NS just introduced a $500 e-bike rebate!
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Now I just need to come up with the other $8000 
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Why?
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Sorry more like $10k if you include taxes…
If I’m getting and ebike it’s gonna be something along the lines of this Instinct Powerplay.
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I’m guessing it’s aimed at commuters as an incentive to ditch their car, not MTBers looking to shred the gnar.
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Hybrids, or commuting e bikes start at about 3000.00. There are some MTBs like the Giant Stance E coming in at 4400.00.
The more people out there on bikes, e-bikes or not, the greater the chance we see more funding for cycling infrastructure and a wider social acceptance of sharing the road with cyclists!
I suspect bikes like these will get snapped up fast with such an incentive.
Hoping for rebates on power meters and smart trainers next, contact your MLA!
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I’m kinda joking but I should have disclosed that knowing how it would be perceived on here 
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Need some way to throw those watts back into the grid, helping you get your home to net zero!
Seriously though, this is great news. I know it’s primarily aimed at commuters, but the more people who get out on the streets, the faster we’ll get the infrastructure. I’ve been commuting 20kms/day primarily by bike for the past seven or eight years and I love it, even though it can be dangerous. Being able to keep up with the pace of traffic makes bike commuting in the urban core so much safer and ebikes will help people who don’t ride as often to do that.
Plus, since you can also apply that to eMTBs, it will be great to see more people out on those. Sanctioned trails are going to need to find a way to permit them soon enough.
@Lawrence–what’s the plan to address this at MRWA?
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It’s also an incentive for cyclists to stop exercising so much?
More exercise than they are getting in their car, EV or not. Unless its one of those full on E-Scooters that you can’t even pedal, which I imagine this will apply to as well.
I’m sure some will make the jump from E-bike to regular or N+1 to a regular bike.
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Riders with e-bikes tend to ride longer and more often. At least thats what our customers are saying.
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I don’t think most eBikes are really aimed at cyclists, and that’s fine. As @riderx said, most eBike riders go further and stay out longer than people on ‘normal’ bikes. It’s also enabled an older generation of people who find cycling difficult to get back into it. Studies have already been completed that show that although eBike riders may not be working quite as hard, it’s damn close and they are getting just as much exercise since they’re going for much longer rides.
I have no intention of ditching the pedals any time soon, but I’m going to be 50 in a few years, and I imagine I’ll pick one up when I get into my 60s or a little later.
And while I’m lucky to have a shower in the office so I can clean up after my commute (I sweat like a mofo just looking at my bike), riding an eBike to work would allow me to arrive without needed to get changed.
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One of my employers is 79 and gets out on his e-road bike 2-3 times per week for 30-40 km. Pretty awesome.
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I think ebike commuting is a fantastic idea. As other posters have said, we might see improvements in bike infrastructure and safety once there’s a critical mass of commuters are reached. Would be nice to see cycle-to-work incentives for employers and employees as they do in the UK.
My concern, and one that I admittedly have little-to-no-knowledge about, is the lifespan, cost and compatibility of batteries and motors. If two years from now, the battery or motor is toast and the company has moved on and no longer supports whatever battery/motor and their respective interfaces/chargers are-the whole bike might be essentially useless and goes to a landfill. An extreme example perhaps, but no different than your iPhone of 5-10 years ago. More than just warranty-do bike manufacturers and bike shops have recycling programs and take back your older non-functional ebike for a trade in deal on a new shiny one?
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The key is to choose to purchase a reputable brand from a reputable bike shop. Bionx aside, most companies like Bosch and Shimano are going to be around to service your ebike. People who purchase walmart, canadian tire, or kiji chinese importer are probably go to get burned.
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Bosch definitely… even though their only 2 years into bike tech, they have a lot of r &d into both brushless motors and high performance batteries for automotive and power tool tech.
They carry it across from one sector the other at times
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That Opus Grid e-bike looks like it would be sweet for delivering pizzas! Much better than the sketchy dominoes delivery cars that race up and down my street.
If you are referring to emtb being a less physical way to enjoy cycling, I will say this.
Alot of pros are making very valid arguments and discussions on how much ebikes are helping them train, due to the fact you can cover so much more ground and they are far safer then road bikes.
And also the physical factor of having to control a much heavier machine.
I personally see this as a major win on all platforms.
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