Income-qualified residents will get first dibs as Colorado is set to roll out a recently created e-bike voucher program beginning Wednesday morning.

The energy office will post a link to the application portal on the E-Bike Rebate Program webpage when applications open on Wednesday, according to a news release.

Colorado residents with an income at or below 80% of the area median income in their county of residence can get a $1,100 rebate. A $500 rebate is available for those making 80%-100% of their county’s AMI. Both low-and-moderate-income rebate recipients may receive an extra $300 to purchase an e-cargo bike and an extra $100 to purchase equipment, such as a helmet and lock. An additional $250 incentive is also available for certain qualified Coloradans to purchase adaptive e-bikes.

“E-bikes are a great alternative to cars for short distance travel,” said CEO Executive Director Will Toor. “By supporting the adoption of electric bicycles, this program strives to make fun, active transportation options more accessible to all Coloradans, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and traffic congestion.”

Participation in the program is expected to be brisk, and it is expected that there will be more applications than available rebates.

Applicants will submit their name and contact information during the registration process. Once the application period closes, energy office officials will randomly select applicants to receive rebates, and then notify selected applicants via email.

To confirm eligibility, selected applicants will then have 48 hours to submit proof of income and address.

To verify income qualification, applicants will submit a copy of the most recent tax return, a recent pay stub, or proof of enrollment in at least one of several income-qualified programs. To prove Colorado residency, applicants should have ready a valid Colorado Driver’s license or ID, a computer-generated bill, or a printed bank statement is acceptable.

Applicants who live in Colorado but are unable to provide any of the acceptable documents to verify a physical Colorado address may be eligible to submit alternative documents, such as a letter from a government agency or non-profit organization in Colorado stating their situation.

More information about acceptable documentation to prove eligibility is available on the E-Bike Rebate Program webpage. energyoffice.colorado.gov/ebike-rebates

Starting April 1, 2024, all Coloradans, regardless of income, will also be eligible for a $450 discount on an e-bike purchased from an authorized retailer.

The state General Assembly allocated $12 million from the General Fund in SB22-193. $2 million is for grants for local governments to create e-bike programs that give e-bikes to low-and-moderate-income Coloradans. 

$6.6 million is to provide statewide, income-qualified e-bike rebates and the remaining $3.4 million is for grants to local governments to develop local e-bike rebate programs.

The office may use up to 9% of the money ($1,080,000) in the fund for its administrative costs.

Colorado Energy Office will open additional application rounds each month until it runs out of money.

Without additional funding from the legislature, these programs will end once money runs out, or after September 1, 2028.

The city of Denver e-bike rebate program has helped residents put more than 5,000 e-bikes on the streets of Denver since it began a year ago, according to The Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency.

The program has proved to be hugely popular, since launching in April 2022. In a recent round, 807 applications were submitted within 5 minutes of the program opening. It has sold out every month it has been offered.

Denver rebates provide $300 off the price of an e-bike. For those who are eligible for the income-qualified rebate, it can be a $1,200 savings. E-cargo bikes can add an extra $200 to both the standard and income-qualified vouchers, according to a city of Denver news release.

E-bike users are, on average, replacing more than 100,000 vehicle miles every week according to the Denver Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency. The e-bikes aid in reducing air pollutants as they replace cars, according office officials.

A recent report estimates e-bikes purchased through the rebate program will reduce 2,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, according to a release.