harley rider in a “Sons of Anarchy” novelty cut, without even enough courage to ride a motorcycle, you know?
You know – and I bet you can help me dial in the the comparison to perfection (and help me explain why the car just isn’t selling) in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
SOURCE: Mopar Insiders; featured image by Stellantis.
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Is it an electric van or a truck? The Kia PV5 might be in a class of its own. Kia’s electric van was recently spotted charging in public with an open bed, and it looks like a real truck.
Kia’s electric van morphs into a truck with an open bed
The PV5 is the first of a series of electric vans as part of Kia’s new Platform Beyond Vehicle business (PBV). Kia claims the PBVs are more than vans, they are “total mobility solutions,” equipped with Hyundai’s advanced software.
Based on the flexible new EV platform, E-GMP.S, Kia has several new variants in the pipeline, including camper vans, refrigerated trucks, luxury “Prime” models for passenger use, and an open bed model.
Kia launched the PV5 Passenger and Cargo in the UK earlier this year for business and personal use. We knew more were coming, but now we are getting a look at a new variant in public.
Although we got a brief glimpse of it earlier this month driving by in Korea, Kia’s electric van was spotted charging in public with an open bed.
The folks at HealerTV found the PV5 variant with an open bed parked in Korea, offering us a good look from all angles.
From the front, it resembles the Passenger and Cargo variants, featuring slim vertical LED headlights. However, from the side, it’s an entirely different vehicle. The truck sits low to the ground, similar to the one captured driving earlier this month.
When you look at it from the back, you can’t even tell it’s the PV5. It looks like any other cargo truck with an open bed.
The PV5 open bed measures 5,000 mm in length, 1,900 mm in width, and 2,000 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,000 mm. Although Kia has yet to say how big the bed will be, the reporter mentions it doesn’t look that deep, but it’s wide enough to carry a good load.
The open bed will be one of several PV5 variants that Kia plans to launch in Europe and Korea later this year, alongside the Passenger, Cargo, and Chassis Cab configurations.
In Europe, the PV5 Passenger is available with two battery pack options: 51.5 kWh or 71.2 kWh, providing WLTP ranges of 179 miles and 249 miles, respectively. The Cargo variant is rated with a WLTP range of 181 miles or 247 miles.
Kia will reveal battery specs closer to launch for the open bed variant, but claims it “has the longest driving range among compact commercial EVs in its class.”
In 2027, Kia will launch the larger PV7, followed by an even bigger PV9 in 2029. There’s also a smaller PV1 in the works, which is expected to arrive sometime next year or in 2027.
What do you think of Kia’s electric van? Will it be a game changer? With plenty of variants on the way, it has a good chance. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: HealerTV
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