Denver's e-bike rebate program hits digital roadblock amid high demand

A rush of interest in Denver's e-bike rebate program overwhelmed the city's website Monday morning, forcing many applicants to wait hours - if they were able to make it through at all. The city apologizes for the frustration and said it will still honor the applications of users who were stuck in the verification process.

Half of the 2,000 new e-bike rebates made available were to go to income-qualified residents. However, due to the high volume of interest, the city said it is only accepting income-qualified applications at this time.

"We're trying to help as many people as possible," said Houshmand Moarefi, owner of eBikes USA. "It is not about selling exclusively to the few who can afford them. I think it needs to be for everybody."

Moarefi said since Denver launched its e-bike rebate program earlier this year, business is booming. The rising costs of cars and fuel is having an impact, too.

"The price of gasoline has affected many of our commuters to the point that electric bikes are very popular these days," he told CBS4's Kelly Werthmann. "Some people are trading in their cars. The savings are great. It's not just the car payments you're giving up, you're also giving up the insurance, the maintenance, the wear and tear."

With the city's rebate offer, Moarefi said e-bikes are much more affordable, especially for income-qualified residents.

"Our electric bikes start around $1,400, so for someone who qualifies for a $1,200 rebate – which is the initial income-qualified voucher – it's a great incentive and makes it very affordable," he said.

He wants that affordability to reach more customers. So, on top of Denver's e-bike rebate, eBikes USA is also offering instant rebates on some models helping to bring costs down even more.

"I'm very passionate about electric bikes," Moarefi said. "I would like to be able to offer as many people the opportunity to utilize these [bikes] in their everyday life."

The city of Denver will open the application again for a limited number of rebates throughout the year. The release dates for 2022 are:

• Monday, Aug. 1
• Tuesday, Sept. 6
• Monday, Oct. 3
• Monday, Nov. 7
• Monday, Dec. 5