Due to concern for the rising rates of lithium-ion battery fires which are often incorrectly attributed to e-bikes, Denver will require that anyone using one of their vouchers to purchase an e-bike that complies either with UL 2271 (batteries) or UL 2849 (the entire system including motor and battery).
The vouchers will be released in five batches. The first batch was released Tuesday, February 27. Additional batches will be released April 30, June 25, August 27 and October 29. Vouchers are good for 90 days.
The program is aimed at low-income Denver residents; vouchers are awarded to households that earn less than 60 percent of Colorado’s median income ($86,900 for individual earners or $99,300 for two earners), less than 60 percent of the area median income or less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
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The city has also added a new category for moderate-income applicants. Households that earn between 60 and 100 percent of the area median income can apply for a voucher that would result in a point-of-sale rebate of up to $300 on an e-bike or up to $500 on a cargo e-bike.
The program has also added a category for adaptive e-bikes. Denver residents who can’t ride a traditional e-bike can apply for a voucher that will offer a rebate of up to $1,400 on an adaptive e-bike. Those applications are approved independent of the voucher release dates.
Vouchers can only be used at approved brick-and-mortar bike shops in the Denver metro area. Consumer-direct online purchases are not eligible. There is a complete list of approved bike shops on the rebate program’s page.
In the past, the program’s reach has suffered due to people claiming vouchers but then not following through with a purchase. A new rule has been added stipulating that if someone receives a voucher and does not use it within 90 days, they cannot apply for another voucher in 2024, but they can email the program’s administrators if extenuating circumstances prevented the purchase. In some cases, the program may grant an extension or reissue of the voucher.
To learn more about the program and apply, visit the city’s page for the program here.
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