Photo by David Herron
With yesterdays news of the impending bankruptcy of Vectrix there's a question over why the talk about Green Technology and Green Jobs isn't translating into support for the existing electric vehicle industry in the U.S. By contrast there are two announcements from Taiwan and Italy that they are giving subsidies for purchase of electric bicycles and electric scooters.
Taiwan Gov`t to Subsidize E-scooters Sold in Taiwan From Nov. says that Taiwans Ministry of Economic Affairs has a program to subsidize between $246-$399 subsidy for purchase of certified electric scooters. It lists two companies currently certified and others due to follow.
Italian Government Subsidizes Bicycles discusses a program run by the Italian Government Ministry for the Environment, who has an incentive program for the purchase of bicycles, electric bicycles and electric scooters. The government will contribute up to 30% of the retail price of a vehicle with a maximum of 700 euros (for a bicycle). The program also covers electric powered scooters or motorcycles with a maximum incentive of 1300 euros.
Electric bicycles and scooter require miniscule amounts of energy and require very little land space to operate. This writer has several of these vehicles and has repeatedly measured electricity use of 0.3 kilowatt-hours for a 10 mile ride with an electric bicycle, and 3 kilowatt hours for the same ride with an electric motorcycle. This translates into 130 miles/gallon (equivalent) for the motorcycle and 1120 miles/gallon (equivalent) for the bicycle.
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