Getting around town just got a little bit easier for Denver resident Hannah Sieben. Her main mode of transportation changed when she was able to get help buying an e-bike last summer.
"I love my e-bike! I'm so excited the weather's nicer so I can be riding it all the time," she said.
Sieben is one of more than 5,000 rebate recipients that have purchased e-bikes since Denver's program started last year. It's run by the city's Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency.
The program has tapped into big demand for alternative forms of transportation in the city. The most recent round of rebates were claimed in under 5 minutes.
"It's almost contagious how much e-bikes are taking off right now," said Chelsea Warren, a communication specialist with Denver's Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency.
Warren says the demand for e-bikes through the city's rebate program has far exceeded expectations. They're seeing people who never used a bike to get around town embrace the benefits of having an e-bike. Recipients report using it for simple errands, dropping kids off at school, and getting down to the brewery.
Additionally, Warren said they're giving people who are used to driving in the city new perspective.
"You know it's getting non-bikers into this space and it's replacing vehicle miles, which really was the end goal of the program," she said.
The city estimates e-bikes purchased through the program are replacing about 100,000 vehicle miles a week. The rebate program is funded through 2024 but Warren said it could go on for a lot longer if it remains popular. Another round of rebates opens in May.
With her rebate, Hannah Sieben was able to buy an electric cargo bike for about $67. That's not a typo. The city offers a few different rebatesthat range from $300 to $1,400 when you purchase an e-bike from a participating shop.
Sieben isn't new to cycling — she once bike toured from Texas to Alaska — but the rebate program helped her get pedaling again in the city.
"Over the past year that I've been able to ride my e-bike, I have my little odometer - I've put over 250 miles on it so far and that's city driving that I would have been in my car otherwise," she said.
The next rebate day will be Tuesday, May 30. Those interested in trying to get a rebate from the city can learn more and sign up for alerts by visiting the city'swebsite.
