It's rare that a program seems to be such a win-win, but the uncertified e-bike and moped trade-in scheme for delivery workers in NYC seems to be just that. It's part of a $2 million program that was announced on Monday and, by all accounts, seems pretty sweet.
Delivery workers have the opportunity to get a new e-bike and two new batteries certified by Underwriters Laboratories when they trade in e-powered vehicles that are deemed dangerous by the program's guidelines.
Vehicles that can be traded in include any non-UL-certified e-bikes and any gas or electric mopeds that lack a vehicle identification number and thus can't be registered at the DMV for street-legal use. All e-bikes must be traded in along with their batteries.
For those wondering what the whole point of the program is, it all boils down to the fire risk that low-quality e-bikes pose when charging. Since 2019, faulty batteries from e-bikes and e-scooters sparked at least 700 fires in NYC.
At this point last year, batteries from these bikes resulted in 87 injuries and 13 deaths associated with charging e-bikes at home. Since then, there's been a public education campaign warning against charging e-bikes inside homes, and it appears to be working. So far this year, there have been 55 injuries and just one death.
But 55 injuries and one death are still far too many for a problem that should be easily avoidable.
The program isn't operational just yet. There's going to be an August public hearing, and applications for trade-ins are expected to open by the year's end. Successful applicants should be eligible to trade in their vehicles next year.
Thankfully, the barrier to entry to the program is pretty low. It's open to any New Yorkers who are 18 years or older and have made at least $1,500 in the past year delivering food. So, if you're looking for a new ride but are under that threshold, get on your bike.
I've yet to work out what the catch is, although I would like to know if a single e-bike manufacturer won the contract to supply the entire program.
We're big fans of e-bikes here, and we have a couple of reviews coming your way that show exactly that. They've become integral to the economy of large cities, so raising awareness about the dangers of low-quality ones and offering people a way to get new, safer models can only be good, right?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments and if you'd like to see any other cities deploy this program.
