The 9 Best Folding Electric Bikes of 2024 - Foldable E-Bikes

Zip from home, to the train, to work—or anywhere else—with these fantastic folding electric bikes.

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Folding electric bikes may be the ultimate solution for urban mobility. This class of bike lets you zip around town with the ease and speed of any electrified bike, whether you’re riding to work, grabbing groceries, or meeting friends.

Plus, there are a few other distinct advantages over non-folding bikes. Tight on space? At home or at your destination, these bikes’ clever folding designs let you store your bike in minimal space. Compact size is a clear benefit if you're an apartment-dwelling urbanite or anyone who has space constraints in their home.

Folding electric bikes are also the ideal convenience if you plan to go multimodal—once folded, most of the models can be easily carried onto a commuter train or bus. Many can also fit onto a boat or RV, giving land- or sea-going cruisers an easy way to get around at ports of call.

There are many considerations when deciding which electric folding bike is right for you. Some prioritize a compact design over handling, which may result in a bike that’s not as fast or fun to ride. Other models give you premium features, but expect to pay more for bikes that include things like Bluetooth connectivity or racks.

Most folding e-bikes use hub motors, which are smaller and lighter than mid-mount motors commonly found on non-folding electric bikes. Hub motors also save space in the frame, allowing the bikes to fold up smaller. While mid-mount motors generally help designers create a better-balanced bike, the space- and weight-saving attributes are an important advantage for these bikes.

Bikes with hub motors handle differently than those with mid-mount motors, but most cyclists can quickly adapt to the bikes’ specific characteristics.

The battery capacity of an e-bike is measured in Watt Hours and Volts. Watt Hours (Wh) indicate the total energy stored in a battery. Higher Wh ratings mean you can ride longer. Voltage (V) indicates how quickly that energy can be discharged from the battery. More powerful motor systems will come equipped with a higher-voltage battery—usually 48V versus 36V.

Your bike’s range will depend on how much boost you use, how hilly your rides are, and even the temperature and wind. It’s best to test your bike’s range by riding longer and longer distances on roads you know, so that you can always find a way to get home before your battery becomes depleted.

Some states, including New York, are now requiring e-bikes shipped to addresses in the state to carry a UL certification. This certification demonstrates that the bike's motor and battery system have undergone third party testing with regard to their safety. Several fires in New York City and other places have been attributed to non-certified e-bikes.

However, you shouldn’t necessarily be put off buying a bike without a UL certification. Not all states require that standard, and there are other certifications, including Europe’s EN 15194, which requires similar safety features. Even though the safety of an EN battery is similar to a UL, EN-certified batteries are legal for sale in only some states, but not in ones requiring UL.

Any bike you purchase from a reputable manufacturer should be safe to ride, and safe to keep in your home. But, resist the temptation to save on a replacement battery by buying one from a third-party vendor. If you need a new battery (they lose capacity over time), be sure to buy one that’s recommended by your bike’s manufacturer.

Whether speeding over the steepest hill on your commute, or challenging yourself to keep pace with city traffic, many e-bike riders will want a motor with copious power. These days, bikes with higher torque ratings and bigger batteries are available at more affordable price points. At the same time, bikes are coming equipped with more powerful motors than they were a couple years ago.

Most of the bikes in this roundup are powered by motors with between 250- and 1,000-watts, which makes these compact bikes quite powerful for a morning commute or a trip to the movies.

Torque is also a critical measure of e-bike performance and can tell you how quickly a motor will get you going from a stop, or how it will speed you up a hill. Of course, more powerful motors with more torque draw more power, and using your e-bike on higher power settings will limit your overall range by discharging the battery faster.

Regardless of torque and watts, most folding e-bikes cut off pedaling assistance at 20mph, consistent with the requirements for the Class 1 e-bike category. Generally, that limit is in place for safety on bike paths, and because some municipalities restrict e-bikes by class on certain trails or paths. More powerful class 3 e-bikes cut off assistance at about 28mph.

Wheel size is an important consideration when shopping for an electric folding bike. Wheel size dictates how compact a bike can be when folded, impacts a bike’s handling, and determines the kind of terrain it can tackle.

Most folding e-bikes use a 20-inch wheel, which allows for decent handling while still allowing the bike to pack down to a fairly compact size and fit into a car trunk or be carried onto a train. If you want an even smaller folded package, look for a bike with 16-inch wheels.

Some folding e-bikes use full-size wheels. This provides a smoother ride, handling akin to a standard bike, and makes the bike less susceptible to bumps and holes in the road. But, a folding bike with bigger wheels will still take up more space.

Weight is always a consideration when buying a bike, but it's especially important with electric folding bikes since these are likely to be hauled up flights of stairs or even hoisted into an overhead bin on a train.

How much weight matters to you likely depends on why you’ve chosen a bike of this type. Just need to save some space in your garage? Weight likely matters less for you. Looking to ride from your home to the train, and then from train to office? Weight is likely a more important consideration, and you should look for bikes that weigh 45 pounds or less. The same goes for anyone looking for a bike that will be stored on an RV or boat.

