They are not the hoverboards promised in To the Future II. If you have somehow managed to prevent the hoverboards  phenomenon to date, the most thing to know is actually this: hoverboards don't actually hover. hsfifagld

The thought of a personal transport device that enables you to float a few inches from the ground is nevertheless a mostly futuristic concept. Instead, what most people are calling "hoverboards" tend to be technically self-balancing electrical scooters — essentially, it's a a lot cooler name for any hands-free Segway.

Hoverboards operate on battery power. A person direct them through leaning forward or even back, or by putting unwanted weight on one foot to show. They're usually stable by gyroscopes which keep you erect.