EcoFlow’s new River Gen4 power stations pack more battery into smaller camping companions
EcoFlow’s fourth-generation River stations claim class-leading energy density, LFP chemistry and up to 512Wh in a carry-friendly box.
EcoFlow has unveiled its fourth-generation River portable power stations, and the pitch is simple: more stored energy in a smaller, lighter box you can actually carry to a campsite.
What’s actually going on
The Verge reports that the River 260 Gen4 carries a 256Wh battery while the larger model packs 512Wh — roughly 2.5× and 5× the energy of the biggest airline-approved power banks respectively. Both use longer-lasting, less volatile LFP battery chemistry.
The smaller unit offers four USB ports and a single AC socket rated at 300W of continuous output. The larger model has the same USB selection plus two AC sockets good for 500W. EcoFlow claims class-leading volumetric energy density, which is what allows the smaller, lighter designs. The company positions them for overnight camping trips, photo shoots and similar portable use-cases, with The Verge noting the larger model could keep a standard US fridge running for around four hours during a blackout.
One caution before you reach for a wallet: The Verge’s report refers to the larger model as both “River 520 Gen4” and “River 500 Gen4” in different paragraphs. UK/EU pricing and availability have not been confirmed, and “class-leading energy density” remains an EcoFlow claim rather than an independently tested figure.
Why you should care
This category — small enough to carry, powerful enough to matter — is where most people actually benefit from portable power: camera batteries on a shoot, a fridge on a weekend camp, a router during a cut. LFP chemistry also means more charge cycles before meaningful degradation, which matters for something you will own for years.
Our opinion
Spec-for-spec this looks like a sensible generational jump, and the density claims, if they hold up, keep EcoFlow at the front of the portable-power pack. But until official UK/EU pricing lands and the model-number confusion is resolved against EcoFlow’s final documentation, the smart move is admiration now and purchase later.