E-bike rebate rolls out, offering up to $1,500 for low-income residents in Colorado

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A new electric bike rebate is meant to make it easier for some Coloradans to buy one.

Coloradans can apply for a rebate of up to $1,500 on an electric bike purchase until Monday, Aug. 21 at 1 p.m. Applicants will find out if they won the rebate in a lottery-type selection by Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 5 p.m.

Sarah Thorne, the Senior Program Manager with the Colorado Energy office, said that if residents who qualify for the rebate apply and don't get one this time, they can apply again the following month. She estimates that the program will continue for four to six months, depending on funds.

According to Thorne, they need to be below 80% of the median income for their county to qualify for the low-income tier, and above 80% to meet the median income to qualify for Moderate Income rebate.

The reason Thorne pushed for this program was to put e-bikes in the hands of people who typically couldn't afford them. While e-bikes are a great way for consumers to save money on their way to work, Thorne also said that even a small amount of people regularly using them as a means of transportation had a big impact on the environment.

"We found that with only 163 users over a period of six months, they did avoid about 20,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions through using their bikes versus car or transit," Thorne said.

For e-bike user and solar panel salesman William Zapata, his e-bike is one of his favorite ways to spend the weekend. Though he lives 16 miles from work, he said he'd be willing to try it out for the commute.

"If I have to take my bike instead of my car, we'll need to help the earth out. I mean, that's something that I'm willing to do," Zapata said.