Italian Government boost ebike sales

[Wisper Bikes]

The Italian government has boosted bike sales in the country with a series of incentives, according to a report on Bike Europe.

Following rumours last month, Italy’s Ministry for the Environment has confirmed that is offering a sweetener to prospective cycle consumers of up to 30 per cent off the retail price of a bicycle or electric bike. The reduction is capped at 700 euros for a bike costing a maximum of 2,330 euros and is to be available throughout 2009.

The government has set aside 8.75 million euros to encourage bicycle sales.

The reports comes a few days after what many in the cycling trade have regarded as a disappointing UK budget for the cycling industry – which has focused on assisting the ailing car trade.

Italy’s bicycle and motorbike bicycle trade body – ANCMA – said: “The decision of the Italian government to support cycling with incentives is something really new in Europe,” said the body’s spokesman Piero Nigrelli.

“Not only is this fantastic but more important is the fact that the incentives have been given based on the fact that the government wants to give a real push for the improvement of the air quality in particular in large urban areas.”

Whether the scheme will mirror the UK’s Cycleway scheme, which relies on the participation of employers, is currently unclear.

[carpetbagger]

i think some incentive is needed given that yesterday i purchased a an 11 year old Ford KA in immaculate condition,12 months mot,6 months tax,fully comp insurance with only £100 excess and the total came to £200 less than the price of a 2009 wisper......there lies the problem of ebikes....the price just has to come down...

[Alex728]

its a smarter move by the Italians, shame our politicians seem to think subsidies other than for the unemployed are only for banks or farmers

Originally Posted by carpetbagger

i think some incentive is needed given that yesterday i purchased a an 11 year old Ford KA in immaculate condition,12 months mot,6 months tax,fully comp insurance with only £100 excess and the total came to £200 less than the price of a 2009 wisper......there lies the problem of ebikes....the price just has to come down...

yep this is the problem - even though I don't currently have a full license I could now do my CBT and get a cheap petrol moped for much less than a e-bike, loads of the young'uns in Stowmarket and similar areas have them for sale. Now thanks to the bureaucrats, the CBT only lasts for two years (I'm sure you used to be able to ride a moped permanently on L-plates on a provisional?) - so two years later I might as well just get a full car license, and could sell the moped for a reasonable price to some other youth who wouldn't know what an ebike was or want one.

I'm a single man who cares about the environment and I don't actually want to put more petrol engined vehicles on the road, but market forces still push me in that direction

[Wisper Bikes]

I absolutely agree with you guys.

The problem is that creating new bikes is hellishly expensive, we have sold 1000's now and the directors have still not made enough money to take ANY wages!

The pressure on bikes has been to make them more rather than less expensive which over the last two years has been driven by the obvious currency problems we have all had to suffer.

The battery has a great deal to with high prices too as we are ever pressing for them to be smaller, safer and more powerful. In my opinion however, as with computers which have come down dramatically in the last few years, we will see the same phenomenon with batteries bringing the prices down to more sensible levels.

You may also be surprised to learn that a good hand made alloy bike frame is massively more expensive than a steel moped and that goes for wheels and many other ebike components.

You should also remember when comparing ebike/moped the fuel costs will eventually balance out the difference. And of course the moped makes a lot of noise and is faster so we will always have problems weening the youngsters away from mopeds and on to ebikes.

Prices will eventually come down as demand takes us to the point that serious mass production allows us to make more economies of scale. However for the immediate future we are stuck with these prices unless government intervenes, which reminds me, if you buy a 905se Sport for £1449.00 the tax man gets about 20% (£300) in VAT and duty and that is before you calculate the tax on any profit we may make and the tax you have already paid on your earnings if only our profits were as good as the revenues!

All the best David

[flecc]

Originally Posted by Alex728

Now thanks to the bureaucrats, the CBT only lasts for two years (I'm sure you used to be able to ride a moped permanently on L-plates on a provisional?) -

That was to bring it into line with the Provisional Licence. That was previously changed from indefinite to two years maximum, probably to deal with those who failed large numbers of tests but continued to drive for years despite being totally unsuited to do so, a danger to everyone else.
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[rgardiner]

dont both the British and Irish governments offer a cycle to work scheme which provides reductions on the price of bicyles, albeit through tax relief?

Britian: Tax free bikes for work through the Government's Green Transport Initiative - Cyclescheme, provider of Cycle to Work schemes for UK employers
Ireland: Welcome | bikescheme.ie - cycle to work scheme

I know that if you are in the high tax bracket in Ireland, you can save up to 42% of the price of the bike. Though more relaistically most would be saving 22%

But, of course this is dependant on employer participation. And my employer doesnt!

[flecc]

Originally Posted by Wisper Bikes

if you buy a 905se Sport for £1449.00 the tax man gets about 20% (£300) in VAT and duty and that is before you calculate the tax on any profit we may make and the tax you have already paid on your earnings

All the best David

And these are things that are very unlikely to improve, given the immense national debt we now have which will have to be paid for over the next one or two decades.
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[flecc]

Originally Posted by carpetbagger

i think some incentive is needed given that yesterday i purchased a an 11 year old Ford KA in immaculate condition,12 months mot,6 months tax,fully comp insurance with only £100 excess and the total came to £200 less than the price of a 2009 wisper......there lies the problem of ebikes....the price just has to come down...

And thats a popular car! Not so long ago I sold a less popular Fiat Tipo at 10 years old, like brand new with just 14,000 on the clock for £500, the price of the cheapest e-bikes. That was good for a decade of motoring for someone at under a £1 a week depreciation. Even the cheapest e-bikes can scarcely match that.
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[carpetbagger]

maybe the government would be better thowing in £1000 of ebike into the scrappage scheme....£1000 from the dealers and the bike from the government would be a good deal...increase sales of cars and bikes and maybe get more people ito cycling......

[ajesw]

You are forgetting the real cost of owning a car isn't the initial outlay, but the running costs. MOT, servicing, repairs, insurance, road tax, parking costs, and not to mention petrol. I am getting rid of my car and going for an e-bike of a similar cost as I can save a fortune each year in running costs!

(I pay approx £1,500 to run a 6 year old clio to work and back, 6 miles each way. I could buy a new e-bike each year on that!)