Vermont boosts eco- and wallet-friendly electric bicycle transportation
To provide cleaner transportation options for residents to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the State of Vermont has opened the nation’s first statewide incentive program that offers cash for electric bicycle (e-bike) purchases.
The Vermont eBike Incentive Program, which launched in late July, is a limited-time offering available to Vermonters on a first-come, first-served basis. Incentives will be available until the $100,000 in funding authorized by the state’s legislature is exhausted.
The State of Vermont program provides up to $250 for a standard rebate for income-qualifying purchasers, and as high as $400 for an enhanced rebate. The exact rebate amount depends on an individual’s adjusted gross income and the e-bike sales price.
The purchaser can obtain the rebate at the point of sale or apply online for a consumer post-sale rebate within 60 days. The new state incentives can also be stacked with other e-bike incentives offered by Vermont electric utilities to further reduce the cost of an e-bike purchase.
“Making e-bikes more affordable for Vermonters to meet their daily transportation needs is yet another step in the right direction as our state continues to take action to reduce its transportation carbon footprint,” said Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn.
Market research by Deloitte found that, even as the COVID-19 pandemic slowed light-duty vehicle sales globally, total e-bike sales in the U.S. grew 26% from 2020 to 2021.
E-bikes are increasingly seen as a reliable, eco-friendly and versatile transportation option, according to the Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE), a national nonprofit that administers Vermont’s program. CSE operates over $1 billion in electric vehicle (EV) incentive programs in seven states.
More cities and utilities are offering e-bike incentives to reduce transportation emissions and lessen traffic congestion. Several states, including California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Oklahoma, are planning e-bike incentive programs.
“More people are starting to view electric bicycles not only as fun for recreation but also as a viable daily transportation solution,” said Mark Bielecki, CSE senior director of transportation programs. “If emission-free e-bikes are used instead of gasoline-powered cars for short commutes and trips around town, Vermont and other states that incentivize them will have one more tool to help reach their decarbonization goals.”
For more information on the Vermont eBike Incentive Program and other state clean transportation initiatives, visit Drive Electric Vermont.
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About Center for Sustainable Energy
Center for Sustainable Energy® (CSE) is an independent nonprofit that is transforming markets for clean transportation and distributed energy through software-enabled program design and administration. CSE has administered over $2 billion in incentive programs for governments, utilities and the private sector across the U.S. Visit EnergyCenter.org.
