This tiny e-bike weighs just 12kg and folds away in seconds

An electric bicycle that folds up neatly is one of the greatest ways to solve the last mile problem. Unfortunately, a lot of commuters write folding e-bikes off because of their reputation for being heavy, uncomfortable, and bulky. Some are even awkward to use and difficult to ride. A group of UK-based entrepreneurs hope to change all that with the A-Bike Electric, an innovative vehicle which they claim is the lightest and most compact electric bicycle ever built.

The A-Bike Electric weighs only 12kg, which means it's light enough to take on a bus or a train, carry up stairs and get through busy crowds. The bicycle has a range of 15 miles (25km) and uses a brushless front hub motor and 24V removable lithium battery to reach a top speed of 12.5mph. The battery can be recharged via USB, and takes 2.5 hours to juice it up. Although the wheels have a diameter of only 13 centimeters, a dual-chain system allows for a normal pedaling action.

The bike's inventor, Clive Sinclair, who introduced a non-electric version of the A-Bike in 2006, has already exceeded his £40,000 crowdfunding goal through Kickstarter with 26 days left from the campaign. The smallest rewards tier is set at £5 (around $8), but only donations of £449 (approximately $700) or more will actually net you the vehicle.

[h/t: Creative Boom]

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