diff --git a/include/config.h b/include/config.h
index d48bf90..c3bb117 100644
--- a/include/config.h
+++ b/include/config.h
@@ -157,6 +157,12 @@
 // Jetson: USART6 (PC6=TX, PC7=RX)
 // Debug: UART5 (PC12=TX, PD2=RX)
 
+// --- ESC Backend Selection (Issue #388) ---
+// Pluggable ESC abstraction layer — supports multiple backends:
+//   HOVERBOARD: EFeru FOC (USART2 @ 115200) — current default
+//   VESC:       FSESC 4.20 Plus (USART6 @ 921600, balance mode) — future
+#define ESC_BACKEND             HOVERBOARD  /* HOVERBOARD or VESC */
+
 // --- CRSF / ExpressLRS ---
 // CH1[0]=steer  CH2[1]=throttle  CH5[4]=arm  CH6[5]=mode
 #define CRSF_ARM_THRESHOLD      1750    /* CH5 raw value; > threshold = armed */
diff --git a/include/esc_backend.h b/include/esc_backend.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d1ef848
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/esc_backend.h
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#ifndef ESC_BACKEND_H
+#define ESC_BACKEND_H
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
+
+/*
+ * ESC Backend Abstraction Layer
+ *
+ * Provides a pluggable interface for different ESC implementations:
+ *   - Hoverboard (EFeru FOC firmware, UART @ 115200)
+ *   - VESC (via UART @ 921600, with balance mode) — future
+ *
+ * Allows motor_driver.c to remain ESC-agnostic. Backend selection
+ * via ESC_BACKEND compile-time define in config.h.
+ *
+ * Issue #388: ESC abstraction layer
+ * Blocks Issue #383: VESC integration
+ */
+
+/* Telemetry snapshot from ESC (polled on-demand) */
+typedef struct {
+    int16_t  speed;         /* Motor speed (PWM duty or RPM, backend-dependent) */
+    int16_t  steer;         /* Steering position (0 = centered) */
+    uint16_t voltage_mv;    /* Battery voltage in millivolts */
+    int16_t  current_ma;    /* Motor current in milliamps (signed: discharge/charge) */
+    int16_t  temperature_c; /* ESC temperature in °C */
+    uint16_t fault;         /* Fault code (backend-specific) */
+} esc_telemetry_t;
+
+/* Virtual function table for ESC backends */
+typedef struct {
+    /* Initialize ESC hardware and UART (called once at startup) */
+    void (*init)(void);
+
+    /* Send motor command to ESC (called at ~50Hz from motor_driver_update)
+     *   speed: -1000..+1000 (forward/reverse)
+     *   steer: -1000..+1000 (left/right)
+     */
+    void (*send)(int16_t speed, int16_t steer);
+
+    /* Emergency stop: send zero and disable output
+     * (called from safety or mode manager)
+     */
+    void (*estop)(void);
+
+    /* Query current ESC state
+     * Returns latest telemetry snapshot (may be cached/stale on some backends).
+     * Safe to call from any context (non-blocking).
+     */
+    void (*get_telemetry)(esc_telemetry_t *out);
+
+    /* Optional: resume from estop (not all backends use this) */
+    void (*resume)(void);
+} esc_backend_t;
+
+/*
+ * Register a backend implementation at runtime.
+ * Typically called during init sequence before motor_driver_init().
+ */
+void esc_backend_register(const esc_backend_t *backend);
+
+/*
+ * Get the currently active backend.
+ * Returns pointer to vtable; nullptr if no backend registered.
+ */
+const esc_backend_t *esc_backend_get(void);
+
+/*
+ * High-level convenience wrappers (match motor_driver.c interface).
+ * These call through the active backend if registered.
