‘He was able to get … [a] bike, no money out of pocket’

What if there was a way to save money on your commute to work and get fit? The answer is e-bikes. While an e-bike can be an upfront investment, Bend, Oregon, is offering 70 rebates for low-income households of up to $1,800 off a purchase of an e-bike, according to Central Oregon Daily News. 

The program is a collaboration between Commute Options and the Pacific Power Foundation. 

This isn’t the first time the city has offered this rebate to residents. When the program was offered two years ago, more than 600 people applied. 

In order to be eligible to apply, a family of four must be making $91,450 or less, or a single person must not make more than $64,050. Other eligibility requirements include being 18 or older, a resident of Bend, a Pacific Power customer, and completing a Commute Options safety course. 

BendR Cyclery Owner and Operator Will Priest shared one of the success stories: “He was able to get out of here with an Aventon bike, no money out of pocket and now he uses it to commute to work every day.” 

Upway can also be a great resource for finding an e-bike that meets your needs. The company has a vast selection, and you can find many that are up to 60% off the retail cost. 

E-bike rebates and Upway can make it easier to reap the benefits of owning an e-bike. When you commute to work via an e-bike, you can save money on gas, as much as $800 a year when commuting five days a week. 

Priest said, “To see the real value of someone who, like, couldn’t even get to work unless they took a couple buses … suddenly, now, they have a means to get there.”

Additionally, if work and commuting make it too hard to get to the gym, it’s a great way to multitask to get that exercise in. 

To really maximize your savings, you can pair your e-bike with solar panels, so it’s cheaper to charge. TCD’s Solar Explorer page is a great place to start to search for installation quotes and understand all your options. TCD’s partners can help you save up to $10,000 on installation costs, and there are even subscription options for as little as no money down.

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