Aerofoil Audi e-tron

An Audi eFoil you say? Correct – Aerofoils have partnered up with Audi to develop their range of e-foils and you can see that attention to detail in every aspect. We tested the prototype of the all new, top of their range, Audi E-Tron eFoil Competition Set, and when we first laid eyes on it we were pretty impressed by its futuristic design and high-tech allure. It comes in two stylish bags – one for the board and one for all the parts. Opening the bag, we found a 73L board with an aesthetically impressive carbon fiber construction – it was definitely a head-turner on the beach. In the other bag, the mast, fuselage and the rest of the parts also look similarly stylish. There’s no question this was up there with the highest levels of eFoil design and engineering.

Putting it together and it works exactly the same as a normal foil – 4x screws for the mast, 3x for the front wing and 2x for the tail. Then the magic came when we opened the watertight box for the battery and just plugged it in. As easy as it gets. Setting up the remote control was equally as enjoyable – it only took us three minutes to become acquainted with its intricacies. Three different power modes are available and inside of each, you can still play around with the power delivery. It also offers different parameters and telemetry. Super cool, easy, and intuitive.

We set up a 900 front wing and 300 tail for the first experience. Once we hit the water and adjusted to the nuances of the remote, the world of possibilities opened up. In one minute, we were performing our first water starts. The take-offs were different, demanding a careful calibration of our weight and speed all the time. Once you have dialled in to the technique for take off you really appreciate the Audi-esque quality of the experience. You can really put your foot (or finger!) down and – wow – there is plenty of power under the hood. It's expectational.

It required a bit of patience to execute those precise turns that foilers relish, but the pay-off was undeniable. Once you get the right balance and speed, the full set is very balanced and then, once you’re flying, you appreciate the silence and the absence of whipping wind, turning every ride into an experience that felt surreal, fun, and joyful. For the adrenaline seekers, top speed you ask? Well, it took some time to build up the confidence to go full throttle, but once you go for it, you better not crash! They claim speeds of up to 50km/h, but we are not ashamed to say we got our top speed up to 39km/h and that felt life-threatening enough…

Then came the final revelation. We anticipated about 20-25 minutes of fun, but we could not have been further from the mark. Tired and cold and calling it a day, there was still well over 25% of battery left. So you’re potentially looking at over two hours of pure fun.

The riding experience on the Audi E-Tron Competition Set was technical and it’s certainly not for beginners, but Aerofoils also offer different boards and wing sizes that open this experience up to everyone, including beginners. For the experienced foilers, this setup proved to be the perfect canvas for their skills. The ride was stable, perfectly balanced, and brimming with potential.