+ */
+void esc_init(void);
+void esc_send(int16_t speed, int16_t steer);
+void esc_estop(void);
+void esc_resume(void);
+void esc_get_telemetry(esc_telemetry_t *out);
+
+#endif /* ESC_BACKEND_H */
diff --git a/src/esc_backend.c b/src/esc_backend.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..61f4cd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/esc_backend.c
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#include "esc_backend.h"
+#include <stddef.h>
+
+/* Global active backend (selected at runtime or compile-time) */
+static const esc_backend_t *g_active_backend = NULL;
+
+void esc_backend_register(const esc_backend_t *backend) {
+    g_active_backend = backend;
+    if (backend && backend->init) {
+        backend->init();
+    }
+}
+
+const esc_backend_t *esc_backend_get(void) {
+    return g_active_backend;
+}
+
+/* High-level convenience wrappers — call through vtable */
+
+void esc_init(void) {
+    if (g_active_backend && g_active_backend->init) {
+        g_active_backend->init();
+    }
+}
+
+void esc_send(int16_t speed, int16_t steer) {
+    if (g_active_backend && g_active_backend->send) {
+        g_active_backend->send(speed, steer);
+    }
+}
+
+void esc_estop(void) {
+    if (g_active_backend && g_active_backend->estop) {
+        g_active_backend->estop();
+    }
+}
+
+void esc_resume(void) {
+    if (g_active_backend && g_active_backend->resume) {
+        g_active_backend->resume();
+    }
+}
+
+void esc_get_telemetry(esc_telemetry_t *out) {
+    if (out) {
+        /* Zero-fill by default */
+        out->speed = 0;
+        out->steer = 0;
+        out->voltage_mv = 0;
+        out->current_ma = 0;
+        out->temperature_c = 0;
+        out->fault = 0;
+
+        if (g_active_backend && g_active_backend->get_telemetry) {
+            g_active_backend->get_telemetry(out);
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/esc_hoverboard.c b/src/esc_hoverboard.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b41ae23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/esc_hoverboard.c
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+#include "esc_backend.h"
+#include "config.h"
+#include "stm32f7xx_hal.h"
+
+/*
+ * Hoverboard ESC Backend Implementation
+ *
+ * Adapts the Hoverboard EFeru FOC protocol to the ESC backend vtable.
+ * UART2: PA2=TX, PA3=RX @ 115200 baud
+ *
+ * Packet: [0xABCD] [steer:i16] [speed:i16] [checksum:u16]
+ * Checksum = start ^ steer ^ speed
+ * Speed range: -1000 to +1000
+ * Must send at >=50Hz or ESC times out.
+ */
+
+#define HOVERBOARD_START_FRAME  0xABCD
+#define HOVERBOARD_BAUD         115200
+
+typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
+    uint16_t start;
+    int16_t  steer;
+    int16_t  speed;
+    uint16_t checksum;
+} hoverboard_cmd_t;
+
+static UART_HandleTypeDef huart2;
+
+/* Backend vtable instance */
+static const esc_backend_t hoverboard_backend;
+
+/*
+ * Initialize UART2 for hoverboard communication.
+ * Called once at startup via backend registration.
+ */
+static void hoverboard_backend_init(void) {
+    /* Enable clocks */
+    __HAL_RCC_USART2_CLK_ENABLE();
+    __HAL_RCC_GPIOA_CLK_ENABLE();
+
+    /* PA2=TX, PA3=RX, AF7 for USART2 */
+    GPIO_InitTypeDef gpio = {0};
+    gpio.Pin = GPIO_PIN_2 | GPIO_PIN_3;
+    gpio.Mode = GPIO_MODE_AF_PP;
+    gpio.Pull = GPIO_PULLUP;
+    gpio.Speed = GPIO_SPEED_FREQ_HIGH;
+    gpio.Alternate = GPIO_AF7_USART2;
+    HAL_GPIO_Init(GPIOA, &gpio);
+
+    /* USART2 config */
+    huart2.Instance = USART2;
+    huart2.Init.BaudRate = HOVERBOARD_BAUD;
+    huart2.Init.WordLength = UART_WORDLENGTH_8B;
+    huart2.Init.StopBits = UART_STOPBITS_1;
+    huart2.Init.Parity = UART_PARITY_NONE;
+    huart2.Init.Mode = UART_MODE_TX_RX;
+    huart2.Init.HwFlowCtl = UART_HWCONTROL_NONE;
+    huart2.Init.OverSampling = UART_OVERSAMPLING_16;
+    HAL_UART_Init(&huart2);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Send motor command via hoverboard protocol.
