Will EVs replace train travel in Britain’s ever-changing commute?

Industrial action continues to disrupt commuters’ travel to work

Oliver Montague and Dmitro Khroma, co-founders of Swytch Technology, are available to comment on how their eBike conversion kit could solve our commuting problems

There is nothing worse than getting into the station and finding the train you take every morning has been cancelled or delayed, making you late for work. This is now the reality for commuters in the north of England which are currently enduring strikes across rail operators Avanti and TransPennine Express which reportedly cancelled 55 trains in a single day last Wednesday. However, facing late cancellations and reduced timetables is nothing new for commuters in the UK. Since June, the country has been experiencing the consequences of the worst industrial dispute in years against the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis.

Despite trains no longer being as reliable as they once were, Swytch Technology has engineered a solution that doesn’t require operating public transport or swift traffic. The popularity of eBikes has significantly grown in the last years with over half of Brits considering purchasing one. Revolutionising people’s daily commute, the Swytch kit allows you to turn any bike electric for under £500, enabling anyone to travel electric for as little as £0.004 (0.4 pence) per mile. Another benefit is the system provides 250W of pedal-assist power via a high torque front motor wheel, allowing users to wear work clothes and still arrive at work sweat-free.

The new way to cycle: Who are Swytch?

The new Swytch Kit takes you further and faster by converting any regular bicycle into a state-of-the-art eBike. The conversion kit features a world-first pocket-sized battery (the “Power Pack”) which is similar in size to a large smartphone, weighs just 1.5lbs (700g), recharges in just one hour from your mains power socket, and provides 10 miles range. Increasing the range is as easy as clicking off one battery, and connecting another, or upgrading to the larger battery option available with 20 miles range, and weighing 2.4lbs (1.1kg).

Where can I buy one?

Following the launch of Swytch’s new electric bike conversion kit, the company has been inundated with over 27,000 orders, and predicts that 1 in 10 new eBikes on the road in the UK next year will be Swytch bikes. As a result of this demand, the launch has now closed but you can sign up here to get 50% off for pre-order access.

About Swytch 

Swytch was founded by engineers Oliver Montague and Dmitro Khroma in 2017 in response to an obvious gap in the market for a sustainable transport solution. The idea first developed when Oliver was cycling to his workplace to meet with his boss. Despite travelling similar distances, Oliver had broken into a sweat whereas his boss arrived impeccably dressed, simply because he was on an eBike.

Oliver now plays a pivotal role as head of the company as CEO and Dmitro leads a world-class London-based engineering team as CTO. Already saving 17,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from previous models, Swytch believes that transport shouldn’t cost the Earth – so they’ve made it their mission to make electric transport accessible to everybody. Since launching the first version of the Swytch Kit in 2017, Swytch has helped over 40,000 convert their bike into an eBike.