The rebate program will use a point-of-sale strategy where the rebate amount will simply be deducted from the purchase price. This will save residents the aggravation of submitting a receipt and waiting for a check or tax credit that may take months to materialize.
There will be two tiers of participants, based on income. Income-qualified residents will receive a $1500 rebate for the purchase of a standard e-bike, or a $2000 rebate for a cargo e-bike. Other Atlanta residents will receive $500 for a standard e-bike or $1000 for a cargo e-bike.
The City of Atlanta has funded the program with a $1 million investment.
The rebate program has several requirements for qualifying purchases. First, buyers will have to produce proof that they reside within the city limits; residents of Alpharetta and other suburbs won’t qualify. Applicants must also be 18 years old.
Qualifying forms of proof of residency include driver’s license, passport, birth certificate, rental agreement, mortgage, most recent utility bill, vehicle registration and Georgia voter ID card.
The rebate will cover Class 1, 2 or 3 e-bikes or e-trikes with a maximum nominal power rating of 750W.
One restriction that some shoppers will find frustrating will be that they cannot purchase their e-bike from a direct-to-consumer brand. The e-bike must be purchased from a local bike shop. Many of these brands, though, are beginning to sell their e-bikes through brick-and-mortar shops.
Shoppers can find info about Atlanta’s rebate program in an extensive FAQ here. People can also sign up for a newsletter that will keep interested parties informed with notifications.
The City of Atlanta expects the program to net between 800 and 1000 e-bikes to be purchased through the rebate program.
