Clive ThompsonJun 27, 2023

Denver last year offered subsidies for buying electric bikes

Their first 600 were snapped up in 10 minutes. Demand was *huge*

Denver ended up issuing over 4,700 (about 2,300 of which went to low-income residents)

Research shows it reduced car-miles driven in the city by 100K a week

My takeaway?

We should have ebike subsidies *everywhere*, and *now*. Cheaper than electric car subsidies, and arguably even more catalytic

My essay: https://clivethompson.medium.com/its-time-to-subsidize-e-bikes-900a862b8e76

"Friend" link https://clivethompson.medium.com/its-time-to-subsidize-e-bikes-900a862b8e76?sk=dea9f07c0dab4be831ee50a197360f95

Show threadCarl M. Johnson
@clive I think the thing people who live in suburbs miss is that in a city, cars are super slow. You can bike faster than a car in a regular bike, forget e-bikes. But hills are a huge pain and without a dedicated lane, it’s uncomfortably dangerous. Having e-bike subsidies could tilt the balance so the intracity traffic becomes more bike based and therefore less congested, less polluted, etc.
Jun 27, 2023 at 1:50amWeb
Show threadMorgan ⚧️Jun 27, 2023
@carlmjohnson @clive hell I live in a very small city and even so the e-bikes wouldn't be much slower than a car
If I could get a trike with electric assist I'd take it everywhere
Show threadJ StewartJun 27, 2023

@raphaelmorgan @carlmjohnson @clive Rad Power makes an electric assist trike.

https://www.radpowerbikes.com/products/radtrike-electric-tricycle

RadTrike™ Electric Tricycle

Show threadClive ThompsonJun 28, 2023

@jdstewart2008 @raphaelmorgan @carlmjohnson

Yep -- I got a chance to try riding one when they launched that line!

They were pretty fun!

Show threadMorgan ⚧️Jun 28, 2023
@jdstewart2008 @carlmjohnson @clive oh, cool! /gen
but let me rephrase: if I could *afford* one (or get it with one of these subsidies) I'd take it everywhere 😅
maybe someday... that price isn't unreasonable or anything I just can't really afford to spend that much on a one-person vehicle especially with how easy they are to steal
Show threadClive ThompsonJun 28, 2023

@raphaelmorgan @jdstewart2008 @carlmjohnson

True true

Show threadClive ThompsonJun 28, 2023

@carlmjohnson

Very true -- cars mostly don't move very fast all in NYC and Brooklyn where I cycle