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Can I get bonus for electric bike?
Is there still a bonus for buying an electric bike this year? G.S.
Yes. Grants are still on offer if you buy an electric bike in 2019 – but it depends whether or not you live in an area where your mairie supports the scheme.
This especially concerns residents of larger cities, such as Paris and Lyon, which are keen to ease congestion and pollution by encouraging greener ways of getting around.
They can help you finance your new bike, though the amounts available vary.
Central government can then also help by topping up the mairie’s grant.
Apply first at the mairie and then visit the government’s website to obtain the top-up (see tinyurl.com/y5wnkrnv).
Conditions also vary according to where you live.
For example, the city of Orléans will pay 25% of the price of the bike but you have to earn less than €2,000 per month. Lyon offers €100 to anyone buying a new or second-hand bike.
The maximum you can get from both the mairie and the government is €200.
You have to provide documents, such as proof of residence, copy of ID, and the bike receipt. You might also be asked for your tax assessment.
The first thing to do is check if your mairie offers a grant or not – try a search with terms such as aide VAE (this stands for vélo à assistance électrique). If in doubt, check with your mairie directly.