Every folding bike maker uses a different system to fold and unfold their bike. A system of quick release levers is the most common, while Brompton’s inventive system of clips and pivots is somewhat unique – and arguably the fastest system presently on the road. The way a bike folds may be worth considering if you’re likely to need to fold on the fly; say, while sprinting for a commuter train. If, on the other hand, you’re simply needing a bike that takes up less space when not in use, any of these systems will work well for you.

Every bike included here has been thoroughly evaluated and vetted by Bicycling’s team of gear editors. Initial selections were made by Deputy Editor Tara Seplavy and updated by both Commerce Editor Kevin Cortez and myself.

Bicycling’s hands-on approach means the test team has put these options through the paces and reviewed them thoroughly. For bikes included here but not ridden, the test team considered user reviews and leaned on years of experience with other similar models and familiarity with the industry’s notable and newest brands.

Each bike was evaluated for its unique attributes, as well as important baseline stats like folded size, range, power, value, and aesthetics. All of our efforts have combined to bring you the compelling recommendations below.

The RadExpand 5 is nearly 5 pounds lighter than its predecessor, but is still one of the heavier options in this category. It's ideal for cyclists who want a folding bike to optimize storage, but not for anyone who needs to carry a bike upstairs or onto trains or buses.

The 750-watt continuous-power motor makes the Expand 5 fast, and a large battery gives it longer range than other bikes in the class, all while the fat tires give you a comfortable ride. The mechanical disc brakes are less powerful than hydraulic models on other bikes, and require more maintenance – this is especially important on a bike this heavy.

You get four levels of pedal assist and a seven-speed drivetrain, integrated LED front and rear lights, a rear rack with a 55-pound carrying capacity, extra mounts, and the option to add a front basket.

The Swagcycle is among the cheapest folding e-bikes we’ve seen—in fact, the price has recently dropped. We haven’t tested this particular bike, so we can’t comment on its performance or longevity. But the price will doubtless still make it attractive to many riders.

The Swagcycle has a five-speed drivetrain and rolls on 14-inch wheels. The small folded size and light 37-pound weight will make this bike an ideal choice for RVers and boaters, or anyone who needs to carry their bike upstairs. The 281Wh battery powers the 250W motor up to 15 mph with a claimed 15-mile range (double with the optional spare battery).

Marketed to private pilots with a jump seat’s worth of room in their Cessna, the Volador is a 350W is a basic take on an e-bike. You get 20-inch wheels, seven-speed gearing, and quick-release levers for fast size adjustments after unfolding. The selling point here is weight: 36 pounds for a full-function folder.

Riders who are looking for faster bikes with more features may want to look elsewhere—unless, that is, they regularly ride the subway or bus and want a bike they can easily schlep up or down stairs.

Thanks to a 500-watt rear hub motor and folding mechanisms in the downtube and stem, the Vika+ goes fast, folds fast, and stows well. Its 614Wh battery delivers up to 45 miles of range, and a throttle provides on-demand blasts of oomph—helpful on steep climbs or when leaving stop lights.

It comes with a seven-speed Shimano Tourney drivetrain, a rear rack, integrated LED lights with brake indicator, a bell cleverly integrated into the left brake lever, front and rear fenders, ergonomic grips, and 2.2-inch tires. And the new version uses Tektro mechanical disc brakes, an upgrade over the previous version’s rim brakes.

READ FULL REVIEW

While Tern is best-known for family-hauling, long-tail cargo bikes, the company also has a history building folding bikes. The brand's folding system is among the most refined in the class and is easy to use, allowing you to quickly switch from riding configuration to having the bike folded.

The Vektron isn’t the smallest or lightest bike, but it folds small enough to fit into a car or can be easily stored in a closet. Notably, the Vektron’s mid-mount motor configuration, unusual in this class, allows Tern to use a Bosch Performance power system. Bosch is one of the leaders in e-bike motor and battery technology and its systems are known equally for power, reliability, and longevity. The motor develops 65nm of torque, which will be helpful for any cyclist carrying a heavy load of groceries home on their bike.

The Lectric XP 3.0 is a striking e-folder with 3-inch-wide tires on 20-inch wheels and an industrial-styled forged-aluminum frame. The battery is integrated into the frame, which powers a 500-watt hub motor with 55Nm of torque. This gives the XP 3.0 up a claimed 45 miles of range.

A seven-speed drivetrain provides gearing for varied terrain, and there’s a throttle to let you zip along pedal-free. It includes a 50mm travel suspension fork, as well as a large LCD screen. The bike ships as a Class 2 e-bike but can be upgraded to a Class 3, increasing its max speed to 28mph from 20mph.

