The metropolis mentioned Wednesday it was now not accepting purposes for the program that helps Denver residents cowl the price of electrical bikes.
DENVER — Denver’s new rebate program for electrical bikes acquired a lot buzz, town cannot deal with any new purposes past the three,200 submitted prior to now few weeks.
The metropolis introduced Wednesday it had briefly reached capacity and wouldn’t be accepting further voucher purposes, in keeping with a discover that appeared on town’s web site.
Even on sluggish days at bike retailers throughout Denver, workers members have been busy fielding questions on e-bikes, due to town’s program.
“Lots of individuals have are available in asking or referred to as us over the cellphone,” mentioned Christine Ford, common supervisor at Elevation Cycles in east Denver.
Ford mentioned e-bike gross sales have been already rising earlier than Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency (CASR) launched the Climate Action Rebates program on April 22.
“The complete concept of this program is to get individuals to make use of these bikes as a substitute of their automobiles,” Ford mentioned.
The program helps cowl the fee for Denver residents so as to add all-electric power tools to their properties, however it additionally affords rebates for e-bikes.
Anyone who lives in Denver may apply for a $400 rebate earlier than shopping for an electrical bike from a store collaborating within the metropolis’s Climate Action Rebates program. Residents who meet sure revenue {qualifications} can qualify for a $1,200 rebate, and e-cargo bikes are eligible for an additional $500 rebate, in keeping with town.
The e-bike vouchers may be redeemed at any of the collaborating bike retailers inside 60 days.
“I feel we’ve been blown away by the passion for this program,” CASR spokesperson Winna MacLaren mentioned.
According to town, 3,200 purposes have been acquired, and 40% of these got here from income-qualified candidates.
“We’re seeing a extremely clear demand and need for individuals to get e-bikes and take a look at a brand new type of getting round city,” MacLaren mentioned.
MacLaren mentioned town of Denver put aside $9 million over the following three years to supply e-bike rebates to Denver residents.
The rebates will not cowl the complete price of an e-bike, and Ford cautioned individuals to be ready.
“The price is going to be the biggest shock for a lot of people,” Ford said. “Bikes that we carry here in store are bikes that we really believe in. Bikes that we service the batteries on, bikes that we can look at the motors and open them up and really service.”
On common, Ford mentioned individuals who make the most of the rebates can nonetheless count on to pay as much as about $2,000 to take residence an e-bike from most Denver retailers.
“I feel it’s a nice, nice service, however there may be some pores and skin within the recreation on the client to additionally need to put their very own cash in the direction of it to get one thing that’s actually high quality,” she mentioned.
In the weeks forward, Denver bike retailers will do their greatest to maintain up with demand.
“It’s a little bit scary to think that there’s thousands of people out there that are going to be looking for e-bikes,” Ford mentioned. “I simply hope that they will include training and an open thoughts for what’s on the market and what’s out there.”
RELATED: E-transit coming to northeast Denver neighborhood
RELATED: How town is working towards making Denver extra environmentally pleasant
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Colorado Climate