What is an e-bike and what are the benefits of riding one?

An electric bike, or e-bike, is a bicycle with an integrated battery and a small electric motor to assist you in pedaling faster and farther. The E-bikes in this program use rechargeable batteries and can travel up to 20 m.p.h. 

When you use an e-bike to get around, you can: 

• Save thousands of dollars annually on fuel and maintenance in comparison to owning and operating a car.

• Arrive at work and other destinations less sweaty and less tired. 

• Travel longer and further distances while enjoying the ride!
  
  

Why are e-bikes expensive?

E-bikes are incredible machines with an integrated electric motor that provide a new form of transportation that can shorten your commute and in many cases replace a car. For this reason, e-bikes are expensive. Columbus City Council offered this program in order to reduce the cost of e-bike purchases and make them more affordable for Columbus residents.

Who was eligible to receive an incentive?

• Residents in the City of Columbus

• Aged 18 and above

• Household income of less than $150,000 per year.

Incentive amounts depended on income level. Those who participated in qualifying programs (such as SNAP or Medicaid) received the highest incentive amounts. 


How many incentives were available and what were the incentive amounts?

The purpose of the pilot program is to understand demand and to test if the program is effective and worthy of long-term investment, so there was limited funding available during the first and second phases.

Incentives ranged from $500-1,200 and depended on household income.

There were also a very limited number of additional incentives for cargo e-bikes.

Why didn't I hear much about the program until the launch?

Since this program is a pilot, and there were a very limited number of incentives available, we had intentionally limited the promotion of the program so that those who may not have had immediate access to program details and necessary documentation would still be able to apply to receive an incentive. If we had advertised broadly, incentives would be claimed quickly and we would not have had an opportunity to reach a variety of audiences.

Why can I only purchase an e-bike from a brick-and-mortar retailer within the City of Columbus?

In order to support the local economy and business-owners, we are limiting e-bike purchases in the pilot program to those within the City of Columbus. This is also to manage quality, limit risk, and to make sure e-bikes purchased through the program can be brought in for maintenance at a nearby location.


Why was the program so small? Why didn’t you provide more funds so more people could receive an incentive?

The purpose of the pilot program is to understand demand and to test if the program is effective and worthy of long-term investment. If you would like to share more feedback about your experience, please submit your comments by completing the interest form on the program website.

What were the e-bike qualifications?

• New

• Class 1, 2 or 3

• Minimum retail cost of $999 (e-bikes below $999 are not eligible for this program)

• Purchased at one of the participating shops
  

Why wasn’t I selected to receive an incentive?

We received over 10 times the number of applications to the program than we had incentives to provide. If you did not receive an incentive during this pilot phase it is most likely due to insufficient incentives.

Other reasons for not receiving an incentive includes:

• Household income is over the maximum limit of $150,000 per year.

• The address you provided is not within Columbus City limits.

• Duplicate application.

• Applicant is under the age of 18.

• Name does not match the name on uploaded documents.

• Address on the residency verification document does not match the address provided on application.

• Incorrect or insufficient documentation (i.e. no date on Qualifying Program documentation)

• Documents are blurry or unreadable.
  
  

What was the selection process like?

Applications were reviewed and validated for proof of Columbus residency and income in each of the four incentive tiers and approved following the direction provided by Columbus City Council.


Why did it take so long to receive notification about my application being approved or declined?

We received a higher than expected number of applications, which required more time than expected to ensure the review and approval process was as fair and equitable as possible.

Are there plans to expand the pilot program? If so, when?

In December 2023, the pilot program was expanded to distribute more e-bike incentives to Columbus residents. We are in the process of evaluating the current pilot. A report will be provided to Columbus City Council with recommendations and lessons learned, which Council will use to determine next steps.


What other initiatives or projects are in the pipeline to support bike culture and safety in Columbus?

The E-bike Incentive Pilot Program is part of a larger effort by Columbus City Council to create a behavior and culture shift throughout the community to support alternative modes of transportation. These initiatives include Columbus Bikeways and Micro-Mobility Plan and Multi-Modal Mobility Hubs.


Will my application still be valid if the program expands in the future, or will I need to re-apply?

At this time, if and how the program will be expanded in the future is yet to be determined. If you haven’t already, please sign-up using the interest form to receive updates about this program and to be notified if/when the application opens again. By sharing your input and support in this form you will help us further inform next steps and you will be the first to hear if/when the program is expanded in the future.