Colorado prepares for statewide e

A statewide rebate program for Colorado residents looking to buy electric bikes will launch this summer, one the largest of its kind in the nation, state officials announced Thursday.

With funding from the Air Quality Improvement Investments program, which the state legislature passed last year, the Colorado Energy Office set aside $6.6 million for the rebates, Ari Rosenblum, a spokesperson for the office, said in a release.

Not only will greater access to e-bikes expand transportation options for Coloradans but it will also reduce air pollution. Across the state, transportation accounts for about a quarter of carbon emissions, according to a report from the environmental nonprofit Conservation Colorado.

"With transportation as the leading source of greenhouse gas pollution in Colorado and a major contributor of dangerous ground-level ozone-forming pollutants, widespread e-bike adoption will help us meet the Polis administration's ambitious GHG emission reduction goals, while saving Coloradans money on fuel costs, promoting active lifestyles, and making the air healthier to breathe," Energy Office Executive Director Will Toor said in a statement.

E-bikes are particularly suited to reduce greenhouse gas emissions because nearly 60% of vehicle trips in the country are six miles or less, Sarah Thorne, a senior program manager for the Energy Office's transportation team, said in a release. And 75% of those trips are 10 miles or less.

"E-bikes are a great car alternative for those trips," Thorne said.

Coloradans can apply for the rebates online in August on the Energy Office's website. State officials will open application periods for one week each month and randomly select rebate winners, Rosenblum said. Those selected will receive a voucher that they can redeem at participating retailers.

Income eligibility for the rebates will be based on the area median income in the county where the applicants live, Rosenblum said. Rebates are available for the bikes themselves but also for equipment like helmets and locks and more.

Low-income applicants could receive rebates totaling $1,750 while moderate-income applicants could receive up to a total of $1,150, Rosenblum said. Local rebates and incentives may not be combined with state rebates.

Additional information can be found online at energyoffice.colorado.gov/ebike-rebates.

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