Up to $1,500! U.S. lawmakers have proposed tax breaks for users who buy e-bikes

This week, U.S. Congressman Jimmy Panetta introduced the E-Bike Incentive Start Act to Congress, which, according to a public press release, introduced a 30 percent GST credit for new e-bike users who buy less than $8,000, up to a maximum of $1,500. The bill is still on the agenda, and if passed, it would undoubtedly be a big boost to e-bike sales.

The E-Bike Act draws on 2020 research in North America and Europe that highlights the impact of e-bike travel on carbon emissions. According to the Transport and Environment survey published in 2020, 86 per cent of users in the US drive to and from work, and converting 15 per cent of their journeys into e-bikes could reduce carbon emissions by 12 per cent. An electric bike reduces carbon emissions by 225kg per year!

In the wake of the outbreak, another North American study found that 46 per cent of survey users stopped using their cars to commute to work or school and switched to e-bikes, while a European study found that between 47 and 76 per cent of e-bike trips replaced motor vehicle travel.

Source: The E-Bike Potential: Estimateing regional e-bikes impact on greenhouse gas emissions