Buying guide · 6 picks compared

Best folding electric bike UK 2026

The Carrera Crosscity 2026 Electric Folding Bike is the best folding electric bike for most people.

See it at Halfords Compare all 6Affiliate

It folds to 93 x 40 x 74 cm and has a Bafang rear hub motor, with Halfords claiming up to 35 miles a charge. For a different need, pick the Brompton Electric C Line, e-Motiq system, 4-speed. It is the most portable premium folder, with a battery that unclips in one move.

By Bez, Editor✓ Updated 25 October 2026

★ Our top pickCarrera Crosscity 2026 Electric Folding BikeImage: CarreraSee it at Halfords

Which one is for you?

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Which pick suits which need
Ifyou want the best value folder with a rack and mudguards fitted	Carrera Crosscity 2026 Electric Folding Bike	See it at Halfords
Ifyou want the lightest folder to carry onto trains	Brompton Electric C Line, e-Motiq system, 4-speed	See it at Brompton
Ifyou want a fold that takes 30 seconds	BTWIN E-Fold 500 Electric Folding Bike	See it at Decathlon
Ifyou want the cheapest folder for short trips	Apollo Transport Electric Folding Bike, 20-inch wheel	See it at Halfords
Ifyou want the biggest battery and disc brakes	UTO ESS20 Electric Folding Bike	See it at Halfords
Ifyou want a belt drive with no chain to oil	ADO Air 20s Folding Electric Bike	See it on Amazon

The 6 picks compared

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1★ Top pick
Carrera
Carrera Crosscity 2026 Electric Folding BikeBest for best value folder
Fold it, ride it, and go up to 35 miles
See it at Halfords
2
Brompton
Brompton Electric C Line, e-Motiq system, 4-speedBest for most portable premium folder
Fold it small, roll it along, ride on electric power
See it at Brompton
3
BTWIN (Decathlon)
BTWIN E-Fold 500 Electric Folding BikeBest for quick 30-second fold
Fold your bike in 30 seconds and ride off
See it at Decathlon
4
Apollo
Apollo Transport Electric Folding Bike, 20-inch wheelBest for cheapest folder, short trips
A light aluminium folder on anti-puncture tyres
See it at Halfords
5
UTO
UTO ESS20 Electric Folding BikeBest for biggest battery, disc brakes
Go up to 40 miles on one charge, with disc brakes
See it at Halfords
6
ADO
ADO Air 20s Folding Electric BikeBest for belt drive, hydraulic discs
Smooth, low-maintenance rides from a folding 20-inch e-bike
See it on Amazon

Side by side

From the makers' and retailers' published factsAffiliate

The picks side by side
Pick	Best for	Price	The fact that sets it apart	Where to buy
Carrera Crosscity 2026 Electric Folding Bike	best value folder	£975	A Bafang rear hub motor and a removable frame battery; Halfords claims an average of 25 to 30 miles, and up to 35 miles.	See the deal
Brompton Electric C Line, e-Motiq system, 4-speed	most portable premium folder	£2,999	Brompton's rear hub motor (250 W, 24 Nm) uses the e-Motiq torque sensor, with three power modes and Start Assist on the handlebar control.	See the deal
BTWIN E-Fold 500 Electric Folding Bike	quick 30-second fold	£999.99	A 36 V 7 Ah (252 Wh) battery on the pannier rack, with a claimed range of 30 to 50 km, and a motor with 35 Nm of torque.	See the deal
Apollo Transport Electric Folding Bike, 20-inch wheel	cheapest folder, short trips	£679	A lightweight aluminium folding frame on 20 inch double-wall rims with CST anti-puncture tyres.	See the deal
UTO ESS20 Electric Folding Bike	biggest battery, disc brakes	£1,599	An MXUS 250 W rear hub motor with 40 Nm of torque and five levels of assistance.	See the deal
ADO Air 20s Folding Electric Bike	belt drive, hydraulic discs	£1,199	ADO calls it the first 20-inch folding e-bike with a carbon belt drive, which needs no regular lubrication.	See it on Amazon

Need an electric bike that folds small enough for the train, the car boot or your flat? Here is what to buy, and the three things that decide it: folded size, weight and battery. The Carrera Crosscity folds to 93 x 40 x 74 cm, and the BTWIN E-Fold 500 folds in 30 seconds. Then weigh the Brompton, from 17.6 kg, against the E-Fold 500 at 21.4 kg.

Our picks in detail

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1★ Top pickBest for best value folder

Carrera Crosscity 2026 Electric Folding Bike

Fold it, ride it, and go up to 35 miles.

