Checked on 26 October 2026 for Luxembourg, Austria and the UK, against the official sources cited in their articles. The figures for France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands come from our country articles checked on 16 October 2026: each row of the table links to the article that gives the source. When a scheme is closed, exhausted or not yet voted, we say so.
The question "how much do I get if I buy an e-bike?" no longer has a national answer in most European countries. The big state grants of 2020-2022 have almost all disappeared. In 2026, bike money comes through three channels, and they are worth checking in this order:
- Your employer: company bike lease, mileage allowance, mobility budget. By far the most powerful lever in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria and the UK.
- Your region or city: one-off grants, often means-tested, often with a budget that runs out within months.
- The state: a few national grants survive (Luxembourg); others only target motorised electric two-wheelers (Italy, Spain).
The 2026 European table
| Country | Main type of aid | Reference amount | For whom | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | Local grants + forfait mobilités durables | FMD up to €600 a year tax-free; variable local grants (e.g. Lyon up to €900 for a cargo bike) | Employees (FMD), residents of the big cities depending on income | France, city by city |
| Belgium | Cycling allowance + company bike; Bruxell'Air premium | €0.37/km tax-free, ceiling €3,700 a year; Bruxell'Air €566 to €1,132 for giving up a number plate | Employees; Brussels residents giving up a car | Belgium |
| Germany | Dienstrad (lease through salary conversion) | Benefit taxed at 0.25% of the list price per month, framework guaranteed until end of 2030 | Employees whose employer offers a Dienstrad | Germany |
| Italy | One-off regional and municipal aid; Ecobonus for motorised two-wheelers | No national bike bonus; Ecobonus L1e-L7e 30 to 40% | Residents of some regions; buyers of electric scooters and motorbikes | Italy |
| Spain | Aid from autonomous communities and city councils | Plan Mueve (Community of Madrid) up to €600 for an e-bike; Barcelona announced | Residents | Spain |
| Netherlands | Fiets van de zaak + mileage allowance | Bijtelling of 7% of the list price per year; €0.25/km tax-free | Employees | Netherlands |
| Luxembourg | Klimabonus Mobilitéit (state grant) | 50% before VAT, max €600 (bike, e-bike), max €1,000 (cargo bike) | Residents; bike and e-bike reserved for recipients of the allocation de vie chère or prime énergie | Luxembourg |
| Austria | Company bike with no benefit in kind; Länder and city aid | Sachbezug at €0; klimaaktiv mobil (€900 cargo) stopped on 20/01/2026; City of Salzburg up to €1,000 for an e-cargo bike | Employees; residents of some cities | Austria |
| United Kingdom | Cycle to Work (salary sacrifice) | Tax and National Insurance saving of roughly 28 to 42% depending on your band, no tax cap | Employees whose employer has joined | United Kingdom |
This table gives an order of magnitude. The fine print — income ceiling, new or second-hand bike, purchase from a local shop, application before or after purchase — is in each country article.
Three models that look nothing alike
The "employer" model: Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, the UK
Here the state pays almost nothing directly, but it forgoes tax when the employer funds the bike. The mechanism varies:
- Reduced benefit in kind: 0.25% of the price per month in Germany, 7% per year in the Netherlands, zero in Austria.
- Gross salary conversion: the lease payment comes out of gross pay, lowering tax and contributions (German Dienstrad, British Cycle to Work, Belgian cafeteria plan).
- Tax-free mileage allowance: €0.37/km in Belgium, €0.25/km in the Netherlands for your own bike.
The upshot: an employee of a large German or Belgian company can fund a €4,000 e-bike and save more than any European public grant would give them. A self-employed person often gets nothing.
The "targeted public grant" model: Luxembourg, French and Spanish cities
Luxembourg is the last country in this comparison with a state grant for private bike buyers. But since October 2024 it has been reserved, for bikes and e-bikes, for low-income households; only cargo bikes remain open to all. In France and Spain, it is the big cities, autonomous communities and town halls that pay — with limited budgets.
The "motorised two-wheeler first" model: Italy, Spain
Italy and Spain do little for bikes at national level, but fund electric scooters and motorbikes (Italian Ecobonus, Spanish Programa Auto+). If you are torn between a speed pedelec and an electric scooter, that is a real factor. Traffic rules for these machines differ from country to country: our comparison of motorcycle regulations in Europe and our article on 25 or 45 km/h e-bikes cover it.
What changes from country to country for the bike itself
| Question | What to check |
|---|---|
| New or second-hand? | Many public grants exclude second-hand (Luxembourg: new only); some French cities accept refurbished bikes from a professional |
| E-bike, cargo, folding? | Cargo bikes are often better supported (Luxembourg €1,000 versus €600, Salzburg €1,000 for an e-cargo bike) |
| Speed pedelec? | Often excluded from bike grants (it is a moped), but eligible for some employer schemes |
| Buy before or after applying? | Some grants require an application before purchase; others are claimed within 12 months |
| Local retailer? | Several cities (Salzburg, some Italian towns) require purchase from a shop in the city |
