Electric Brompton: Deposits now being taken

The electric Brompton has been in development for over a decade, and while it has yet to go on sale, the company is now taking deposits for delivery in 2018.

Brompton has become a byword for folding bicycles and the company has overcome many set-backs to produce an electric folder they believe will be worthy of their name. Britain remains behind the curve where the electric bike market is concerned – a fact that may mean the long delay in launching the eBrompton may not harm future sales as we have yet to catch-up with the European appetite for battery-assisted cycling.

Our favourite feature is the head tube-mounted battery bag which docks neatly doing away with any need to connect wires and enabling the battery to be removed quickly when the bike needs to be folded.

Electric Brompton key features

• Custom-developed 250W front hub motor
• Bike folds to same size as standard Brompton
• Battery can be carried separately, integrating neatly into a shoulder bag (total weight 2.9kg) and can be sued to charge USB-compatible devices

The electric Brompton comes with 2A charger capable of delivering a charge of 80 per cent  charge in around 3 hours – 100 per in 4-5 hours. A more powerful rapid charger that can replenish the battery completely in three hours is available as an optional extra. However, most office workers are likely to find the standard charger perfectly adequate – especially given the bike’s estimated range of up to 50 miles.

Prices for the eBrompton will range from £2,595 to £2,755 depending on specification. A £200 deposit placed secures one of the first electric Brompton folders, which will be available only in Britain initially.

| “Brompton has become an iconic bicycle design not through clever marketing, radical styling or riding trends, but rather by ensuring function remains a priority”

The much anticipated electric motor-assisted eBrompton, which was due to go into production in 2013, is a major undertaking for a company so fiercely protective of its brand.

The electric bike market is growing and already accounts for over 30 million sales per year, but Brompton has become an iconic bicycle design not through clever marketing, radical styling or riding trends, but rather by ensuring function remains a priority.

It’s an approach championed by the firm’s managing director, William Butler-Adams, who is keenly aware of the risk of diluting the brand and that any departure from the company’s core business of producing the instantly recognisable folding bike, whether that be the firm’s recently-launched Brompton cycling jacket or the forthcoming e-bike, needs to be true to the Brompton ethos of function first.

ETA Cycle Insurance for folding bicycles

• Theft, accidental damage and vandalism
• New-for-old replacement – no devaluation
• £5m Third Party cover on any bike
• £20k Personal Accident cover on any bike
• Family and friends covered

• Worldwide cover for cycle touring
• Cycle Breakdown cover – including punctures
• Replacement cycle hire
• Free legal advice
• Race events and triathlons covered

Affordable cycle insurance for folding bicycles with 20% off

Folding bicycles are at a lower risk of theft – after all, they spend much of their time locked in the boot of a car, under a desk or next to your feet on a crowded train. It’s the reason why all folding bikes are eligible for up to 20% off ETA Cycle Insurance.

We insure all types of folding bike, but as an example of our highly-competitive rates, one year’s fully-comprehensive cover for a  folder worth £900 (central London post code) , costs only £6.79 per month – and remember, unlike other providers, we never devalue your bike.

Folding bicycles we cover

Bicycle insurance from the ETA covers small-wheeled folders from the likes of Brompton, Dahon, Tern, Airnimal, Raleigh and Dawes as well as full-sized folding bicycles such as the Montague Paratrooper and Boston 8. The Moulton range of bikes does not fold in the conventional way, but we consider it a folder for the purposes of this insurance.

Why insure a folding bike?

High-quality folders such as Bromptons keep their value well and are easy for thieves to sell, so it is prudent to have them covered by insurance. Furthermore, a good insurance policy will compensate you for accidental damage and provide third party cover at no additional cost. Find out more about what’s covered by our cycle insurance policy.