France wants to bring the electric bicycle preference to the fore by raising the limits in the incentive program it commissioned last year.
We all know that the aim of the electrical transformation in the automotive world is to minimize the effects of environmental problems such as climate change and air pollution as much as possible. This change in manufacturers’ models is supported by efforts to reshape the energy resources they use in their factories within a sustainable framework. On the political side of the process, important decisions drew attention in the last few years. We encounter dynamics that no internal combustion car can enter in the regions designated as emission-free airspace in Europe. The importance of bicycles in the fight against climate change, especially in the focus of urban transportation, is seen as higher than it has ever been. Last year, the French Government, which initiated incentives to increase bicycle transportation, is taking this one step further with the new step it has taken. In this context, low-income citizens residing in regions designated as low emission areas will be provided with a stretching support of up to 4,000 euros if they replace their old-style vehicles with electric bicycles.
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France commissioned serious investments for bicycle transportation
It is also important that the incentive process, which varies according to the individual income level, includes traditional bicycles without electric support. President of France, Emmanuel Macron, is very determined to increase the use of bicycles in the country. Allocating a budget of 250 million euros in order to transform the capital city of Paris into a bicycle city has been one of the most remarkable developments in this area in recent years. In Lithuania, where a similar incentive model is implemented, a 1,000 euro support is applied to those who turn to alternative vehicles such as electric bicycles, mopeds or scooters instead of their old cars. Citizens can also have the amount of incentive they deserve loaded as a balance on their public transport cards, if they request it.
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Within the scope of the grant program, which the government has stretched up to 4,000 euros with a new move, it is aimed that 9 percent of the population will replace their old-style vehicles with electric bicycles or conventional bicycles by 2024. The current rate of this value is 3 percent. France’s goal is to achieve the 30% exchange rate that the Netherlands achieved through a similar policy.
We see that some automobile manufacturers, who understand the importance of electromobility in urban transportation, have made significant investments in alternative vehicles in recent years. While Volkswagen Group draws attention with its electric scooter models, Polestar and Porsche also stand out with their investments on the electric bicycle side.