We’re all for Xiaomi devices. They make them well, they make them cheap, they may make them look a bit like the competition but we’ve even okay with that. And it’s more than just smartphones, they’re venturing into wearables but here’s one that we didn’t see coming: Xiaomi is coming out with a folding electric bicycle. Yes, really.

The conveyance, known as the Mi Qicycle, is set to retail for 2999 yuan in the company’s native China. That translated into about R7,000 for a 14.5kg electric bike. It’s actually the second from iRiding, the Xiaomi-funded outfit making these things, and it’s a lot cheaper than the Mi Qicycle R1’s R45,000 (approximately) price tag. Heavier, too.

The Mi Qicycle is fitted with a 250W motor and has a range of 45km, according to the company. It’ll fold in half when you’re not using it, so space shouldn’t be an issue. There’s a Bluetooth connection and a companion app, which is good for letting you know that you just don’t have enough charge to get home. And also for choosing between various power profiles, so you can actually make the trip home.

The bike is in crowdfunding, so you might want to consider backing it, but it’s not likely to appear outside of China. Unless there’s some kind of massive demand somewhere…

Source: Xiaomi (Facebook)