The Untapped Power of E-Bike Rebates
07/08/2023 23:43
Voucher programs can speed uptake of less-polluting electric bicycles and get more people out of cars. Why are states and cities limiting their effectiveness?
E-cargo bikes have been particularly popular as car replacements for families.
Photo by Arne Dedert/picture alliance via Getty Images
A growing number of cities and states are discovering that their e-bike vouchers are popular. Really, really popular.
In April, 2022 Denver invited residents to request a voucher for $400 off a new electric bike or $900 off an e-cargo bike; the city was so inundated with applications that it paused the program in 19 days. Local and state officials elsewhere took notice, especially after the Senate dropped a proposed federal e-bike tax credit from last year’s Inflation Reduction Act. In February, for instance, Tampa received five times more applications than it could fulfill for its rebates of up to $2,000 off an e-bike. Last month the state of Connecticut launched its own program — and was oversubscribed within three days.