Earlier this summer, Sabrina Taylor picked up her new electric bike, purchased with a rebate through the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund’s (PCEF) new e-bike incentive program. Not long after, she received a wellness check from one of her neighbors, who noticed Taylor’s car was collecting dust after sitting parked for more than a week.
“She was concerned and wanted to make sure I was okay,” Taylor told the Mercury. “I had to tell her, ‘I recently got a new e-bike!’”
Taylor said before she got her e-bike, she hadn’t cycled much since she was a kid. In recent years, Taylor has primarily used her car to get around, but was intrigued by the e-bike incentive program—partially because of the spiking price of gas. She said she now rides her bike almost everywhere.
“It’s changed my life for the better,” Taylor said. “I really didn’t think something like a bicycle would change my life in so many ways.”
The Mercury spoke with several people who purchased electric bikes through PCEF’s new rebate program. While the recipients’ backgrounds and transportation habits varied, everyone echoed Taylor’s general sentiment: e-bikes are game-changing.
PCEF launched its e-bike rebate program, called “Portland Rides,” in April. The $20 million program is set to extend through 2029, with randomized draws taking place multiple times a year. Rebates are limited to those with household incomes at or below 60 percent the area median income. So far, the program has handed out nearly 1,100 rebates, starting at $1,600, for standard, cargo, and adaptive e-bikes.
Studies and anecdotal evidence have proven that electric bikes are very effective replacements for cars, but many people can’t afford the up-front cost. PCEF’s rebate program is intended to help people bridge the gap.
“Everybody has to get to work, to school, to their doctor’s office. And right now, most folks grab their car keys when it’s time to go,” Seetha Ream-Rao, PCEF’s transportation decarbonization program manager, told the Mercury in April. “Our hope through this program is that more and more often, folks will grab their helmet and their bike.”
Rebate logistics
Those who are randomly selected for an e-bike rebate are encouraged to check out their options at a participating local bike shop. From there, recipients can decide if they want a standard e-bike (the $1,600 incentive) or a cargo e-bike ($2,350). (The adaptive bike rebates are administered separately.) Recipients are also provided a $300 credit for accessories, like helmets, lights, and locks. Once they choose their bike, the shop issues the rebate in the form of a customer credit.
While e-bike recipients shared highly positive experiences, it’s been a little rockier for the bike shops. The city works with a private contractor to manage the rebate reimbursements, and it appears the process was not entirely smooth. In June, several e-bike retailers reported they had not been reimbursed for the bikes they sold. In some cases, this meant bike shops were out a significant amount of money for several weeks.
PCEF spokesperson Elizabeth Stover told the Mercury that some payments were delayed due to some communication hiccups with the contractor, which prevented the city from processing payments when the fiscal year ended on June 30. The program ended up pausing the final round of rebate releases for the year until it could catch up on outstanding payments. Stover said the city has now been able to fulfill almost all the reimbursements, and PCEF plans to release this summer’s final round of e-bike rebates on August 17.
Clever Cycles owner Dean Mullin told the Mercury that while there have been some “kinks in the implementation,” he is overall enthusiastic about the rebate program—especially seeing how happy the recipients have been.
“The actual program is amazing. I’ve had numerous people who got bikes come in to tell me they’re using them every day,” Mullin said. “They’re excited, they’re having fun. They didn’t anticipate how it would change their lives.”
But Mullin hopes the reimbursement process will improve as the program continues. If it doesn’t, he expects many bike shops won’t be able to continue the partnership.
“I think this is the answer.”
Daniel Eisner is one of the people who received an e-bike rebate this summer. He told the Mercury that since he got his electric cargo bike earlier this summer, he’s barely used his car. The cargo bike Eisner rides has capacity for two people, so his partner Hana Francis often joins him, riding on the back.
“It’s changing the way I see transportation,” Eisner said. “The electric assist makes a 20-mile bike ride feel like less than five miles. It’s fast, it’s reliable; I can commute to and from work with ease.”
Francis also heralded the bike’s benefits.
“The second day we were riding this, I was like, ‘Dan, I think this is the answer.’” Francis said. “It seems like e-bikes are the answer to so many problems.”
Seven Meave is an art student in Portland who has been relying on the bus to get around since their car broke down. They said it’s been difficult to commute by bus while carrying around a bunch of art supplies, which can exacerbate their chronic pain. Plus, with Portland’s public transit system in a financial crisis that has forced major service cuts, the bus and MAX have become less reliable.
“Having multiple transfers and a 20-minute walk on the bus, it can just be kind of difficult to get places,” Meave said. “I feel like the e-bike rebate program is kind of life-saving.”
Connor Lennon was already a regular cyclist before he got his electric cargo bike earlier this summer through the rebate program. Still, Lennon said his new bike has made it a lot easier to get around, helping him haul groceries and climb hills with ease. Another pro, especially in the summer: when you ride an e-bike, you’re less likely to show up to your destination drenched in sweat.
Throughout the Mercury’s conversations with people who received e-bike rebates, a common theme emerged. Many riders noticed their bike helped them feel more connected to the community, something they lacked when getting around in a car.
Taylor said her e-bike opened her eyes to an exciting new world.
“I’ve saved a lot of time and money, and I’m included in a whole new community, the bicyclists,” she said. “It’s so much fun, and I’ve met so many people.”
Rebate recipient Brandon Clark said when he first moved to Portland in 2022, he didn’t have a car, relying on buses and electric scooters to get around. Eventually, he got a car, but said it presented some downsides. Parking at certain events can be a challenge, and Clark also noticed driving the car made him feel less connected to the city.
“One thing I love is just riding and smelling the flowers and the trees as they’re blooming,” Clark said. “Portland’s a beautiful city. I’m stopping all the time and taking pictures of plants. When I’m in a car, I don’t do that.”
Others shared similar reflections.
“For a little leisure time, getting to ride my bike around and look at flowers and pretty houses, it definitely feels like I’m in a movie sometimes,” Meave said.
Eisner said his new bike has helped him to “feel immersed in the world.”
“You can hear the sounds and smell the smells,” Eisner said. “Cars are isolating. When you remove the walls and get back into the world, you slow down, you can explore a little more.”
