The “Lite” version of a product usually means it’s lesser, in some way. It has fewer features, or maybe it’s smaller, and it almost always has a cheaper price. That’s precisely what you get with the Lectric XP Lite as compared to the Lectric XP from Arizona-based Lectric Ebikes.
The original Lectric XP was one of the first folding electric bikes I ever tried, back in 2020. The company’s Lite model shaves the fat-tire ebike down in several ways—perhaps in too many ways, and unfortunately, it retains many of the odd quirks I didn’t like. However, the price was already palatable at $999. At $799 for the XP Lite, there’s still good value here.
The Lectric XP Lite is a direct-to-consumer ebike, so out of the box, there really isn’t much you have to do to get it set up and going—you don’t need to learn how to install a bike wheel. Just attach the handlebars and you’re pretty much good to go. (You’ll need your own bell, but Lectric includes a front and rear light.) I should note that on my unit, one of the pedals was slightly bent and kept grazing the frame as I rode. I bent it back into place, but you may want to check yours.
You can make adjustments to the seat post and the handlebars to suit your height, and as a 6’ 4” person, I didn’t have any issues here. The handlebars got tall enough to comfortably reach, though I should mention the saddle itself isn’t the comfiest after long rides; padded liner shorts might be in order, or you can swap out the seat for something nicer. (Lectric has a “comfort package” you can tack on to upgrade to a different seat and a suspension seat post.)
Lectric technically has a 3.0 version of its original Lectric XP that I haven’t unboxed yet, but the Lite differs from it in several ways. It has a 300-W motor as opposed to the 500-W on the XP. The battery is smaller, the brake rotors are smaller, there’s no built-in suspension, the tires aren’t as thick, and it doesn’t have fenders or a rear rack. To me, the biggest changes are the weight—it’s 46 pounds instead of 64 on the XP—and it’s a single-speed, so you don’t have to fuss with switching gears.
It’s definitely easier to lug the XP Lite around over the original XP, but it’s not fun. First off, the folding and unfolding process is just as annoying as ever. You just need to undo a latch and fold the front half on the back, but the mechanism is so stiff that it requires a good deal of effort to fold this thing. It feels almost like bending metal. You also have to keep a part of the ebike lifted off the ground to fold it.