The program is woefully underfunded and capped to serve only the first X people instead of everyone who applies.
You have to buy from an “eligible retailer,” which means you have to buy locally at prices that are invariably considerably higher than direct-to-consumer budget brands like Lectric and Rad. In other words, the real savings is at best much less than $1,500, and at worst, nonexistent.
I get the impression that these sorts of programs tend to be as much about propping up local bike shops as they are about increasing the mode share of e-bikes, and this one is no exception. Not that I don’t think LBSs are important, but I wish they’d quit saddling the programs with these competing goals.
Sigh… as usual:
The program is woefully underfunded and capped to serve only the first X people instead of everyone who applies.
You have to buy from an “eligible retailer,” which means you have to buy locally at prices that are invariably considerably higher than direct-to-consumer budget brands like Lectric and Rad. In other words, the real savings is at best much less than $1,500, and at worst, nonexistent.
I get the impression that these sorts of programs tend to be as much about propping up local bike shops as they are about increasing the mode share of e-bikes, and this one is no exception. Not that I don’t think LBSs are important, but I wish they’d quit saddling the programs with these competing goals.