I’m a staff writer focused on gear and tech based near New York City.
Jun 12, 2025, 10:26am EDT
A foldable electric bike proves that sometimes, you can have it all. These bikes make riding easy, thanks to features like power-assisted pedaling (usually called pedal-assist) and a throttle that lets you move without pedaling, and they can handle miles of riding on varied terrain, only to fold down small enough to tuck into the trunk of your car or for storage in a closet at home. And the best folding electric bikes, like our top pick, the Lectric Bikes XP4 , have huge weight capacities, easily able to carry more than 300 pounds of combined rider and gear.
Folding electric bikes let you ride for miles with comfort and ease, then tuck it away in a small space for storage.
Illustration: Forbes / Photo: Retailer
Whether you are shopping for a long-range folding electric bike that can go 75 miles on a single charge or a beast of a bike with a massive 400-pound weight limit, choosing the right electric bike for your needs involves a lot of questions. We have done the research and talked to ebike experts to help prepare you to choose a great ride. Read on to see which are the best folding ebikes you can buy right now.
Top electric speed: 28 miles per hour | Range: 50 miles | Weight: 62 pounds | Weight capacity: 330 pounds |Motor power: 1092W peak
Pros:
Fast top speed
Arrives fully assembled
Bright clear screen
Cons:
Headlight too dim
Lectric Bike has been the best-selling ebike maker in the US for several years now, and the XP4 is another example of why that is still true. The ride experience is smooth yet compelling, with a torque sensor that allows the bike to add power commensurate with your pedaling; whereas many electric bikes simply kick on the motor at full power, torque sensors deliver a ride that’s much less jerky and is easier to control. The bike has a top motor-assisted speed of 28 miles per hour, and it also has a robust hydraulic disc braking system that will slow you smoothly when you want, or that can bring things to a quick halt when needed.
And in the scheme of things, the XP4 has an excellent price, underselling many ebikes with fewer features or less sophisticated components. Rob Moal, owner of Train Like Rob, says, “I’ve tested bikes that cost double and still don’t match its durability and torque. It folds clean, rides smooth, and won’t break your budget or your back.”
The bike’s color display is easy to see even in full sunlight, though we do have to flag that the included headlight leaves something to be desired in brightness. The 50 mile powered range and 330-pound payload limit are both solid, if not amazing, and you can begin enjoying the bike as soon as it arrives, as it comes fully assembled.
Executive editor Dave Johnson has put a lot of miles on this new model, and says, “dollar for dollar, this is the best folding ebike I’ve ever ridden. I know the older XP3 very well, and Lectric packed this bike with a better motor, better range, a better digital display, and a dozen small but meaningful upgrades without raising the price. Few of Lectric’s competitors include hydraulic brakes at this price point, for example.”
ANCHEER SHOP
Ancheer StreetRider Folding Electric Bike
Top electric speed: 22 miles per hour | Range: 30 miles | Weight: 48.5 pounds | Weight capacity: 265 pounds |Motor power: 500W peak
Pros:
Great price
Shock-absorbing system
Relatively lightweight
Cons:
Main body does not fold, only handlebars
Modest range under power
Mechanical brakes
In the category of folding electric bicycles, a bike that costs less than $370 is quite the deal, and that’s the case with the compact but capable Ancheer StreetRider Folding Electric Bike. It weighs less than 50 pounds, so carrying and loading it is easy enough, and it’s also not hard to ride the bike using pedal power alone if the battery dies. Which it may well do on some longer rides, as the range is just 30 miles.
The biggest drawback to highlight is that this bike folds differently from most others; rather than truly folding in half, its handlebars fold down. With those down and the seat lowered, it’s still compact enough to tuck away into most vehicle trunks or to occupy only moderate space in the garage, but that folding mechanism may be a red line for some buyers. The ride is smooth and comfortable thanks to a shock-absorbing system at the forks and under the rider, and the top speed of 22 miles per hour is decent.
Best All-Terrain Folding Electric Bike
Heybike
HeyBike Ranger S
Top electric speed: 28 miles per hour | Range: 55 miles | Weight: 72 pounds | Weight capacity: 400 pounds | Motor power: 1800W peak
Pros:
Off-road capabilities
Huge weight capacity
Free trial and good warranty
Cons:
Difficult assembly
The HeyBike Ranger S is a beast of a folding electric bike, and I can attest to that, having ridden one on roads, grass, gravel and dirt paths. The bike has massive four-inch thick tires that keep it stable even when the going gets rough, and its potent motor, which peaks at 1,800 watts, can not only power the bike up to 28 miles per hour, but it also allows for a total weight capacity of a 400 pounds.
This is one of the pricier bikes in this roundup, and it can be a pain to assemble (I can attest to that, as well). But once you have it assembled, it offers good range and a smooth ride. A seven-speed gear system allows you to adjust as needed whether you’re going uphill, downhill, or on flat ground, while hefty brakes will easily slow or stop you as needed.
Best Lightweight Folding Electric Bike
Carry It With One Hand
Urtopia (US)
Urtopia Carbon Fold 1 E-Bike
Top electric speed: 20 miles per hour | Range: 40 miles | Weight: 29 pounds | Weight capacity: 220 pounds |Motor power: 500W peak
Pros:
Very lightweight
Folds down small
Responsive torque sensor
Cons:
Low max rider weight
The Urtopia Carbon Fold E-Bike is one of the lightest folding e-bikes around, weighing in at less than 30 pounds. You can easily grab this bike and carry it up a flight of stairs without too much trouble. It also folds down small enough to be a great choice for apartment dwellers or for people who use an electric bike to commute to work and need to bring it into the office. The range is modest a 40 miles, and the top electric speed of 20 miles per hour is also on the lower end, but the bike is ideal for urban use, if not for long-distance travel.
