After an e-bike rebate program in Minnesota saw overwhelming success when it launched in 2024, with so many people applying that it "crashed the website," according to Streets.mn, researchers sought to gain a deeper understanding of the applicants.
According to the nonprofit, which publishes articles and content on how to improve communities through transportation, over 14,600 Minnesotans applied for the rebate program, established by lawmakers to make e-bikes more affordable for the average resident.
Curious about the program's popularity, researchers from the University of Minnesota sought to gather more data about who applied, feedback from residents about the application process, and learn more about how people utilized the rebates. The study uncovered surprising results: The majority of recipients and rebate users lived in the Twin Cities area, the average age of applicants was 49, and some people purchased an e-bike even without receiving a rebate.
Project co-lead Camila Fonseca-Sarmiento, a scholar from the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Michigan, told Streets.mn: "Or, if a couple received a rebate, they ended up buying two e-bikes. This could be spurring the use of e-bikes instead of personal vehicles."
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Because of the positive outcome of last year's e-bike program, the state legislature allocated the same amount that it spent in 2024 — $2 million — to this year's rebates. The program offers a discount of up to $1,500 per recipient, depending on the applicant's income and tax filing status.
Commuting with an electric bike is one of the best ways to save money on gas, car charging, and maintenance, along with being an easy way to get exercise if you don't have time to hit the gym. Not to mention, since e-bikes don't produce air pollution directly like gas-powered cars, you'll be doing your neighbors and your lungs a favor.
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"Minnesotans seem to have an appetite to get an e-bike, whether that's because of the state's incentive or for other reasons — including that Minnesota has some of the best bike infrastructure around," Kaitlyn Denten, a researcher at the Humphrey School's Institute for Urban and Regional Infrastructure Finance and project co-lead, told Streets.mn.
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