Jamie Cullum reviews the ARCC Electric Conversion for Brompton

“As already a proud owner of a folding Brompton, I know how great it is for hopping on and off trains and getting around town.  That’s why, when I heard of the prospect of electrifying my Brompton with the ARCC Intelligent Drive Pod, I jumped at the chance to experience this next step in commuter transport.

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Before going ahead with the electric upgrade, I had the opportunity to witness behind the scenes at the ARCC site in Cambridge where the pod was originally designed and engineered, as well as test-ride the system. On a tour of their awesome facility, I spoke to many of the people involved in designing and producing the pod, who were enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and clearly enjoyed their work.

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The pod itself is well-made and impressively sophisticated. It also adds surprisingly little compromise on the basic ride of the original Brompton. As well as being able to adjust the level of power via the handlebar-mounted controller, the “launch control” feature is very useful when needing to get ahead of the traffic at lights. Not to mention the automatic gradient assistance which makes going up hills a breeze, and the fact that the battery can be charged in just an hour. It really feels like the future. 

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I have had no problems in the time I have had my pod-fitted Brompton. I would recommend to anyone wanting to electrify their Brompton or wanting to take a test-ride on an electric Brompton, to make a visit to ARCC’s lovely site.”

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Jamie Cullum