What it is: Get a folding electric bike with a Bafang motor built into the rear wheel and a battery you can take off the frame. Halfords claims an average of 25 to 30 miles, and up to 35 miles.
Perfect for: Perfect for a busy commuter who wants an electric bike that folds away when the ride ends.
Why we picked it: You get Shimano Altus 8-speed gears and Kenda 20 x 1.75 inch tyres with K-Shield puncture protection. Mudguards, a kickstand and a pannier rack for bags come fitted, and it folds to 93 x 40 x 74 cm.
Price: £975 (halfords.com, checked 25 October 2026)

A Bafang rear hub motor and a removable frame battery; Halfords claims an average of 25 to 30 miles, and up to 35 miles.
Shimano Altus 8-speed gears, Tektro alloy V-brakes and Kenda 20 x 1.75 inch tyres with K-Shield puncture protection.
Mudguards, a kickstand and a pannier rack are fitted, and it folds to 93 x 40 x 74 cm.

The catch: V-brakes rather than discs, and Halfords lists neither its weight nor its battery capacity.

See it at Halfords

2Best for most portable premium folder

Brompton Electric C Line, e-Motiq system, 4-speed

Fold it small, roll it along, ride on electric power.

What it is: The Brompton Electric C Line is a folding electric bike with a 250 W rear hub motor that adds help as you pedal. Its 345 Wh battery unclips in one move, and Brompton claims up to 90 km on one charge.
Perfect for: Made for anyone who wants the most portable premium folding electric bike.
Why we picked it: Brompton gives a 7-year warranty on the frame. It weighs from 17.6 kg, or 13.85 kg without the battery, and rolls along while folded. Three power modes and Start Assist on the handlebar control let you choose your help.
Price: £2,999 (brompton.com, checked 25 October 2026)

Brompton's rear hub motor (250 W, 24 Nm) uses the e-Motiq torque sensor, with three power modes and Start Assist on the handlebar control.
The 345 Wh battery unclips in one move; Brompton claims up to 90 km on a charge and 5 hours for a full charge.
It weighs from 17.6 kg, or 13.85 kg without the battery, and rolls along while folded.
Brompton gives a 7-year frame warranty.

The catch: Only four gears and 24 Nm of motor torque.

See it at Brompton

3Best for quick 30-second fold

BTWIN E-Fold 500 Electric Folding Bike

Fold your bike in 30 seconds and ride off.

What it is: An electric folding bike with a 36 V battery, the power pack, giving a claimed 30 to 50 km per charge. Simple hinge levers fold it in 30 seconds.
Perfect for: Perfect for you if you want a quick fold and a little motor help on every ride.
Why we picked it: The motor makes 35 Nm of torque, which is its turning power. Shimano Tourney 6-speed gears work with a grip shifter, so changing gear is easy. A front bracket holds Decathlon's 25 L folding-bike bag, and Decathlon gives a standard 2-year warranty.
Price: £999.99 (decathlon.co.uk, checked 25 October 2026)

A 36 V 7 Ah (252 Wh) battery on the pannier rack, with a claimed range of 30 to 50 km, and a motor with 35 Nm of torque.
Shimano Tourney 6-speed gears with a grip shifter.
It folds or unfolds in 30 seconds with simple hinge levers, and has a front bracket for Decathlon's 25 L folding-bike bag.
Decathlon gives a standard 2-year warranty.

The catch: At 21.4 kg including battery and motor it is heavy to carry.

See it at Decathlon

4Best for cheapest folder, short trips

Apollo Transport Electric Folding Bike, 20-inch wheel

A light aluminium folder on anti-puncture tyres.

What it is: A lightweight aluminium folding bike on 20-inch wheels, built for short trips.
Perfect for: If you want a low-cost folder for short trips, this is your pick.
Why we picked it: Its frame is lightweight aluminium on double-wall rims, with CST anti-puncture tyres. Shimano TY-21 6-speed gears and V-brakes give you six gears and a way to slow down. The battery is removable, and a recharge takes 5 hours.
Price: £679 (halfords.com, checked 25 October 2026)

A lightweight aluminium folding frame on 20 inch double-wall rims with CST anti-puncture tyres.
Shimano TY-21 6-speed gears and V-brakes.
A removable battery with an average range of 10 to 15 miles (up to 20) and a 5-hour recharge.

The catch: Rider weight limit is 85 kg plus 15 kg of luggage, and the range is short.

See it at Halfords

5Best for biggest battery, disc brakes

UTO ESS20 Electric Folding Bike

Go up to 40 miles on one charge, with disc brakes.

