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An electronic device on Brompton’s new electric bike is being used as a part in drones being built for the UK military.
This has resulted in cyclists having to wait months to get their hands on the Greenford-based firm’s new £3,499 “G Line” e-bike because its supplier is too busy building drones for the Army.
An astonishing announcement came from Will Butler-Adams, the CEO of Brompton, during a recent radio conversation regarding the Army's embrace of "drone racing" as a competitive sport.
The component required for the drones is a controller, also known as a control switch, which interacts with the battery-operated motor of the bike, facilitating easier pedaling for the G Line bicycle.
The controller, known for its impressive speed in communicating with the motor, was designed by Brompton, although its manufacturing was contracted out to another company.
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Brompton's chief executive, Will Butler-Adams
Matt Writtle
During an appearance on BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House program on Sunday, Mr. Butler-Adams stated: "We manufacture electric bicycles, and within these bikes, we incorporate controllers. The controller is designed by us and produced by a British company right here in the UK."
"We were in the process of launching our new G line bike, but the release was pushed back by two months due to a controller manufacturer prioritizing orders for the Ministry of Defence."
"To be honest, it involved creating components for drones, and since they required a significant number of them, we ended up being pushed further down the priority list."
London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan owns an earlier model of a Brompton e-bike and was occasionally seen riding it to work during the pandemic.
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Leg power prevails: Sadiq Khan rides his electric Brompton
PA
Brompton, renowned for its folding bicycles, has recently announced a significant decline in profits as a result of a widespread decrease in demand for bikes across the industry.
For the year ending last March, they dropped to only £4,602, a significant decrease from £10.7 million the year before.
Sales decreased by five percent, reaching £122.6 million. However, Brompton managed to sell 84,899 bikes, a decline from the previous year's total of 91,875. Approximately 80 percent of Brompton's bicycles are sold internationally.
Reports indicate that Brompton's intended move to a new factory close to Ashford, Kent, by 2027 has been postponed.
The company has designated a 100-acre wetland area for development. Their new headquarters, costing £100 million, features a circular design and will be elevated on stilts 2.2 meters above the floodplain. Additionally, this area is planned to be transformed into a nature reserve accessible to the public.
Brompton's public relations agency has been contacted for a statement.
