Try, Ride, Buy: The Parisian Model for E-Bike Adoption
Written by: Maxime Renson | October 22, 2025 | Time to read 5 min
What happens when a region lets people “test-ride” electric bikes? In Île-de-France, it sparked an e-Bike movement that’s rewriting urban mobility.
More about the Author: Maxime Renson, General Manager at Upway
Graduated in engineering and business, I spent 6+ years at Uber across six countries before joining Upway’s founding team in 2022 to launch the U.S. business. Outside work, I bike, run, play golf and padel, and swim with my son.
For this edition of my series on e-Bike policies across Europe, we travel to the Île-de-France region, home to Paris— and it’s the City of Love that’s increasingly charming cyclists with better infrastructure and bike-friendly initiatives. The regional French government launched the Véligo Location program, providing long-term rentals for electric bikes and purchase assistance to buy your own ride. It’s an impressive initiative that’s powering an e-Bike renaissance in the Greater Paris region and encouraging e-Bike adoption— it deserves a closer look.
What is Véligo Location?
The idea here is to test out riding an electric bike in your day-to-day life. The Véligo bikes can be a stepping stone before you purchase an e-Bike for yourself, lowering the initial barrier to riding pedal-assist bikes. As of 2025, there are 20,000 classic e-Bikes and 1,000 cargo models in operation, with over 120,000 users of Véligo Location bikes.
How the Véligo Location long-term rental program works
Unlike urban bike-sharing programs in which you park the bike at designated stations, the Véligo can be used like a private bike throughout the rental. Riders can opt for additional equipment, bike insurance, and a training course. The subscription fee also covers all maintenance or repair costs.
Government-subsidized e-Bike purchase assistance
Below are the current discounts residents can access:
- E-Bikes, folding bikes, unassisted cargo bikes: €400
- Electric cargo bikes: €600
- Adapted bicycles: €1,200
- Electrification kit: €200
- Standard bicycle (riders ages 15-25): €100
The most exciting and effective component of the Véligo program is its multi-tiered approach to encouraging cycling and e-Bike adoption. The initiative follows up long-term rental with a financial incentive so riders can seamlessly transition from rental bikes to purchase their own at a more affordable price. The Véligo program also invests in a third element concerning safe bike parking around bus, train, and metro stations to prompt intermodal transport.
Of course, the idea for an e-Bike voucher or financial incentive isn’t new— it’s a tool that’s gaining traction across the US— but the structure of Véligo may make it even more effective. It’s also worth noting that the financial assistance is available to all residents, whereas similar programs in the US are limited to lower-income residents and are awarded via competitive lotteries.
Success and high demand for the program
Paris has big mobility goals— and is achieving them
Ready to make your commute electric? Explore Upway's refurbished e-Bikes collection.
Key Takeaways
- Test, then own: The Véligo Location program lets residents rent e-Bikes long-term, easing the leap to ownership.
- Smart incentives: Post-rental purchase bonuses—up to €1,200—make adopting e-Bikes financially accessible.
- Cultural shift on wheels: With cycling up 240% since 2018, Paris shows how infrastructure and policy can transform urban mobility.
