Following the phenomenal success of the £400,000 eCargo Bike Grant Fund 2021 in England, Energy Saving Trust and the Department for Transport are pleased to announce that an additional £300,000 was made available to applicants.
The fund, which has now closed, was extremely popular among small businesses and sole traders, giving them an opportunity to introduce electric cargo (ecargo) bikes into their everyday transport operations.
Initially made available across England on 30 July 2021, the eCargo Bike Grant Fund invited organisations to apply for 40% of the total cost of an ecargo bike, with a maximum of £2,500 for two-wheel models and £4,500 for three-wheel models. Applicants were able to opt for up to five bikes per organisation and were also able to submit joint ‘high-street’ applications for shared ecargo bikes.
Due to the success of the fund, the application portal closed on 8 October 2021 as the application threshold was reached. An additional £300,000 was then made available to applicants with applications already submitted on 3 November 2021.
Tim Anderson, head of transport, Energy Saving Trust, said: “It’s motivating to see the success of the eCargo Bike Grant Fund so far with many new ecargo bikes being purchased by businesses in England. We are confident that the additional £300,000 funding pot has provided more small businesses with the opportunity to make lasting changes to their last mile deliveries and transporting their goods.
“eCargo bikes are an attractive low carbon transport option and offer impressive fuel cost savings, while contributing to improved local air quality, both of which are particularly critical as we continue to drive the low carbon transport agenda.”
Cycling and walking minister Trudy Harrison added: “The eCargo Bike Grant Fund is a wonderful initiative to support businesses in the transition to more sustainable deliveries and our £300,000 top-up will allow even more businesses to make the switch.
“I’m grateful to Energy Saving Trust for continuing to deliver the project on the Department’s behalf.”
An overview of the eCargo Bike Grant Fund can be found here.
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Energy Saving Trust
Energy Saving Trust is an independent organisation dedicated to promoting energy efficiency, low carbon transport and sustainable energy use. We aim to address the climate emergency and deliver the wider benefits of clean energy as the UK transitions to net zero.
We empower householders to make better choices, deliver transformative programmes for governments and support businesses with strategy, research and assurance – enabling everyone to play their part in building a sustainable future.