What it is: The UTO ESS20 is an electric folding bike rated for up to 40 miles on one charge. Its 250 W rear motor gives 40 Nm of torque, with five levels of assistance to choose from.
Perfect for: This is for commuters who want a 378 Wh battery and disc brakes on a bike that folds away neatly.
Why we picked it: The battery is removable, so charging is easy to fit into your day. Shimano 7-speed gears and Tektro mechanical disc brakes handle the gears and the stopping. Its CST 20 x 2.35 inch tyres also carry reflective strips.
Price: £1,599 (halfords.com, checked 25 October 2026)

An MXUS 250 W rear hub motor with 40 Nm of torque and five levels of assistance.
A removable 378 Wh battery with Samsung cells, rated for up to 40 miles.
Shimano 7-speed gears, Tektro mechanical disc brakes and CST 20 x 2.35 inch tyres with reflective strips.
The handlebar stem and pedals fold too, so nothing sticks out when it is stored.

The catch: The maker's description says it uses a cadence sensor, so the help switches on when you pedal rather than following how hard you push.

See it at Halfords

6Best for belt drive, hydraulic discs

ADO Air 20s Folding Electric Bike

Smooth, low-maintenance rides from a folding 20-inch e-bike.

What it is: ADO calls it the first 20-inch folding e-bike with a carbon belt drive, which needs no regular lubrication. A 250 W motor helps you along, and the 37 V 10 Ah battery is removable.
Perfect for: Made for riders who want a folding e-bike with no chain to oil and hydraulic disc brakes.
Why we picked it: A dual-sided torque sensor makes the help respond to how hard you pedal, and ADO claims up to 100 km on a charge. It is single speed, so there are no gears to shift or adjust.
Price: £1,199 (amazon.co.uk, checked 25 October 2026)

ADO calls it the first 20-inch folding e-bike with a carbon belt drive, which needs no regular lubrication.
A dual-sided torque sensor and hydraulic disc brakes are fitted.
A 250 W motor and a removable 37 V 10 Ah battery; ADO claims up to 100 km on a charge.
It is single speed: the belt drive has no gears to shift.

The catch: The maker lists 18+ kg net weight but 24+ kg full weight, so it is not light when ready to ride.

Check today's price on Amazon

What we left out, and why

Brompton Electric P Line with Advance Roller Frame (4-speed): Same 345 Wh battery and 90 km claim as the C Line, with a titanium and steel frame; we kept one Brompton.

How we chose

Our buying criteria

Want a folding electric bike that fits on a train, in a car boot or in a small flat? We shortlisted the models UK shoppers search for most. We picked them on the makers' published specifications and UK listings, read on the update date. Every pick comes with one honest catch. We do not lab-test, so these choices are based on published facts, not our own measurements.

Folded size: check it fits your train, boot or hallway. The Carrera Crosscity folds to 93 x 40 x 74 cm.
Weight: check what you will lift, from 17.6 kg for the Brompton C Line to 24 kg or more for the ADO Air 20s ready to ride.
Battery and range: where the maker states it, batteries run from 252 Wh (watt-hours) to 378 Wh; compare the range each maker claims.
UK rules: buy an EAPC, a pedal-assist bike with a motor of 250 W or less that stops helping at 15.5 mph.

How we choose every pick

Your questions, answered

Are folding electric bikes legal in the UK?

Yes. A folding e-bike is legal in the UK as an electrically assisted pedal cycle (EAPC) if its motor is 250 W or less and it stops giving help above 15.5 mph. Check both figures before you buy, so you know you are getting a legal bike.

Do I need a licence or insurance for a folding electric bike?

Good news: you don't need a licence or insurance. An EAPC, an electrically assisted pedal cycle, doesn't need a licence. It also doesn't need to be registered, taxed or insured. Folding or not, the same EAPC test applies: 250 W or less, no help above 15.5 mph, and a rider aged 14 or over.

How small does a folding electric bike get?

It depends on the frame and how it folds, so check the folded size against your train's luggage space, your boot or your hallway before you buy. Our top pick, the Carrera Crosscity, folds to 93 x 40 x 74 cm.

How heavy is a folding electric bike?

Our picks run from 17.6 kg for the Brompton C Line to 21.4 kg for the BTWIN E-Fold 500 and 24 kg or more for the ADO Air 20s ready to ride. Taking the battery off makes it easier to lift: the Brompton drops to 13.85 kg.

How far can a folding e-bike go on a charge?

It depends on battery size and how you ride. Our picks' makers claim from 10 to 15 miles on average for the Apollo Transport to up to 90 km (about 56 miles) for the Brompton and 100 km for the ADO. Those figures assume ideal conditions, so expect less in cold weather, on hills or in the highest assist mode.