UK folding e-bike maker FLIT has unveiled a new model weighing 13.3 kg. It cut weight versus existing products while keeping the folding structure and riding convenience. It is also targeting the market with a lower price than rival Brompton.

On Aug. 20, EV outlet Electrek reported that FLIT unveiled the new folding e-bike M2i.

The M2i’s biggest feature is its weight. The bike weighs 13.3 kg, about 500 grams lighter than Brompton’s Electric T Line. It is priced at 2,999 pounds, far lower than the Electric T Line’s 5,799 pounds.

Portability is key for folding e-bikes, but many lightweight models still weigh about 20 to 25 kg, making them burdensome to carry up and down stairs or take on public transport. FLIT targeted that problem with the M2i.

The M2i can be moved on its wheels when folded, and folds small enough to fit into a train luggage rack. It said it considered not only riding but also situations where commuters carry the bike during commuting and transfers.

FLIT cut an additional 1.2 kg from the existing M2. It applied a custom aluminium frame made in Cambridge instead of a titanium frame and used a structural bonding process. Using structural adhesive instead of welding is a technique used in aerospace and high-performance car manufacturing. FLIT said this can reduce heat distortion that may occur during welding and maintain frame alignment accuracy. The manufacturing process was developed with support from Innovate UK, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Advanced Propulsion Centre.

Weight reduction was also applied across components. The M2i uses UK-made Hope XCR Pro X2 hydraulic disc brakes, Goodyear Eagle F1 R tyres, a Fizik Vento Antares R3 saddle, TPU tubes and a hollow-pin KMC chain. FLIT said the overall configuration changes amount to upgrades worth more than 875 pounds compared with the existing M2.

FLIT’s goal is not simply to reduce the weight figure. FLIT CEO Alex Murray (알렉스 머리) said he wanted to make a bike that people can actually carry up station stairs or take onto crowded commuter trains, rather than an e-bike that only stresses a lighter number. He said the company broadly improved areas where weight could be reduced while maintaining everyday usability based on the existing M2 platform.

The M2i also did not give up convenience features on a large scale for weight reduction. It has integrated front and rear lights and can still be moved using its wheels even when folded.

Price is also a point where it stresses competitiveness. FLIT says the M2i is lighter than Brompton’s lightest electric model while costing about half as much. The company said the actual purchase burden could be lowered further by using the UK’s bicycle-to-work support scheme.

The M2i shows that competitive benchmarks in the folding e-bike market are expanding from folding structures or electric-assist performance to weight, public transport connectivity and real-world portability.

FLIT reduced weight by changing frame manufacturing and component selection rather than unconditionally using expensive materials. It is pursuing a strategy of competing with established players such as Brompton in the premium folding e-bike market by offering a light model that is also easy to use in everyday life.