Summary
By weight, the non-electric bike wins, and the scooter often beats the e-bike. Brompton's titanium T Line starts at 17.64 lb, NIU's KQi Air scooter weighs 26.2 lb, and the Electric T Line starts at 29.54 lb. A mainstream folding e-bike such as Lectric's XP Lite2 weighs 49 lb with its battery, and even DAHON's non-electric Mariner D8 II, at 27.9 lb, is heavier than the scooter.
Weight and folded size
| Model | Type | Weight | Folded size | Maximum load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brompton T Line | Folding bike | From 17.64 lb | 23 x 22.2 x 10.6 in | Not given |
| NIU KQi Air | Folding e-scooter | 26.2 lb with battery | 18.9 in tall, 44.9 in long | 265 lb |
| DAHON Mariner D8 II | Folding bike | 27.9 lb | 32.7 x 13.8 x 26.4 in | 231 lb |
| Brompton Electric T Line | Folding e-bike | From 29.54 lb (25.7 lb without battery) | Not given | Not given |
| Lectric XP Lite2 | Folding e-bike | 49 lb (41 lb without battery) | 36 x 16 x 27 in | 275 lb |
Brompton gives two figures for the non-electric T Line. The spec table says "From 17.64 lb," while the FAQ calls it "the lightest Brompton ever made - starting at 16.4lb." The Electric T Line page gives no folded size.
What the motor adds to the same frame
Brompton builds both T Lines in titanium, which makes them the closest like-for-like comparison available. The electric version starts 11.9 lb heavier with its battery and about 8 lb heavier without it. In exchange it carries a motor with three assist modes and "up to 56 miles of range," a figure Brompton says depends on "assist level, terrain, and rider weight." The non-electric T Line comes with 4 or 12 gears, the electric one with 4.
Where the scooter differs
The KQi Air rides on 9.5-inch tubeless tires and reaches 20 mph, the same top speed as the XP Lite2. NIU sets a minimum rider age of 14 and lists the scooter as "UL 2272 Certified," the standard for personal e-mobility devices, while Brompton says its electric bikes are "independently certified to the UL2849 standard," the e-bike standard.
The range figure is less settled. NIU's spec block lists "Range: 31miles," a feature section on the same page says "Range: 30 Miles," and neither states the rider weight or speed behind it. The scooter's 451.2Wh battery takes 5 hours to charge.
DAHON and Brompton sell both kinds
Both brands sell non-electric and electric folders. DAHON titles its Mariner family (XL, II and GT) "Folding Bikes," and none of the three appears in its separate E-Bikes collection, which lists the K-Feather, Unio E20, K-One and E-Hemingway alongside the S901 E-Scooter. Brompton sells the T Line in both forms, 11.9 lb apart.
Sources
- Brompton USA: T Line
- Brompton USA: Electric T Line
- DAHON: Mariner family
- DAHON: Mariner D8 II
- DAHON: E-Bikes
- NIU: KQi Air
- Lectric eBikes: Compare Lectric eBikes
- Lectric Help Center: How much does the bike weigh?
- UL Solutions: Personal e-mobility certification, UL 2272
Data checked, sources, and what we did not test
Data checked: 2026-09-24. Figures and quotations were read on that date from the pages listed under Sources and can change without notice.
Sources: manufacturer, retailer and public-agency pages, listed above. No review sites, forums or retailer ratings were used.
What we did not test: ride quality, brake feel, real-world range, durability and customer service. We have not ridden these bikes and publish no ratings or rankings.