New RI Rebate Program Offers Big Discounts On Electric Bikes

RHODE ISLAND — Rhode Island is making it cheaper to get around town in one of the greenest ways possible.

The state will soon begin offering rebates worth up to $400 toward the purchase of electric bikes, which come with rechargeable batteries to help riders climb hills or haul groceries. The new program is named for former Erika Niedowski, a former local journalist and cycling advocate who died two years ago.

The e-bike rebate is part of Rhode Island's Drive EV program, which offers up to $2,500 toward the purchase of battery or fuel cell electric vehicles. The e-bike rebate marks an evolution of the program toward a more low-impact form of transportation — electric vehicles are greener than gas-powered cars, but they still take up an enormous amount of land and resources compared to bikes.

The state is setting aside $250,000 for the e-bike rebate program, and $150,000 will be set aside specifically for low-income residents. Rebates will be available on bikes purchased by residents in Rhode Island up to 30 percent of the price or $400, whichever is lower. However, low-income residents will be eligible for rebates up to $1,000 or 75 percent of the purchase price.

"This is an amazing honor for Erika. This program will merge two loves in her life, cycling and protecting the environment," Niedowski's longtime partner, Patrick Laverty, said in a news release.

Niedowski, originally from Marshfield, Mass., died at 46 in October 2020 from an unexpected illness. Before her death, she worked at the Baltimore Sun, and later at the Associated Press office in Rhode Island. She later worked as Gov. Dan McKee's director of communications while he was lieutenant governor, and as a lobbyist for environmental causes.