Atlanta’s e-bike rebate program is back, and thousands have already applied
Nearly 5,500 Atlanta residents have already applied for the latest round of e-bike rebates ahead of next week’s deadline.
First launched in 2024, the voucher program was so popular that city officials decided to bring it back this year.
E-bikes have become an increasingly common mode of transportation in recent years, especially amid ongoing efforts to make Atlanta more bicycle-friendly.
The $1 million voucher program is funded by the city and overseen by the Atlanta Regional Commission. Propel ATL, a local transit advocacy group, helps promote the initiative.
Atlanta was among the first cities in the Southeast to launch an e-bike rebate program two years ago, said the ARC’s program coordinator Ben Kamber, who helps administer the project.
He said the rebate program is intended to provide affordable transportation options for residents, particularly those from low- and moderate-income households.
“We’re really excited that we’re able to bring the program back this year, reopen applications and partner again with the city and with Propel,” he said.
Atlanta City Council member Matt Westmoreland said the idea came about during a 2023 lunch with Rebecca Serna, Propel ATL’s executive director.
She told him Boston and Denver were offering rebate programs for prospective e-bike buyers and suggested Atlanta could do something similar. A study committee was launched and the rest is history.
More than 11,000 residents applied for the rebates in 2024, and Council members set aside additional funding to continue the program that has helped more than 500 Atlantans purchase e-bikes.
Applications are open to any Atlanta resident who’s at least 18 years old and meets certain income requirements. Kamber said ARC has already received far more applications than it has slots, so a random selection process will determine which applicants get vouchers.
ARC is offering more than 400 rebates this time around, but plans to open another round of applications in the spring.
There are three different voucher amounts available, depending on a applicant’s annual household income. How much an individual or family makes determines whether they’re eligible for a $1,600, $1,100 or $550 rebate.
Those making less than 60% of the area median income are eligible to receive the highest rebate amount. That means someone living alone can make up to $48,000 a year and qualify for the full $1,600 rebate. A single person making up to $112,000 a year could still qualify to receive a $550 voucher, Kamber said.
Westmoreland said he’s encouraged by the number of applications that have already been submitted ahead of Tuesday’s deadline.
“This round has shown me that there’s still enormous interest among Atlantans for finding alternative, cheaper sustainable ways to get around town,” Westmoreland said Friday. “I’m excited we are focused on residents who feel rising transportation costs the most.”
Kamber said there’s a growing interest in using e-bikes to get around, especially as the city builds out its bicycle infrastructure and installs more protected lanes for cyclists.
“Our hope is that people are using these e-bikes to really replace car trips,” he said. “We really are seeing that people are choosing alternate transportation modes.”
The vouchers must be used to purchase an e-bike at a participating brick-and-mortar bike shop within the city, Kamber said.
The two-week application window opened Sept. 8 and runs through the end of Tuesday. As of midday Friday, ARC had already received 5,449 applications.
Another application period is expected to open in spring 2027.