Publication Detail

Brief: E-bike Incentive Programs Reduce GHGs and Support Recreational Travel

UCD-ITS-RR-23-58

Brief

National Center for Sustainable Transportation, BicyclingPlus Research Collaborative

Suggested Citation:
Fitch-Polse, Dillon T., Nicholas Johnson, Susan L. Handy (2023) Brief: E-bike Incentive Programs Reduce GHGs and Support Recreational Travel. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, Brief UCD-ITS-RR-23-58

Local and state electric bike (e-bike) incentive programs offering point-of-sale or post-sale monetary discounts to consumers have been implemented across the United States since 2018. As yet, however, little is known about their effectiveness in changing travel behavior. To understand the outcomes of these incentive programs, UC Davis researchers analyzed survey data from rebate recipients in Northern California two months and one year after they acquired e-bikes. The rebate programs were evaluated for effects of e-bike ownership on travel behavior, including changes in bicycling, driving, and use of transit, and on greenhouse gas emissions. The team also suggest areas for future research.