The Macron-led government has announced new incentives to boost the adoption of green transportation and reduce the impact of rising gas prices in France.
According to a press release from France’s Ministry of Ecologic Transition and Territorial Cohesion, citizens can get as much as €4,000 ($3,976) in subsidies for trading their gas-powered vehicles for e-bikes.
Launched on August 15th, the subsidy will be accessible to citizens till December 31, 2022.
The new scheme is France’s attempt to catch up to its neighbors, The Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark in embracing greener and healthier lifestyles. It is modeled after a very successful LEV subsidy the Lithuanian government launched back in 2020.
In addition to the e-bike subsidy, the French government announced that it would invest €250 million to develop Paris’ biking infrastructure to make it more bikeable.
The €250 million infrastructure initiative aligns with the policies of Paris’ Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, who won re-election on the back of a promise to make Paris 100% bikeable.