Photo by Kilian Seiler
Colorado Energy Office, the government agency in the state of Colorado promoting sustainable energy practices, has unveiled its first state-wide e-bike rebate programme.
A fund of $6.6 million has been allocated for rebates to assist at least 7,000 Coloradans purchase an e-bike.
Residents can receive up to $1,750 to purchase an e-bike or e-cargo bike along with necessary equipment, such as a helmet and bike lock.
A lottery system will distribute the rebates to those who meet income requirements. The voucher amount is tiered by low and moderate-income applicants.
At the national level, e-bike incentive programmes have only been rolled out or proposed in about two dozen states.
Sarah Thorne, Colorado Energy Office Senior Programme Manager who runs the initiative, told Zag Daily: “With transportation as the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in Colorado, widespread adoption of e-bikes to replace short distance car trips will help move us closer to our pollution reduction goals. We are proud and excited to launch one of the biggest statewide e-bike programmes in the country, which will support Coloradans who are looking to e-bikes to get them where they need to go, reduce their emissions, and save money on fuel.”
The call for applications has already drawn a lot of attention. When the state began accepting applications on August 16, the website crashed from the high demand.
While e-bike rebate programmes have existed at the local level in Denver and Boulder since 2022, this is the first state-wide incentive programme in Colorado.
Ashley Lovell, Electric Bicycle Policy and Campaign Director at People for Bikes, told Zag: “Denver’s nationally recognised model serves as an inspiration for cities and states across the nation as they gather information and resources to design their own electric bicycle incentive programmes.”
The Colorado Energy Office will also distribute an additional $3.4 million to local governments to develop their own e-bike rebate initiatives.
The maximum purchase price for the e-bikes is $5,000. Starting April 1 2024, all Coloradans, regardless of income, will also be eligible for a $450 discount on an e-bike purchased from an authorised retailer.
