On Bikes, E-Bikes and the Environment
Last week, global leaders discussed electric vehicles, carbon capture, solar, hydrogen, and more to address climate change. Bike/e-bikes initiatives are needed as well - and the following are a selection of these efforts.
Within the U.S Congress, the Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment (E-BIKE) Act (proposed on Feb. 9) could offer a refundable 30% tax credit for purchasing e-bikes.
Congressman Panetta (a co-sponsor) said “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 [and the] legislation will make it easier for more people from all socio-economic levels to own e-bikes and contribute to cutting our carbon output.”
In the California legislature, an electric bicycle purchase incentive program is under consideration.
Assemblymember Boerner Horvath (the sponsor) said “While we continue to invest in electrifying transportation, we can’t leave e-bikes out of the conversation … For folks living in multifamily apartments with garages that lack EV plug-ins, electric cars simply aren’t yet workable. With this rebate program in place, we’ll get more Californians out of their cars and cut emissions from thousands of daily trips, supercharging our state’s progress toward our 2030 climate goals.”
In France, policymakers in the National Assembly may provide old car owners with grants of €2,500 ($2,975) to purchase electric bicycles, transit cards, folding bikes, or car-club subscriptions.
Olivier Schneider, president of the French Federation of Bicycle Users said “For the first time, it is recognized [by a national government] that the solution [to a cleaner planet] is not to make cars greener, but reduce their number.”
In China, there are about 300 million e-bikes in use and additional policy initiatives may increase this number.
Globally, there are many bike/e-bike initiatives in place or under consideration - varying in both scale and approach.
OUR TAKE
In addition to electric and hydrogen power, charging stations, etc., bikes and e-bikes are an important but understated part of the transportation transition process.
In regions historically biased toward car and truck use, drivers will need to adapt to the presence of bikes/e-bikes, and bike/e-bike riders will need to comply with traffic rules and regulations.
Everyone's actions can have a positive impact on climate change. Eating healthier, wasting less, and biking/walking more are parts of the solution.