Federal legislation was introduced on February 9, 2021 to create a federal tax incentive for the purchase of electric bicycles in the US. We have our very own Representative Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) to thank, as well as Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). Together the gave the electric assist to the Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment (E-BIKE) Act.

As Congressman Panetta explained in a statement provided to Electrek:

“E-bikes are not just a fad for a select few, they are a legitimate and practical form of transportation that can help reduce our carbon emissions. My legislation will make it easier for more people from all socio-economic levels to own e-bikes and contribute to cutting our carbon output. By incentivizing the use of electric bicycles to replace car trips through a consumer tax credit, we can not only encourage more Americans to transition to greener modes of transportation, but also help fight the climate crisis.”

We asked Mike Ahern, owner of Current eBikes, for his reaction:

“We sincerely appreciate Congressman Panetta's office reaching out to us as they drafted this legislation. The end legislative product hits the key elements for success - a reasonable range of bike price to enable higher quality and highly capable electric bikes and placing the control in the hands of the consumer - we believe makes a lot of sense.”

After years of tax credits that apply only to electric cars, this will open up tax credit support for the even more environmentally sensitive electric bike, which reduces auto emissions, cuts traffic, leads to better health outcomes and is just a blast to use.

About Current eBikes: Current eBikes offers the largest number of quality electric bike brands and models. They operate by appointment 7 days a week, to manage social distancing, for electric bike shopping and service on the major brand electric drive systems. After experiencing another strong year of growth in their 5th year, they're hiring! They also sell and support Gazelle. Santa Cruz Works will provide a Flash Tour (via Zoom) of the Santa Cruz Gazelle factory on February 17. Check our Events page for registration details.