Hi there,
Those are all great questions. You are correct, the only way that you can purchase an Electron at the moment in low volumes is with the kits that you see on the store. The reasoning behind this is because the Electron needs a SIM card, antenna, and battery to operate. In the kit, the only extra things are the USB cable (which is handy to connect to your PC) and a breadboard, which again, is not necessary, but handy to have to prototype.
If you’re interested in buying in bulk, you can check out our wholesale store here and we do have tray options for larger orders. Just sign up and it usually takes a business day or 2 to confirm all the information and you’ll be good to go.
I’m not sure if there are any UK resellers who have the 2G Electrons, but you can check out the full list of our distributors here.
Let me know if you have any other questions and I’ll be happy to help.
Kevin @ Particle