Starting from February 2020, the 10 million residents of Paris and its surroundings may have access to up to €500 in financial aid to put towards the purchase of an electric bicycle. Valerie Pecresse, president of the regional transport agency Île-de-France Mobilités, told Le Parisien in an exclusive interview that she has submitted a proposal to provide a subsidy for half the cost of an e-bike — capped at €500 — to all residents of Île-de-France, the region surrounding Paris, "regardless of their economic situation."

A good e-bike can cost, on average, up to €2,000.

"I want all residents to have the same right to electric mobility and a cleaner type of transportation, particularly in small- and medium-sized areas with lots of hills,” said Pécresse.

Read more: Rental bikes or e-scooters: Who will win Berlin's urban mobility battle?

The offer would start in February and is timed to begin as the regions "Veligo" e-bike test program wraps up. Starting from September, the Veligo program allows residents to rent e-bikes long-term — for up to 6 months — at a rate of €40 a month, half of which can be covered by one's employer. Paris already runs a similar program, called Velib, on the municipal level.

The program will release 10,000 e-bikes into the greater Paris area, with plans to double the number. This would make it the world's largest e-bike rental program.

"The €500 subsidy should be a motivator to buy,” said Pecresse. The agency hopes to triple the use of bikes in the area by 2021. Bicycle commuting currently accounts for less than 2% of daily trip in the Île-de-France area.

Read more: Paris sees scooter hype spreading

E-bike subsidy programs are taking off around the globe as cities attempt to reduce traffic and pollution and help their citizens stay fit. Sweden, Norway, Scotland and Portugal are among the countries investing in e-bike infrastructure and providing loans and interest-free subsidies to citizens that want to make a purchase.

E-Bikes and co: How eco-friendly is electromobility? Old-school biking Until recently, the classic old bicycle would have been an obvious option for anyone wanting to get active outdoors. These days, however, there are a number of electric alternatives that require slightly less exertion. But e-bikes and e-scooters aren't always as eco-friendly as you might think, and can cause other problems too.

E-Bikes and co: How eco-friendly is electromobility? The electro-classic The e-bike, an enhanced bicycle if you will, is probably the best-known electric alternative to regular bikes. The battery motor makes it move faster and is especially helpful on inclines. One problem: Because it makes biking less exhausting, more seniors who would normally not head out into the traffic anymore, ride e-bikes. That has lead to an increase in accidents.

E-Bikes and co: How eco-friendly is electromobility? The battery problem Another issue with e-bikes is the battery, the production of which requires a lot of natural resources. E-bikes run on rechargeable lithium batteries. Digging this metal out of the earth is no easy feat and requires large lithium mines. It's also a finite resource. In 2018, the world's remaining lithium reserves were estimated at 53.8 million tons.

E-Bikes and co: How eco-friendly is electromobility? Growing energy demand Electric modes of transportation don't emit CO2, but e-bike batteries have to be charged regularly. The same is true, of course, for batteries of e-scooters, e-skateboards monowheels, hoverboards, … See a trend there? The demand for electricity is growing and not all of it is met with energy from renewable sources.

E-Bikes and co: How eco-friendly is electromobility? Many new ideas — and many more batteries As companies keep coming up with cool new e-gadgets for us to buy, the number of batteries that need to be charged is likely to keep rising. In addition to regular e-bikes, there are even e-unicycles. Not into peddling? Then how about a hoverboard, inspired by cult classic "Back to the Future II"?

E-Bikes and co: How eco-friendly is electromobility? Last mile scooters E-scooters are similar to the scooters you might remember from your childhood. These new ones, however, don't rely exclusively on our feet to propel them forward, but on battery power. That makes them more eco-friendly than vehicles with a combustion engine, but many people only use them to travel the "last mile" from a bus stop or car park to wherever they're going.

E-Bikes and co: How eco-friendly is electromobility? Illegal fun Up until now, zipping along the streets on an e-scooter was illegal in Germany. Because of their little "engine," you'd need certain permits for e-scooters (like a license for a car), but those weren't available. Starting in the summer of 2019, Germans will be allowed to drive e-scooters with a maximum speed of up to 20 kph (12 mph) on bike paths. In the US, that's been legal for a while. Author: Carla Bleiker



E-bike riders can easily reach speeds of up to 25 kilometers per hour. The rechargeable batteries cover a distance of 75 kilometers per charge.