EUGENE, Ore. – Community members interested in testing out climate-friendly electric bicycles will have the opportunity to do so on Saturday at the City of Eugene’s E-Bike Expo, Eugene Water and Electric Board officials said.
EWEB officials said that the event, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 15 at the Campbell Community Center at 155 High Street in Eugene, provides community members a chance to test drive several models of e-bikes and learn more about the benefits of electric transportation. Local e-bike shop owners and community members will be on hand to share their experiences and to provide instructional opportunities, the customer-owned utility provider said. EWEB officials said that transportation accounts for more than half of Eugene’s greenhouse gas emissions and e-bikes are one of the most effective ways community members can help the city reduce emissions and fight climate change.
E-bikes use far less energy than other modes of transportation due to their small size and light weight, the utility provider said. EWEB officials said that they offer a $300 rebate per e-bike on a maximum of two per household and have provided rebates for more than 2,000 e-bikes since the rebate program’s inception two years ago.
“Purchasing an electric vehicle is not possible for many people in our community. But EWEB is bridging the gap in electric mobility accessibility through an EV car sharing program, community grants, and e-bike rebates,” said Juan Serpa Muñoz, who manages EWEB’s electric mobility programs. “E-bikes are far less expensive than EVs, so that can open the door to greater levels of access to electric mobility.”
EWEB officials said the rebate program aims to promote sustainable transportation, foster more active lifestyles for better individual health, and meet local environmental goals by improving air quality through reduced emissions. A City of Eugene survey indicated that, between 2014 and 2020, the number of local community members who biked to work declined while the number of those driving alone increased, EWEB officials said. The utility provider also said that the number of electric vehicle registrations in EWEB’s service territory increased from less than 500 in 2017 to 4,500 in 2023.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: