How to Save with Electric Bike Rebates

A woman walks out of an office building holding a helmet toward her green electric bike.

As electric bikes grow in popularity, local communities are recognizing them as a viable alternative to cars.

More ebikes on the road means less traffic congestion and improvements in public health, thanks to reduced emissions and increased physical activity.

To leverage these benefits, state and local governments are rolling out electric bike rebate programs.

Here’s what you need to know, and why you should be excited:

What are ebike rebates?

Ebike rebates are basically discounts offered by local governments or organizations to help bring down the cost of buying an electric bike for qualified residents.

These programs are part of a bigger effort to cut down on emissions, improve public health, and push for more sustainable ways to get around.

Depending on where you live, you might get a voucher, a refund after your purchase, or even a tax credit to help cover the cost of your new ebike.

How do electric bike rebates work?

Each program is unique!

For example, cities like Denver offer qualified residents a voucher that can be used to cover part of the cost of a new electric bike. Other programs provide an after-sale rebate, where you purchase your ebike and then apply to get money back.

Some programs also use creative approaches to help consumers recoup the cost of an ebike, such as tax credits or even credits on their electric bill.

In the California Bay Area, for instance, qualified residents can trade in old vehicles and receive a prepaid card that can be used toward an ebike and accessories.

In fact, California has had so much success with their programs, they will soon be launching a state-wide initiative to provide eligible residents with up to $2,000 toward an electric bike.

If you have your eye on a Rad electric bike, check out our round-up of available ebike rebate programs here.

Keep in mind that some programs have specific eligibility requirements based on factors like income, and rebate amounts may vary.

3 friends pose in a neighborhood with their electric bikes.

Why do ebike rebates matter?

Ebike rebates are about way more than helping people have fun and run errands – they’re helping local communities and their residents thrive.

52 percent of car trips are under 3 miles, and 28 percent of those are under one mile – which means more than half of these short-distance drives could easily be replaced by electric bikes, drastically reducing traffic and emissions.

And the impact goes beyond convenience. According to a study from the Transportation Research and Education Center, CO2 emissions in an average city can fall by roughly 11 percent if ebikes make up 15 percent of the ways that people choose to get around, which translates to cleaner air and better health.

Fun fact: Rad Power Bikes crunched the numbers, and broke down how much an electric bike can help you cut down on your carbon footprint when you use an ebike instead of a car while going about your day-to-day life.

And to help you get even more out of your riding experience, Rad Power Bikes has an entire lineup of cargo ebikes – and if you’re in an area that provides incentives or rebates for electric cargo bikes, you’ll really want to check them out.

A mother and child ride on an electric bike down a city bike lane. The child is on the backseat smiling.

Are there national ebike subsidies?

Not yet – but we’re hoping they’ll come someday soon!

Environmental advocates and ebike aficionados are calling on Congress to pass the E-BIKE Act, a piece of legislation that would give Americans a tax credit equivalent to 30% of the cost of an ebike.

If this is something you’d like to see come to fruition, you can contact your Congressional representative and voice your support.