Eligibility guidelines for Category C

Electric vehicles

• You must be financially capable to repay the loan. A credit check will be undertaken to assess your financial suitability.
• You must hold an ACT Driver’s License and you must reside in the ACT.
• Your vehicle must be powered by a mechanism that produces zero emissions, such as a battery electric vehicle, and the total cost of the vehicle must be less than the relevant threshold.
  • Threshold for all electric cars is $60,000
  • Threshold for all electric motorbikes is $40,000

E-Cargo bikes

To be eligible for support under the Sustainable Household Scheme, an e-cargo bike must:

• Be designed and marketed as a cargo bike
• Include dedicated passenger-carrying or cargo-carrying features
• Have a payload capacity of at least 45kg (excluding the rider)
• Have a carrying capacity of at least 150kg, including the bicycle, rider, passengers and cargo
• Comply with Australian requirements for power-assisted pedal cycles
• Meet applicable e-bike safety standards, including EN15194:2017 (Electrically Power Assisted Cycles), an internationally recognised safety standard for power-assisted cycles commonly accepted in Australia

Eligible accessories

The loan may also include manufacturer-approved accessories purchased with the bike that support its cargo-carrying or passenger-carrying function. Examples include:

• Passenger seats
• Passenger footrests
• Passenger rails or handholds
• Cargo boxes
• Cargo platforms
• Other manufacturer-approved passenger-carrying or cargo-carrying accessories

Accessories that are not eligible

The following accessories cannot be included in the loan:

• Helmets
• Bike locks
• Pumps
• Repair kits
• Phone mounts
• Mirrors
• Cycling clothing and safety apparel
• Other accessories that do not directly support the passenger-carrying or cargo-carrying function of the bike

Products not eligible under the Scheme

The following products are not eligible under the Scheme:

• Standard commuter e-bikes
• Electric mountain bikes
• Electric road bikes
• Standard bicycles or e-bikes fitted with cargo accessories
• Electric motorcycles and mopeds
• Products modified to exceed legal power or speed limits

Other things to note

Not all bikes marketed as ‘cargo’, ‘family’ or ‘utility’ bikes will meet the Scheme’s eligibility requirements.

Before purchasing, check the Sustainable Household Scheme Guidelines for participants or speak with an approved supplier to confirm eligibility.

The Canberra Electric Bike Library allows eligible Canberrans to try a range of electric bikes, including cargo bikes, before purchasing.

Find out if you're eligible — if you're not eligible for the Scheme then you may still be eligible for other ACT Government programs or able to apply through Brighte outside of the ACT Sustainable Household Scheme.