The Daily Beast
By Tony Ho Tran
There was a time—an instant really—when it seemed like e-bike advocates had captured lightning in a bottle.
The E-BIKE Act, a bill introduced by Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) in 2021, was placed in the Inflation Reduction Act that was passed by the House of Representatives in 2022. It would have rewarded constituents with a 30 percent tax credit (up to $900) on the purchase of new electric bicycles that cost less than $4,000—a potent incentive for Americans to choose an environmentally friendly, low-cost alternative to driving cars.