Aventon’s Abound is a highly capable and competitively priced mid-tail cargo-hauling e-bike. While not a full folder, the handlebar and stem collapse to allow for easier storage in tight spaces. The Abound has the features, power, and options needed to carry almost anything—groceries, children, or friends.

The bike’s 750-watt rear hub motor with torque controller provides a zippy ride feel, and Tektro hydraulic brakes with 180mm rotors provide strong stopping power. Other features like the dropper post help the bike outperform other similarly priced models.

Aventon claims a 50-mile range on the internal battery, although we only got about half that when using the highest power setting and the throttle. The reinforced rear rack accommodates passengers up to 143 pounds with a total bike capacity of 440 pounds.

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The plucky, smart, and wholly British Brompton Electric feels slick. Like any other Brompton, it folds in three places and quickly becomes very small—we got it down to 3.6 cubic feet in 30 unhurried seconds.

Integrated rollers allow you to push or pull the Brompton when it’s folded, making it the ideal choice for a journey that includes trains, buses, or planes. The new Electric C Line utilizes a 250W front hub motor and 300Wh battery pack. The electrified C line is available with a few different drivetrain options, but we recommend this versatile six-speed version for most riders.

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This carbon-framed e-bike is lightweight and zippy, though surprisingly quiet and powerful. Its solid disc brakes are protected by shields to prevent excess water or dirt from entering the calipers, and a single-sided carbon fork dampens bumps. The G4 has a claimed 40-mile range on a single charge.

It has a few nice quality-of-life touches, too: Bluetooth (with a companion app for custom power levels), a USB port built into its handlebars, and a stylish matte finish to complete the sleek package.

When testing the G4, Bicycling contributor Athne Feay thought it was an attractive head-turning e-bike that looked smarter than other e-bikes on the market despite Gocycle launching more than a decade ago. It's also reliable: “The usual obstacles, hills, and stopped traffic did little to slow me down,” she said. “At a steady 20mph, the bike tackled anything I could throw at it.”

As sleek as it is, its proprietary components can stymie immediate service and add dollars to repair bills.

READ FULL REVIEW

Are e-bike batteries safe? And are they interchangeable?

Generally, e-bike batteries are safe, however you should look to make sure that your batters are UL- or EN 15194-certified. This is a legal requirement for new e-bikes in some states. Batteries are generally not interchangeable, but if you have multiple bikes that use the same power system, you can consult your bike’s manufacturer to see if the battery is interchangeable.

How can I extend the range of my battery?

The best way to extend your bike’s range is to reduce the amount of boost you use. The less the motor helps you, the longer its range will be.

Will my e-bike work without a battery?

Yes. You can always turn your motor off or ride without a battery. Just be prepared that the extra weight from the motor will make the bike heavier and harder to ride.

Do I need a helmet when riding an e-bike?

It is always recommended to wear a helmet. In some municipalities, there may be helmet requirements for riders of certain ages.

Are folding e-bikes street legal?

Yes, e-bikes are legal to ride in the street, however, you should check local regulations before taking your e-bike on any bike paths or trails.

Andrew “Bernie” Bernstein is a former Bicycling Magazine Gear Editor, and Bicycling marketing manager. While at Bicycling, he promoted the Bicycling Fall Classic, and the famed Fifth Street Cross Thursday Night Training Series. Bernie was an elite track and road racer from 2010-2019. In 2019, he was hit by a driver near his home in Boulder, CO. The crash nearly killed him and left him with paraplegia. He considers himself very lucky to still now be able to hike, and ride with the help of an e-gravel bike. He’s written about his experience as a paracyclist disabled athletes for Men’s Health, Bicycling, and Outside Magazine. You can follow his adventures on Instagram.

Kevin Cortez is an editor for Runner's World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics covering reviews. A culture and product journalist for over ten years, he’s an expert in men’s style, technology, gaming, coffee, e-bikes, hiking, gear, and all things outdoors. He most recently worked as the Style Editor for Reviewed, a top product recommendation site owned by USA TODAY. He also helped with the launch of WSJ's Buy Side commerce vertical, and has covered the music and podcast industries for Mass Appeal, Genius, Vulture, Leafly, Input, and The A.V. Club. Equally passionate about leisure as he is his penmanship, Kevin dedicates his spare time to graphic novels, birding, making cold brew, and taking long, meandering walks.

As Deputy Editor, Tara Seplavy leads Bicycling’s product test team; after having previously led product development and sourcing for multiple bike brands, run World Championship winning mountain bike teams, wrenched at renowned bicycle shops in Brooklyn, raced everything from criteriums to downhill, and ridden bikes on six different continents (landing herself in hospital emergency rooms in four countries and counting). Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Tara spends tons of time on the road and trail testing products. A familiar face at cyclocross races, crits, and bike parks in the Mid Atlantic and New England, on weekends she can often be found racing for the New York City-based CRCA/KruisCX team. When not riding a bike, or talking about them, Tara listens to a lot of ska, punk, and emo music, and consumes too much social media.

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