+ * Called at ~50Hz from motor_driver_update().
+ */
+static void hoverboard_backend_send(int16_t speed, int16_t steer) {
+    hoverboard_cmd_t cmd;
+    cmd.start = HOVERBOARD_START_FRAME;
+    cmd.steer = steer;
+    cmd.speed = speed;
+    cmd.checksum = cmd.start ^ cmd.steer ^ cmd.speed;
+
+    HAL_UART_Transmit(&huart2, (uint8_t *)&cmd, sizeof(cmd), 5);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Emergency stop: send zero and disable motors.
+ * Hoverboard will disable outputs on repeated zero packets.
+ */
+static void hoverboard_backend_estop(void) {
+    hoverboard_backend_send(0, 0);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Resume after estop (optional, hoverboard auto-resumes on non-zero command).
+ */
+static void hoverboard_backend_resume(void) {
+    /* No action needed — next non-zero send will resume */
+}
+
+/*
+ * Query telemetry from hoverboard.
+ * Hoverboard protocol is command-only (no RX in this implementation).
+ * Return zero telemetry stub; future: add RX feedback.
+ */
+static void hoverboard_backend_get_telemetry(esc_telemetry_t *out) {
+    if (out) {
+        out->speed = 0;
+        out->steer = 0;
+        out->voltage_mv = 0;
+        out->current_ma = 0;
+        out->temperature_c = 0;
+        out->fault = 0;
+    }
+}
+
+/* Hoverboard backend vtable */
+static const esc_backend_t hoverboard_backend = {
+    .init = hoverboard_backend_init,
+    .send = hoverboard_backend_send,
+    .estop = hoverboard_backend_estop,
+    .resume = hoverboard_backend_resume,
+    .get_telemetry = hoverboard_backend_get_telemetry,
+};
+
+/*
+ * Public functions for backward compatibility.
+ * These remain for existing code that calls hoverboard_init/hoverboard_send directly.
+ */
+
+void hoverboard_init(void) {
+    esc_backend_register(&hoverboard_backend);
+}
+
+void hoverboard_send(int16_t speed, int16_t steer) {
+    esc_send(speed, steer);
+}
diff --git a/src/esc_vesc.c b/src/esc_vesc.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9d3ebfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/esc_vesc.c
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+#include "esc_backend.h"
+
+/*
+ * VESC ESC Backend Stub
+ *
+ * Placeholder implementation for FSESC 4.20 Plus (VESC-based dual ESC).
+ * UART: ttyTHS1 (Jetson Orin) → FC USART6 @ 921600 baud
+ * Protocol: pyvesc with CRC16-XModem checksum
+ *
+ * Issue #383: VESC integration (fills in this stub)
+ * Issue #388: ESC abstraction layer (provides this interface)
+ *
+ * TODO (Issue #383):
+ * - Implement vesc_init() with UART/GPIO config
+ * - Implement vesc_send() with pyvesc packet encoding (duty/RPM control)
+ * - Implement vesc_estop() to disable motor controller
+ * - Implement vesc_get_telemetry() to parse VESC state messages
+ * - Add balance mode configuration if using VESC balance app
+ */
+
+static const esc_backend_t vesc_backend;
+
+/* Stub implementations — no-op until #383 fills them in */
+
+static void vesc_backend_init(void) {
+    /* TODO (Issue #383): Initialize UART6, configure VESC balance mode */
+}
+
+static void vesc_backend_send(int16_t speed, int16_t steer) {
+    /* TODO (Issue #383): Encode speed/steer to pyvesc packet and send via UART6 */
+    (void)speed;
+    (void)steer;
+}
+
+static void vesc_backend_estop(void) {
+    /* TODO (Issue #383): Send VESC shutdown command to disable motors */
+}
+
+static void vesc_backend_resume(void) {
+    /* TODO (Issue #383): Resume from estop if needed */
+}
+
+static void vesc_backend_get_telemetry(esc_telemetry_t *out) {
+    /* TODO (Issue #383): Poll/parse VESC telemetry (voltage, current, RPM, temp, fault) */
+    if (out) {
+        out->speed = 0;
+        out->steer = 0;
+        out->voltage_mv = 0;
+        out->current_ma = 0;
+        out->temperature_c = 0;
+        out->fault = 0;
+    }
+}
+
+/* VESC backend vtable */
+static const esc_backend_t vesc_backend = {
+    .init = vesc_backend_init,
+    .send = vesc_backend_send,
+    .estop = vesc_backend_estop,
+    .resume = vesc_backend_resume,
+    .get_telemetry = vesc_backend_get_telemetry,
+};
+
+/*
+ * Public function to register VESC backend.
