Atlanta's e-bike rebate program reports initial positive outcomes

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Atlanta Resident Frank George was one of the first people to cash in on the rebate program.

Credit: Atlanta Regional Commission

Nearly 600 people were able to purchase e-bikes in Atlanta using rebates from the Atlanta Regional Commission’s program. The program was funded by a $1 million investment from Atlanta City Council.

Over 11,000 people applied for the limited rebates. Recipients were chosen through a random lottery. The ARC reports over 80% of the people selected were from low- or moderate-income households.

Bennett Foster works on Mobility Services for the Atlanta Regional Commission. He says their goal was to reduce car-dependence and save people money on costs like gas.

“Half of all trips that we take in the region are less than 3 miles,” Foster said. “The purpose of these e-bikes was to gobble up those short trips and essentially replace those car trips with the e-bike, and that's exactly what it's doing.”

The program partnered with 12 Atlanta bike shops to sell and repair the e-bikes generating 1.2 million dollars in bike sales.

Michelle Dunbar is a co-owner at Clutch Bicycle Shop, one of shops partnering with the city. She said the program has been great for business and they want to see it expand.

“We have seen an increase in customers coming to the shop and inquiring about e-bikes and not only in regards to the rebate program, but others who were not chosen have heard about them and want more information,” Dunbar said. “Customers are coming specifically to get more information and education on what type/make to purchase.”

Rebate amounts ranged from $500 to $2,000 based on the type of bike and the income of the recipient.

Loose Nuts is another bike shop partnering with ARC to sell and repair the e-bikes for rebate recipients. Owner David Stearman said his shop has seen an uptick in sales, but he’d like to see the program adjusted to disqualify lower quality bikes from rebate sales.

“Although they are priced lower, the number of shops that will service them is low and parts and manufacture support is almost nonexistent,” he said. “Some of these bikes may become unsafe or unusable over time, leaving the customer no option but to replace it.”

For the 2025 program the ARC is recommending eliminating rebates specifically for cargo e-bikes or standard e-bikes. Instead, they suggest creating a single rebate that will allow people to purchase a cargo, utility, or standard e-bike.