€600 available off new e-bike to beat Paris strikes
Residents of Ile-de-France are being offered up to €600 off a new electrically-assisted bike to help them cope with the transport strikes.
The scheme by the Ile-de-France Mobilités agency, that organises public transport in the region, was set to start in February 2020 but the body moved the eligible purchase date to start from December 1 so people can benefit from it now.
Actual refunds of money will only be available after February 20 when a dedicated site is to open to apply for them, however as long as people keep their facture for the purchase and obtain a homologation or conformity certificate from the seller, they will be able to apply.
The amounts available are 50% of the purchase price up to to €500 for an ordinary electically-assisted bike (vélo à assistance électrique – VAE), or €600 for a ‘cargo’ model.
The latter are designed with a carrying section in front of the handlebars which can vary in size and are suited, for example, to carrying shopping bags (such bikes can be seen in images online transporting small children or pets, but we do not know if this meets regulations in France...).
The offer is for adults living in Ile-de-France and the bike must conform to French regulations. If you benefit you cannot sell the bike for three years.
You are also required to check, before applying, if any grant is available from your commune or intercommunal body and obtain proof of either the grant or lack of one (ie. email/letter from the council). The amount of any such grants is deducted from the amount available from Ile-de-France Mobilités.