It’s probably not surprising that a folding bike that weighs less than 30 pounds isn’t going to have a great payload capacity, and that’s certainly the case here—it is not recommended that riders weighing more than 220 pounds use this bike. But for smaller folk, this is a compact and capable bike that will be fun to ride, too.
Best Long-Range Folding Electric Bike
75 Miles At Full Charge
Hiboy
Hiboy EX6 Fat Tire Electric Bike
Top electric speed: 25 miles per hour | Range: 75 miles | Weight: 66 pounds | Weight capacity: 300 pounds |Motor power: 500W peak
Pros:
Impressive range
Off-road capable
Comfortable cruiser riding position
Cons:
Long charging time
Manual brakes
The Hiboy EX6 Fat Tire Electric Bike is ready for the long haul—it can reach 75 miles in pedal-assist mode on level terrain. But more impressive is that this bike can go a bit more than 40 miles when you’re leaning on the throttle and not doing any of the work. Either way, you’ll be riding in comfort. This is a cruiser-style bike that allows for a fully upright riding posture, and the handlebar placement and seat height can be adjusted for even more user comfort.
It can take up to eight hours to charge this bike, so you will have to plan ahead and be patient, but once that battery is at full charge, you have a lot of range at your disposal. And it’s okay if a good number of those miles aren’t on smooth, paved roads, as the bike has thick tires that can handle some off-road riding.
Why Trust Forbes Vetted
The gear team at Forbes Vetted has dozens of years of combined experience researching and writing about everything from pocket knives to beach coolers to running shoes. And we have covered myriad types of bicycles many times over the years.
This article was written by Forbes Vetted staff writer Steven John, who has tested multiple electric bikes over the years—folding electric bikes included—and who has firsthand experience with several of the brands featured in this article.
This piece was reviewed by Forbes Vetted executive editor Dave Johnson, who has decades of experience reviewing tech, gear and fitness products. He wrote our roundup of the best electric bikes in which he personally tested and compared more than 15 ebikes.
John spoke to several experts in the cycling world, including Connor Swegle, co-founder and CMO of Priority Bicycles, and Rob Moal, strength coach and rehab specialist and the owner of Train Like Rob.
New and updated products become available regularly, so we will update this article periodically to keep it relevant and accurate. The article was last updated in June 2025.
To choose the best folding electric bikes, we considered multiple bikes from many different brands, weighing everything from customer reviews to expert input to firsthand experience.
We created categories that differentiate one bike from another, such as a slot for the best long-range folding electric bike and the best lightweight folding e-bike, with these established based on research and testing.
We have firsthand experience with many of the bike brands covered here, including Lectric Bikes, Hiboy and Heybike, and this hands-on testing experience helped inform the list.
We made sure that every bike that made the cut has at least a four-star rating when all customer ratings are averaged together, and that there were no major red flags in the many customer reviews we read through.
What To Consider When Looking For A Folding Electric Bike
When shopping for the best folding electric bike for your needs, Swegle from Priority Bicycles says: “A folding e-bike is worth it if you need the features, but also ask yourself what type of rider might this be for?” Which is to say are you riding for fun, as a commuter or for moderate, power-assisted exercise? Once you know your riding needs, you can consider these factors.
Range
If you are riding your folding electric bike around the neighborhood for fun or for a few short errands, then range is really not an issue, but if you are going to be taking it far afield on the trail or will be depending on it for a commute, then you need to make sure you get one that has enough battery life to give you the range you need.
Weight
Many folding electric bikes are surprisingly heavy, and that can be a problem if you need to carry your bike up a staircase or onto a train. Determine what amount of weight you can safely and comfortably lift and carry and keep than in mind as you browse.
Folded Dimensions
Some folding electric bikes are still rather bulky even when folded down. “Size should be determined by where you need the folding bike to fit,” says Swegle. “If you are in a small apartment, are looking for a bike to fit next to you on a train, or if you have small storage space at your destination, you can identify smaller folding electric bicycles that suit those specific needs.”
Speed
To determine the speed you need for a folding electric bike, again think of where you’ll be riding it. If you will be out on the trail, then chances are good that you don’t need to be speeding along well over 20 miles per hour, but if you are trying to keep up with the city traffic, you might need to look for a bike that has that 28 mile per hour electric-assisted top speed.
Payload Capacity
Your folding e-bike needs to be able to accommodate not just your weight, but also the weight of anything you might be bringing along with you, so factor in the weight of groceries, packages or even another person.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can ride very long distances on most folding electric bikes, but the comfort and effort that is needed for a particular ride can vary depending on the bike’s construction. “Larger tires are going to make a ride more comfortable and allow for more frame structure,” says Swegle, whereas a very compact folding e-bike might not be as comfortable for long rides.
Yes, as long as you make sure to properly assemble a folding e-bike and that each of its parts is properly locked in place and tightened as needed before each ride, a folding bike is very much safe to ride.
“The disadvantage of a folding bike can be that the rider may not get the traditional ride-feel of a non-folding bike, because they are sacrificing that experience for the size advantages,” says Swegle. “Electric folding bicycles are also heavier, which is a consideration when you are looking to carry them in between rides.”
