Washington’s E-Bike Rebate Rollout Shows Success for $1,200 Incentive, Low Redemption Rate for $300 Vouchers

Washington’s first attempt at an e-bike voucher program revealed some key lessons for future incentives, writes Ryan Packer in The Urbanist.

The state offered two levels of rebates for residents of various income levels: a $1,200 rebate for lower-income households and a $300 rebate for those making more than 80 percent of county area median income. 

Of applicants who got a $1,200 rebate, 84 percent followed through on an e-bike purchase, while just 24 percent of people who received $300 rebates redeemed theirs. “Under a legislative mandate, 40% of the total rebate funding was intended for the pool of $300 rebates, but in the end less than 13% of the total dollars handed out went to those applicants, after a sizable majority let theirs expire without buying a bike.”

Even though more than twice as many $300 rebates were offered, only 1,087 of them were redeemed, versus 1,880 of the larger rebates. “Clearly, the larger rebates provided winners with a much bigger incentive to see their purchases through,” Packer notes.

These stats reveal that a $300 rebate may not be enough to motivate people to buy an e-bike, particularly as the cost of bikes goes up due to tariffs. 

The state legislature has earmarked $7 million for a second round of the program in 2026.