eBike Grant Fund

Transport Scotland has committed a further £900,000 towards the eBike Grant Fund in 2022/23. Local authorities, public sector agencies, further and higher education institutions, active travel hubs and community groups are invited to apply for funding to adopt ebikes, etrikes, ecargo bikes, cargo bikes and trailers, tandems, adapted cycles and trikes towards projects that will provide opportunities to trial ebikes.

To encourage the uptake of funded cycles, applicants can also apply for extra funding, limited to 5% of the total project to support subsidised access to ebike hire/loan schemes for people with mobility issues, those on low income, jobseekers, modern apprentices, young people and students. This is to ensure that these target groups have equal access to ebike opportunities and to encourage uptake of the fund.

The newest commitment builds on four successful previous rounds of funding; year 1 in 2018/19 allocated over £932,000 to 46 projects, year 2 in 2019/20 allocated over £1,050,000 to 58 projects and year 3 in 2020/21 allocated £543,000 to 41 projects. Alongside the eBike Grant Fund in 2020/21, £223,000 was allocated to 12 ebikes for key worker projects and ecargo research bike projects, with costs totalling £78,000. In 2021/22, funding was awarded to 41 projects totalling £921,650

Energy Saving Trust will be running an ongoing application process and the application can be submitted at any point up until Friday 18 November 2022.

The eBike Grant Fund will continue to be split into two separate streams:

Category A offers up to £25,000 towards projects that will provide opportunities to their communities to trial ebikes. The following dates are for review of Category A projects:

• Friday 22 July 2022
• Friday 16 September 2022
• Friday 18 November 2022

Category B offers up to £200,000 per application towards large-scale fleets of pool bikes or public bikeshare/hire schemes and promoting large scale uptake of ebikes. Category B submissions will be reviewed on receipt of a completed application and can be submitted at any point up until 18 November 2022.

If all funds are allocated before the deadlines stated above, the fund will close to applications. To request an application, email ebikegrantsscot@est.org.uk.

Energy Saving Trust will be hosting a series of drop-in sessions from July to November 2022. These online sessions are a great opportunity for applicants to ask questions or discuss aspects of the fund or their application.

Existing grantees are also welcome to attend these drop-ins to discuss claims, reporting, the project launch or anything else related to the fund.

The sessions will be held on Microsoft Teams. Please select a date and click the link below to join:

• Tuesday 5 July – 10am – 11am – Click here to join the meeting
• Monday 18 July – 2pm – 3pm – Click here to join the meeting
• Friday 29 July – 11am – 12pm – Click here to join the meeting
• Wednesday 10 August – 12pm – 1pm – Click here to join the meeting
• Monday 22 August – 3pm – 4pm – Click here to join the meeting
• Wednesday 21 September – 10am – 11am – Click here to join the meeting
• Friday 14 October – 2pm – 3pm – Click here to join the meeting
• Tuesday 1 November – 11am – 12pm – Click here to join the meeting

Free ebike trials are available to organisations, communities and individuals across Scotland. Trials of over three days are encouraged for recipients to fully experience the benefits and get to know what it’s like to use an ebike in their daily life. Longer term trials are also available to GPs and healthcare practices.

Contact your local Home Energy Scotland service to check for availability through the contact form or by phone on 0808 808 2282.