Government increases support for the acquisition of bicycles. Lisbon City Hall does not renew program

O Environmental Fundcreated by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Action, counts this year with 10 million euros to support the acquisition of electric vehicles and soft mobility. The largest share of the budget will be for electric cars (52%), followed by electric bicycles - these will account for about 23% of the support. But there are particular categories for cargo bikes and this year also for electric scooters and skateboards.

As in 2021, soft mobility support involves a 50% share of the purchase value of vehicles, except for conventional city bikes (i.e., without electric motors) where the incentive is 20%. The support is for new vehicles only and all purchases made since January 1, 2022 are eligible.

Applications are accepted from natural persons (citizens) - one application per support category - and from legal persons (companies, associations, cooperatives...) - one application per support category. On soft mobility, there are four categories:

• cargo bikes, with or without electric assistance: Cycling mobility can also play an important role in urban logistics and passenger transport, and the government has stepped up support for the purchase of cargo bikes or trailers:
  • share of 50% of the vehicle's acquisition value;
  • up to 1,500 euros in the case of electrically assisted cargo bikes;
  • up to EUR 1,000 in the case of cargo bicycles without electric assistance;
  • only new vehicles;
  • 1 application per natural person is allowed. In the case of a company, association, cooperative or other type of legal entity, 4 applications are allowed;
  • support ends when the 300 incentives or 450 thousand euros are reached.
• electric city bikes: In this category, the Government will make available a support of 500 euros for electric bicycles for city use, which represents an increase of 150 euros compared to 2021, also increasing the amount available for this category:
  • share of 50% of the vehicle's acquisition value;
  • up to 500 euros (example: if you buy an electric bike that costs 1000 euros, you will receive 500 euros, or 50% of that amount, from the Environmental Fund);
  • only new vehicles;
  • 1 application per natural person is allowed. In the case of a company, association, cooperative or other type of legal entity, 4 applications are allowed;
  • support ends when the 4,550 incentives or 2,275 thousand euros are reached.
• other types of electric soft mobility: For the first time, the Government will support the purchase of scooters, skates, skateboards, hoverboards and electric monorails:
  • share of 50% of the vehicle's acquisition value;
  • up to $500 (example: if you buy an electric scooter that costs $1000, you will receive $500 from the Environmental Fund, or 50% of that amount);
  • only new vehicles;
  • 1 application per natural person is allowed. In the case of a company, association, cooperative or other type of legal entity, 4 applications are allowed;
  • support ends when the 1,050 incentives or 525,000 euros are reached. The scooters, skates, skateboards, hoverboards and electric single-wheelers (called DEMOP) share this category as do electric motorcycles, so these are total figures.
• conventional city bikes: The support of 100 euros is maintained, but the amount available for this type has been increased, and may reach 1,500 units:
  • co-payment of up to 20% of the vehicle's acquisition value;
  • up to 100 € (example: if you buy a bicycle that costs 100 €, you will receive 20 €, or 20% of that amount, from the Environmental Fund);
  • only new vehicles;
  • 1 application per natural person is allowed. In the case of a company, association, cooperative or other type of legal entity, 4 applications are allowed;
  • support ends when the 1,500 incentives or 150,000 euros are reached.

Applications are due soon at Environmental Fund website. The entire regulation of these government incentives for soft and electric mobility can be found below, or at Order No. 3419-B/2022 published in Diário da República.

Incentives for electric mobility via the Environmental Fund were launched in 2017 but did not include soft mobility until 2019, first only with city and conventional electric bicycles. In 2021the support for the purchase of bicycles was reinforced significantly and that year the government created a cargo bicycle category for the first time, which it decided to continue.

In 2020, the Lisbon City Council also launched its bicycle buyback program, with an initial budget of three million euros that, in the two years that the initiative ran, was never used up. At the end of 2021, Carlos Moedas' executive did not commit to continuing the programwhich thus ended on December 31. In the Municipal Budget for 2022, there is no budget for any initiative to support the acquisition of bicycles in the city of Lisbon.