E-folders combine the easier, assisted cycling of an e-bike with the go-anywhere portability of a folding bike. They can be used for the last few miles of a longer journey by train, like a regular folder, but they can also go further. The motor and battery make hilly rides and double-digit mileages much more achievable for most people. Range anxiety, meanwhile, is less of a problem than with other e-bikes, as you can easily jump in a taxi or on a train if the battery goes flat.

E-folders are inevitably more expensive and heavier than their unpowered equivalents. Price isn’t such a big deal. Over the long term, you’ll save loads of money compared to making the same journeys by other transport. Weight is an issue. You will have to pick up an e-folder at some point. Don’t be tempted to carry it. Wheel it along, unfolded, until you get to where you have to lift it. Most can also be rolled while folded, at least on smoother surfaces like station platforms.

Folding e-bikes don’t just fit into smaller spaces; they fit seamlessly into people’s lives by making efficient, sweat-free transport always available. That’s perhaps why there’s been a surge in interest from manufacturers in recent years, with plenty of new or improved models coming to market. Not all of them are worth considering. The 10 below are.

Btwin Electric Folding Bike E-Fold 500 £999.99

The cheapest e-folder worth buying, the E-Fold 500 is basically a Btwin Fold 500 fitted with a 35Nm rear hub motor and a 252Wh rack-mounted battery. It’s a 20-inch wheel bike with a sturdy steel frame and fork. The wheelbase is short and the riding position sit-up-and-beg, which translates into a comfortable but somewhat quirky-handling ride. Range varies from 30-50km; you can buy and fit a larger 417Wh battery if you want to go further. Equipment includes hardwired lights and an optional front bag (£79.99) a bit like Brompton’s. The fold-in-half design is intuitive but not particularly compact. Folded size: 84 x 73.5 x 46cm. Weight: 21.4kg.

Estarli e20.7 £1,510

Another good-value e-bike, especially considering it’s made in Britain. The numbers in the name give the size of the wheels and number of (Shimano Tourney) gears. Like the Btwin it has a fold-in-half frame, but it’s lighter because it’s aluminium. With a longer wheelbase and wider tyres, the handling is more predictable. The 260Wh seatpost-mounted battery gives the same range as the Btwin: up to 50km. The Estarli’s rear hub motor has a little more torque – 40Nm versus 35 – which will help on hills. Cable disc brakes are decent enough stoppers, and the front light is hardwired. Optional extras include a child seat, handlebar bag and rack-top bag. Folded size: 83 x 66 x 46cm. Weight: 18.5kg.

MiRider 16 £1,595

This 16in-wheel singlespeed model is the cheapest folder in MiRider’s range. Spend more and you can have 3-speed gearing and/or 20-inch wheels. Like Estarli, MiRider’s e-bikes are made in Britain. The frame is unusual: it’s magnesium alloy, which like aluminium is light; and it has rear suspension, a unified-rear-triangle design with about 40mm of travel. This is comfortable over bumps but can cause a little bobbing when pedalling. Unless you regularly ride up steep hills, the singlespeed gearing is fine – you’ve got five levels of electric assistance to help. Claimed range from the 252Wh battery, which is in the main frame tube, is up to 72km. Folded size: 78 x 69 x 46cm. Weight: 17.3kg.

UTO OG16 £1,799

The 4-speed ‘Unidentified Transport Object’ OG16 is designed and assembled in France. It’s a tidy-looking e-bike with a fold-in-half aluminium frame and 16-inch wheels fitted with chunky tyres. The 231Wh battery (50km range) is in the seatpost, the 40Nm motor in the rear hub. It differs from cheaper e-bikes in that the assistance is governed by torque sensing rather than cadence sensing, which feels more natural when pedalling and is much better when setting off from stationary. The brakes are better, too: they’re hydraulic discs. It comes with a hardwired front light, mudguards and a rear rack. A front rack and bag are optional. Folded size: 73 x 63.5 x 40cm. Weight: 16.7kg approx.

