Colorado’s E-Bike Rebate Program Is So Well-liked That It Had To Be Suspended

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Joke all you need about Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Excessive angle, however this western state has been a progressive chief in lots of areas in recent times, and its deal with bettering air high quality has enabled a brand new wave in low-carbon transportation, due to some beneficiant e-bike incentives.

Final yr, Colorado’s Basic Meeting handed SB22-193, titled “Air High quality Enchancment Investments,” which included establishing a “group entry to electrical bicycles” fund with $12 million.

In Half 5 of the invoice, it states:

(a) TRANSPORTATION IS THE LARGEST SINGLE SOURCE OF GREENHOUSE GAS POLLUTION IN THE STATE AND IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING SOURCE OF OTHER FORMS OF POLLUTION, INCLUDING OZONE PRECURSORS, HAZARDOUS AIR POLLUTANTS, NITROGEN OXIDES, AND PARTICULATE POLLUTION;

After which goes on in sections (f) and (g) to additional lay out the reasoning in favor of e-bike incentives:

(f) ELECTRIC BICYCLES PRODUCE ZERO EMISSIONS AND ARE AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN A STRATEGY FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR; AND

(g) IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF THE STATE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES USED FOR TRANSPORTATION AND TO INCREASE THE ACCESSIBILITY OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES TO INDIVIDUALS IN LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

Though $12 million is peanuts when in comparison with Colorado’s full $40 billion yearly finances, it’s nonetheless a major amount of cash, and the Colorado Power Workplace, which managed this system, discovered it to be “a significant success so far, with a higher-than-expected redemption charge, particularly amongst recipients of the low-income, higher-value rebate.”

It was so profitable that it blew via its finances in just some quick months, and needed to be suspended till the Power Workplace can reallocate funds for an additional spherical of rebate purposes in February 2024. In line with a press launch, this system enabled some 4500 individuals to get a zero-emission car who beforehand couldn’t afford one.

“Thus far, Colorado residents have redeemed 4,520 rebates in 54 counties throughout the state, saving Coloradans $5,417,300. Of those that have redeemed a rebate, 90% qualify as low-income (revenue decrease than 80% of their county’s space median revenue), 20% stay in rural communities (in comparison with 14% of the state’s complete inhabitants), and 39% are 55 years or older.”

Along with this profitable e-bike rebate program, Colorado will begin providing an e-bike tax credit score on April 1, 2024, which can underwrite a $450 low cost for all residents on qualifying e-bike purchases on the point-of-sale via 2032.

Whereas these incentive packages assist a comparatively low variety of electrical micromobility choices (4500 e-bikes vs tens of millions of gas-powered autos within the state), they might contribute to the low-carbon transportation motion in different methods, comparable to serving because the inspiration for different states’ incentive packages, in addition to seeding the roads with extra electrical two-wheelers, which helps to normalize the e-mobility revolution.