MEET "VALO": THE WORLD'S FIRST HYPERFOIL
The Valo Hyperfoil is the world's first foiling personal watercraft: a two-person electric jetski that lifts two feet clear of the water's surface on retractable carbon fibre foils, reaching 58 mph in near silence and without the wake that traditional watercraft generate. Built by San Francisco-based Boundary Layer Technologies, the Hyperfoil draws its engineering DNA from aerospace, automotive, and America's Cup sailing, and it belongs to a category that simply did not exist before it.
What Is a Hyperfoil?
A hyperfoil is a hydrofoiling personal watercraft that combines the form factor of a jetski with the lift-and-fly dynamics of an America's Cup foiling race boat. Where a standard jetski skims the surface and generates spray and wave interference, the Valo rises above it entirely. At cruising speed, the hull leaves the water, the retractable carbon fibre foils extend, and the rider experiences the sensation of flight across open water with none of the turbulence of the surface below.
As Electrek reported at the Hyperfoil's unveiling, the Valo is powered by a 108 hp (80 kW) electric motor capable of pushing the craft to a maximum speed of 50 knots (58 mph / 93 km/h). The 0 to 45 mph sprint takes 8 seconds.
Valo Hyperfoil Specs and Materials
The Hyperfoil carries two riders and weighs 595 lbs (270 kg) empty, with a maximum load capacity of 1,025 lbs (465 kg). The construction combines carbon fibre, titanium, and stainless steel throughout the hull and foil structure, keeping the weight low while meeting the stress demands of high-speed foiling. Range at a 40 mph cruise is approximately 65 miles, giving around 1 hour 40 minutes of continuous riding. A Level 2 charger brings the battery to 95% in 3 hours, with a 50% top-up taking just 1 hour.
Skyride, Valo's proprietary stability software, actively manages the foil dynamics to keep the craft level and predictable at all speeds, making the foiling experience accessible to riders without racing or sailing backgrounds. Robb Report described the experience as "flying over waves without noise, emissions, or wake".
The Engineering Behind the Valo
Boundary Layer Technologies assembled a team with backgrounds across self-landing rockets, hyperloops, autonomous drones, and foiling race boats. The foil geometry and stability algorithms reflect America's Cup race technology, where foiling control systems must manage complex hydrodynamic forces at racing speeds. Applying that expertise to a consumer watercraft is the core of what makes the Valo technically significant beyond its visual impact.
Tight turns at speed, wave-carving without splash, and a weightless sensation above choppy water are the outcomes of this engineering investment. Limited deliveries of the Founders Edition Hyperfoil were scheduled to begin in 2023, with full production following in 2024. Pricing for the production vehicle sits at $59,000.
Electric Watercraft at TheArsenale
The Valo sits alongside several other boundary-pushing electric watercraft in the TheArsenale collection. The AIRFLY E-Foil brings electric foiling to the standup surfboard format, while the Q2S Electric Hydrofoil Boat scales the concept up to a fully enclosed passenger craft. For electric surfboards, the Awake Ravik 3 Electric Surfboard delivers motorsport-level performance on the wave face.
Photo: RideValo.com
Explore Water Sports at TheArsenale
The Hyperfoil is the opening chapter of a new category in personal watercraft. Browse the full Water collection at TheArsenale, spanning jet skis, submarines, foiling craft, and luxury watercraft from around the world.
