Ways to Accelerate E-Bike Adoption: Lessons From Europe

Written by: Maxime Renson | October 7, 2025 | Time to read 7 min

What if your boss paid you to ride to work— or your city offered long-term e-Bike rentals? Across Europe, these ideas are a reality, not just wishful thinking.

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.

The growth of electric bikes is moving full steam ahead, yet this increase isn’t simply happening by itself— it’s powered, in part, by smart policies and creative initiatives that encourage riders to hop on two wheels. The role of governments is crucial in supporting the adoption of e-Bikes, and the proven successes in Europe may inspire similar strategies in the US. I’ve collected recent data on some of the most exciting and effective cycling initiatives from across the pond to show how it’s possible to accelerate e-Bike adoption.

Table of Contents

Introduction

E-Bike initiatives can accelerate e-Bike adoption

Germany’s bike leasing schemes

France and long-term e-Bike rentals

UK’s Cycle to Work scheme

Belgium’s cycling commute allowance

Additional e-Bike subsidies in Europe

What can the US learn from these European initiatives?

Key Takeaways

E-Bike initiatives can accelerate e-Bike adoption

Some view politics as a game, while others view it as a puzzle; regardless, it’s true that public policy can have a significant impact on the many moving pieces. Even the slightest economic incentive or infrastructural nudge can make a big difference. Throughout Europe, well-designed initiatives and programs support cycling with long-lasting results.

Ideas such as employer e-Bike leasing, consumer subsidies, long-term rentals, commuting allowances, and improved cycling infrastructure are accelerating the rate of e-Bike adoption. These initiatives balance the costs between public and private players, making cycling more affordable and convenient for individual riders. Here’s a look at specific initiatives in Germany, France, the UK, Belgium, and more European countries encouraging cycling and e-Bike ridership.

Woman on Specialized Globe Haul cargo ebike

Germany’s bike leasing schemes

While Americans may not be as familiar with the concept of bicycle or e-Bike leasing, it’s a big deal in Germany. Bike leasing programs refer to when an employer subsidizes the cost of a bicycle, typically as an employee benefit or salary sacrifice with tax advantages.

Today, over 269,000 German employers are offering e-Bike leasing to encourage their employees to commute by bike. Cost is the number one factor in putting people off e-Bikes, so sharing or decreasing that price burden can increase e-Bike use. In fact, a YouGov survey showed that “three years ago, 83% of e-Bikes were fully self-financed; this share has fallen to 64% for purchases made over the last three years. In that time, partial financing has risen from 8% to 19%” due to the growth of leasing and subsidy programs.

Recent data from Zukunft Fahrrad, Germany’s leading association of bicycle companies, shows that the total bike leasing market in Germany has over 2.1 million active units, with 78% of the models added in 2024 being electric bikes. Zukunft Fahrrad’s 2025 industry report showed that bike leasing, bike sharing, subscription services, and used bicycle sales have stayed resilient, continuing to hire and increase revenue even through the industry’s slump throughout 2024.

France and long-term e-Bike rentals

Another creative initiative to support cycling and e-Bike use is the Véligo Location program, powered by the Île-de-France mobility service. It’s a long-term electric bike rental with reduced or shared rates available for residents. Full rates start at just €40 a month for a subscription lasting 6 to 9 months for the classic model. And at the end of the subscription, users have the option of buying the e-Bike. As easy as any other subscription, there are optional add-ons like helmets, child seats, bike gear, insurance, and more to make the e-Bike experience as easy and enjoyable as possible.

As mentioned earlier, cost is typically the biggest barrier for people thinking about buying an e-Bike. Many won’t want to make the large initial investment without knowing if they really will like riding an e-Bike. Véligo Location goes far beyond the typical city bike share program, allowing riders to get a feel for e-Bikes while still staying well within budget.

UK’s Cycle to Work scheme

United Kingdom Cycle to Work infographic

The United Kingdom’s Cycle to Work scheme has been around since 1999, essentially operating as a tax exemption to promote cycling. The program allows employers to loan bicycles and e-Bikes to employees as a tax-free benefit. I won’t get into the complex tax rules and clauses, but the savings to individuals are noticeable. A recent 2025 evaluation of the Cycle to Work scheme found that, “when users were asked why they decided to use the scheme, the motivation was equally to save money on a bicycle (43%), and to spread the cost of the bicycle (40%)”.

Even more importantly, the program successfully encourages people to start cycling: “nearly 4 in 10 (39%) of scheme users were ‘newly commuting cyclists’: they did not cycle to work before using the scheme and started cycling to work since using the scheme”. These users also continue to cycle more often, as “51% reported cycling more outside of their commute since using the scheme”, in addition to reporting improvements to their overall physical and mental health. It’s inspiring to see such a long-standing government program have such a positive effect on cycling participation.

Belgium’s cycling commute allowance

Rider on Cannondale Topstone electric gravel bike

Belgium, a country renowned for its cycling culture, introduced a cycling commute allowance that pays workers to ride to work. Recently, the Belgian government decided to significantly raise the maximum tax-free allowance for commuting by bike or e-Bike, increasing it from €0.27 to €0.35 per kilometer. At the same time, however, the annual tax exemption has been capped at €2,500, lowering the benefit for long-distance commuters. The government made the cycle commuting allowance mandatory in 2023 for private companies, though they aren’t obligated to pay the full €0.35 rate. As an example, the allowance comes to €1,000 per employee annually for an 8 km daily commute.

Additional e-Bike subsidies in Europe

There are a whole host of similar initiatives all across Europe, accelerating overall ridership and e-Bike adoption. For example, Austria has a strong set of national e-Bike subsidies for e-Bikes, electric cargo bikes, and folding e-Bikes. Specifically, the cities of Salzburg and Vienna both offer financial incentives to offset the cost of a cargo bike. Germany complements its bike leasing schemes with cargo bike subsidies, as does Norway with subsidies for businesses looking to use cargo bikes. Ireland introduced a similar Cycle to Work scheme to that of the UK, and the Netherlands also supports bike leasing through employers.

Woman loading boxes into Urban Arrow electric cago bike

What can the US learn from these European initiatives?

It’s no secret that the US lags behind Europe when it comes to cycling, but many exciting initiatives are happening right now stateside. Numerous states, like California, and cities offer their own e-Bike incentive programs to encourage the adoption of electric bikes, and it’s working. These programs see extremely high demand and help lower the cost of buying an e-Bike, typically prioritizing lower-income residents.

But as the wide variety of European initiatives shows us, direct subsidies aren’t the only way to support cycling efforts. A multi-pronged approach can help distribute the costs and make more lasting change that’s integrated into the social and economic landscape, involving employers, governments, and consumers. E-Bike subsidies are a hot item in the US at the moment, but I am excited to see pilot programs of bike leasing, commuting allowances, and tax exemptions to further support cycling, in addition to better and safer infrastructure for riders everywhere.

Key Takeaways

Shared Cost, Wider Access: Employer leasing and subsidy programs in Germany and beyond make e-Bikes affordable for everyday commuters.
Try Before You Buy: France’s Véligo long-term rental program shows how subscription models can turn hesitant riders into lifelong cyclists.
Policy as a Pedal Assist: Tax incentives and commute allowances in the UK and Belgium prove that well-crafted public policy can power a cultural shift toward cycling.

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Ways to Accelerate E-Bike Adoption: Lessons From Europe