Volt Metro £1,924

The Volt Metro is another e-bike that’s designed and built in the UK. Like the Estarli, MiRider and UTO, it has a fold-in-half aluminium frame. A generous wheelbase and bigger (20-inch) wheels make for a larger folded package. Riding stability is good, however, and the basic SR Suntour suspension fork will take the sting from unseen potholes. It’s similar to the UTO in that it has a seat post battery (378Wh), torque sensors and hydraulic disc brakes. Range is about the same, too. In addition to hardwired lights, it has a neat twin-leg kickstand, a MIK-compatible rear rack and an Abus wheel lock. Folded size: 90 x 82 x 42cm. Weight: 21.75kg

FLIT M2 £2,499

At around 15kg, the British-built FLIT is unusually lightweight for an e-folder. The futuristic-looking frame is made from bonded aluminium, while the fork is a monoblade design. Like the Brompton, whose 16in wheels it shares, the FLIT is a long-wheelbase folder that packs small because it folds into thirds rather than in half: the rear end swings underneath and the fork folds back on itself. Five assistance modes will cope with all but the steepest hills, despite the singlespeed drivetrain, and torque sensors provide well-modulated power delivery from the 35Nm rear hub motor. A 230Wh battery in the frame gives a range of up to 50km. The bike has integrated be-seen lights and hydraulic disc brakes. Folded size: 79.7 x 60 x 30.5cm. Weight: from 14.5kg.

Brompton Electric C Line e-Motiq 4-speed £2,999

The Brompton is the iconic British folding bike that’s a familiar sight at train stations everywhere. It became so popular because it combines an unbeatably compact fold with a decent ride. The first electric Bromptons had a front hub motor. All now have eMotiq rear hub motors, torque sensors and a front-bag-mounted battery (345Wh in this case). As you can hold the hefty battery bag in your other hand, the folded Brompton Electric is much easier to lift. Motor torque is modest at 24Nm so it’s not the strongest climber, but the range is good – up to 90km. This C Line has a steel frame and fork, 4-speed gearing and rim brakes. It’s compatible with Brompton’s extensive range of accessories. Folded size: 58.5 x 56.5 x 27cm. Weight: from 17.3kg.

Tern Vektron P7i £3,250

Tern’s 20in-wheel Vektron is one of the few folding e-bikes with a mid motor – a Bosch Active Line Plus with 50Nm torque. Mid motors are more efficient than hub motors because they benefit from the bike’s gearing. With a standard 400Wh battery, the Vektron will manage up to 101km. The frame folds in half. With the telescopic seat post and stem lowered, it’s not super small but can be stored vertically on its substantial rear rack. That’s rated for 27kg and could carry a child seat, not just luggage. This version of the Vektron has a 7-speed hub gear. Like the others, it has hydraulic disc brakes, hardwired lights and a huge range of optional extras. Folded size: 86 x 68 x 41cm. Weight: 20.7kg.

Gocycle G4i £3,999

Sold out at time of writing, the Gocycle is a UK folder with 20-inch wheels and a minimalist design aesthetic. It has a carbon-fibre monoblade fork and mid frame, an aluminium front frame and a single-sided, 25mm-travel magnesium swingarm that completely encloses a 3-speed hub-gear drivetrain. The 375Wh battery housed in the frame gives a range of up to 80km, while the bespoke front hub motor has a torque rating that ranges from 20Nm up to around 70Nm when accelerating. This makes it quick off the mark at traffic lights. The Gocycle has hydraulic discs, integrated lights and an integrated ‘dashboard’ display. Accessories include a rear rack, a front bag and a travel bag to stash the bike in. Folded size: 88 x 75 x 37cm. Weight: from 17.1kg.

Airnimal Joey Pendix E-bike £4,099

The 24in-wheel Airnimal Joey is designed more for long-distance travel than daily commuting. Given enough disassembly time, it will pack into a large-suitcase-sized travel case. But it can be compacted to the size quoted below in a minute or so. It will then fit a car boot and may satisfy more amenable train staff. The rear wheel tucks under, the front is removed and fixed alongside it, the steerer extender, stem and handlebar come off in one piece (quick release), and the telescopic seatpost is lowered. Ride quality is great, more like a normal bike than a folder. The e-bike parts are a Pendix eDrive conversion kit, with a 65Nm mid motor and a 500Wh battery. Range is up to 120km. Folded size: approx 98 x 85 x 35cm. Weight: approx 18kg.