This impossible ebike can be folded and stored in your backpack

A team of engineers out of Canada and China’s prestigious Tsinghua university is prepping the launch of what it claims is the first truly foldable electric bike that will be so light – a maximum of 5kg – that you could actually carry it around in a backpack. Folding bikes generally weigh upwards of 10kg.

The ebike, called Impossible, is made of carbon fiber and is powered by ten smartphone batteries (2,900 mAh). It’s now on Kickstarter where the project has already sailed past its CA$50,000 (US$44,000) funding goal.

The team has already created a working prototype but seems to need more time to reduce its target weight and get it to support people who weigh more than average, which is why it’s not yet ready for production. The funky little ebike can travel up to 12.4 mph for 45 minutes or at normal speed for up to 15.6 miles. It won’t get you far – and those small wheels look rather hazardous on anything but the smoothest pathways – but it’s meant for city commutes, not a road trip.

A lot of neat space-saving tricks have gone into the design of the Impossible, such as wheels that fold into the circular frame elements, and a case that doubles as a seat.

The Impossible starts at CA$430 (US$378) for the white model on Kickstarter. Whichever version you choose, you’ll have to wait until at least August next year to take delivery. Don’t throw away your clunky, rusting push-bike just yet.

See: Startup makes electric bikes that are the perfect blend of hi-tech and hipster