Raleigh e

The City of Raleigh is in the process of starting a new pilot program to help people pay for electric bikes.

The so-called Ral-E-Bike Incentive Program aims to encourage people to utilize e-bikes in their daily commutes for both work and leisure.

"The incentive program is really designed to provide access to folks who might not be able to afford an e-bike. Then, also to incentivize and encourage other folks who were thinking about getting an e-bike to go ahead and make the purchase," said Jonathan Melton, an at-large Raleigh City Council member.

The city will use a $150,000 federal grant to fund the pilot program. The money comes from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG). With that money, a total of 150 vouchers will be issued. Seventy-five people who meet an income qualification will get up to $1,500 towards the purchase of an e-bike.

"The income-qualified vouchers are reserved for folks making 80% or less of the area median income," Melton explained.

"[I]f an e‐bike is purchased at a lower price, the voucher could cover the full cost of the e‐bike, but the participant would not be eligible for cash back from that purchase. However, to encourage safe riding, any voucher value in excess of the e‐bike purchase price could be used toward the purchase of bicycle safety equipment like helmets, reflective vests, lights and bike locks, but only when making an e‐bike purchase," the proposal's memo reads.

Another 75 chosen applicants will get up to $500.

Once the program has officially started, accepted applicants can go to a local, third-party vendors, who then apply the voucher at point of sale, according to Melton.

Jared Harber, the executive director of Oaks and Spokes, said that money could be a big help. "They’re pretty expensive," he said of e-bikes.A quick survey of e-bike options online shows prices range anywhere from $500 to $3,000 or more.

"Coming from a low-income family myself, I worked hard to get to where I’m at and to be able to afford a lot of the things that I need. But that's not a reality for a lot of people," Raleigh resident Ovie Taveras said. "I feel like programs like that is a necessity. Even low-income families, they need to get to work. They need to get to work, I’d say, more so."

Melton said he hopes this pilot program will provide the city more information on how e-bikes are being used, how to further incentivize them and offer any guidance on infrastructure improvements.

"In order to participate in the e‐bike voucher program, staff propose requiring participants to submit e‐bike usage data in a series of regular surveys. This data will allow staff to review and evaluate the popularity and effectiveness of the program in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing affordable transportation options for the community. The data collection can also help satisfy the public purpose requirements of the incentive. This data will be provided to council," the memo reads.

Additionally, Melton said he wants the program to eventually become a more permanent, long-term program, at which point, the city would need to evaluate other funding sources.

The exact launch timeline is unclear, but Melton said the program could start in the fall.