Atlanta launches lottery for discounted e-bikes

On a sweltering Sunday, Atlanta cyclists and citizens marched for the launch of the city’s first-ever e-bike rebate program on June 16. People were able to test drive e-bikes from a number of bike shops participating in the event, kicking off the event. rebate lottery at Atlanta Streets Alive.

The monthly Open Streets event encourages residents to walk, cycle and scooter through the center of the city while some roads are closed to cars. But on June 16, the initiative went even further, encouraging residents to apply online for a chance to acquire an electric bike at a heavily discounted price.

Atlanta’s e-bike rebate program is open for applications through June 23 thanks to a partnership between the city, which has invested $1 million in the program, and the Atlanta Regional Commission. It is designed to provide affordable, environmentally friendly transportation to moderate- and low-income residents: 75% of discounts are reserved for low-income individuals.

The income limit varies based on household size, defined as the “total number of people living in a housing unit and related by birth, marriage, or adoption.” It starts at $60,200 for an individual.

Income-eligible applicants can receive $1,500 for a standard e-bike and $2,000 for a cargo e-bike designed to hold heavier loads and children. Non-income-based discounts offer $500 for standard e-bikes and $1,500 for cargo e-bikes. Recipients will need to trade in the bike at participating Atlanta bike stores, where they will automatically receive the discount at checkout.

Since this is a lottery selection, not all applicants receive a guaranteed discount. But the city plans to distribute up to 700 bikes over the life of the program.

Atlanta City Council Member Matt Westmoreland worked with PropelATL to help launch the program. Less than a day after the application link went live, he said more than 500 people had already applied.

“That suggests to me that we’re going to spend our $1 million very quickly, and I’m excited to send you all some more money in the near future,” Westmoreland said.

Propel ATL Executive Director Rebecca Serna said she saw interest in e-bikes long before the rebate program launched, but the cost has kept many from choosing the alternative transportation option.

“We started looking into it and found that other cities had rebate programs,” Serna said. “We thought it would be great for Atlanta, we’re a hilly city where extensive public transportation isn’t frequent enough, and this can be a great connection to public transportation.”

Serna said the e-bike can fill gaps in public transportation and provide an alternative to car commuters. Some residents, like Makeisha Robey, have used electric bikes to avoid owning a car entirely. She uses a long tail cargo electric bike to get around town with her child.

“We’ve been able to go to the grocery store to buy the things we need, stop at the doctor’s office, go to the park, and even have the financial freedom to start a business,” Robey said. “So acquiring these electric bikes is not just for the leisure of some families like me.”

Bennett Foster, director of innovation and partnerships at ARC, said the bikes could facilitate shorter trips across the region.

“Half of all the trips we take in the region are less than five miles, and so this thing could gobble up all those high-volume, short-distance trips that we all take every day, regardless of head, l “humidity or noise,” Foster said.

He hopes the e-bike will allay concerns about hilly landscapes, high temperatures and dangerous traffic. With more people on the road, he thinks it can promote cyclist-centric investments, like protected bike lanes in the area.

Brandon Todd, an Atlanta resident, said he had never owned an e-bike, but the rebate program encouraged him to enter the lottery and cut down on car trips. He also said it provides a level of accessibility that typical bikes don’t offer.

“I feel excited,” Todd said. “Since I’m an amputee, I can get an extra push from the pedal assist.”

Although the current program only offers about 700 e-bikes, Foster believes the enthusiasm generated by the rebates will translate into more e-bikes on the region’s roads. He sees it as an environmentally friendly and affordable investment in the metro Atlanta landscape.

“We want to put transportation in people’s hands, reliable, clean, affordable transportation, and that’s what this program is going to do,” Foster said.

Residents can apply here until June 23.

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