+ * Called from main.c when configured with ESC_BACKEND=VESC.
+ */
+void vesc_backend_register_impl(void) {
+    esc_backend_register(&vesc_backend);
+}
diff --git a/src/hoverboard.c b/src/hoverboard.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 572a3bc..0000000
--- a/src/hoverboard.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-#include "hoverboard.h"
-#include "config.h"
-#include "stm32f7xx_hal.h"
-
-static UART_HandleTypeDef huart2;
-
-void hoverboard_init(void) {
-    /* Enable clocks */
-    __HAL_RCC_USART2_CLK_ENABLE();
-    __HAL_RCC_GPIOA_CLK_ENABLE();
-
-    /* PA2=TX, PA3=RX, AF7 for USART2 */
-    GPIO_InitTypeDef gpio = {0};
-    gpio.Pin = GPIO_PIN_2 | GPIO_PIN_3;
-    gpio.Mode = GPIO_MODE_AF_PP;
-    gpio.Pull = GPIO_PULLUP;
-    gpio.Speed = GPIO_SPEED_FREQ_HIGH;
-    gpio.Alternate = GPIO_AF7_USART2;
-    HAL_GPIO_Init(GPIOA, &gpio);
-
-    /* USART2 config */
-    huart2.Instance = USART2;
-    huart2.Init.BaudRate = HOVERBOARD_BAUD;
-    huart2.Init.WordLength = UART_WORDLENGTH_8B;
-    huart2.Init.StopBits = UART_STOPBITS_1;
-    huart2.Init.Parity = UART_PARITY_NONE;
-    huart2.Init.Mode = UART_MODE_TX_RX;
-    huart2.Init.HwFlowCtl = UART_HWCONTROL_NONE;
-    huart2.Init.OverSampling = UART_OVERSAMPLING_16;
-    HAL_UART_Init(&huart2);
-}
-
-void hoverboard_send(int16_t speed, int16_t steer) {
-    hoverboard_cmd_t cmd;
-    cmd.start = HOVERBOARD_START_FRAME;
-    cmd.steer = steer;
-    cmd.speed = speed;
-    cmd.checksum = cmd.start ^ cmd.steer ^ cmd.speed;
-
-    HAL_UART_Transmit(&huart2, (uint8_t *)&cmd, sizeof(cmd), 5);
-}
diff --git a/src/motor_driver.c b/src/motor_driver.c
index 2bddc48..c4a3860 100644
--- a/src/motor_driver.c
+++ b/src/motor_driver.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #include "motor_driver.h"
-#include "hoverboard.h"
+#include "esc_backend.h"
 #include "config.h"
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ void motor_driver_update(motor_driver_t *m,
 
     /* Emergency stop: send zero, hold latch */
     if (m->estop) {
-        hoverboard_send(0, 0);
+        esc_send(0, 0);
         return;
     }
 
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ void motor_driver_update(motor_driver_t *m,
     if (steer >  headroom) steer =  headroom;
     if (steer < -headroom) steer = -headroom;
 
-    hoverboard_send((int16_t)speed, (int16_t)steer);
+    esc_send((int16_t)speed, (int16_t)steer);
 }
 
 void motor_driver_estop(motor_driver_t *m) {