The Pasadena Water & Power Department is investing in healthier travel for its customers.
The service is providing up to $1,000 in rebates to ratepayers who buy a new, qualifying electric bike — cleaner rides that are becoming popular for travel ease and health benefits.
"Electric bicycles provide an environmentally conscious transportation solution that can minimize greenhouse gas emissions while reducing your overall carbon footprint," the public utility said on its website.
Five e-bike commutes a week can save you $800 in gas, while providing for a cleaner, quieter commute to work without a trail of harmful tailpipe gases. The fumes can cause respiratory and heart diseases, as well as increased cancer risks, according to the California Air Resources Board.
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The rides are also a boon to mental and physical health, increasing happiness and an overall sense of well-being, per research published by the National Library of Medicine.
And there's good news for customers who live outside of Pasadena. Upway is an online marketplace for e-bikes of various types, often selling for 60% off retail prices. The service will even buy your used e-bike when you are ready to upgrade.
In Pasadena, residential utility customers are eligible for a $500 rebate for an e-bike purchased from a shop in the city, with another $500 available based on income guidelines. New Class 1 to 3 e-bikes qualify, the utility reported.
E-bikes can travel between 20 mph and nearly 30 mph and cost from hundreds to up to $7,000, depending on make and model, according to Wired and Consumer Reports.
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That makes Pasadena's program — and rebates offered in other states — a value for customers. It also highlights the importance of checking out Upway's inventory to find the right deal at a discount. Foldable versions and mountain bikes are available on the site.
Certain models even focus on cargo hauling, making grocery trips and other tasks easily within an e-bike's ability.
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As for e-bikes, the versatility and performance are appealing attributes for a wide range of people.
"There's no one demographic that rides an e-bike," Sarah Johnson, a cycling expert, advocate, and former Nebraska bike shop owner, told Consumer Reports. "It's young people who don't want a car. It's older people who want a little help so they can still ride a bike. It's commuters who don't want to get all sweaty on the way to work."
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