Local bike retailers have experienced a notable boost in both sales and community interest in electric bikes since the launch of Bentonville's e-bike rebate program in September.

David Neal, owner of Mojo Cycling, said the response they’ve seen since the program kicked off has been significant. The store sees numerous people every week interested in e-bikes, and they sell about six or seven a month to customers using the rebates, he said.

Many locals are looking for “townie-style” e-bikes they can use to cruise around the city or cargo e-bikes that can fit the kids, as well as mountain e-bikes, he said. 

Neal praised the program for getting more people out of their cars and off the roads, and said he thinks it has been a game-changer for the city. 

“I think a lot of people who wouldn't normally do this, wouldn't normally think about it or maybe couldn't afford it, are coming in,” he said. “That rebate has helped them do that.”

Cory Enloe, manager at Phat Tire Bike Shop, said he thinks the biggest win with the rebate program has been the ability to connect with more locals in the area. The rebates can only be used at participating Bentonville businesses, so consumers are shopping local instead of buying through companies online.

“Being able to connect with locals, that's been the biggest thing,” he said. “Getting locals into the shop, and not just the tourists, and being able to have those conversations with the people who call this place home.”

He said Phat Tire has sold around 50 e-bikes to customers using the rebates since the start of the program.

Sean Watkins, retail manager of Buddy Pegs Bike Shop, also said the store saw an uptick in both sales and local interest in the use of e-bikes last year right before the program officially launched. The rebates brought in customers who may not have purchased one without it.

Buddy Pegs has mainly seen purchases of cargo e-bikes and mountain e-bikes, Watkins said. 

“It gets more people on bikes, and it makes it easier for that to happen,” he added. 

Alex Martens, shop manager at Bike Shop Joe’s, said they’ve seen a noticeable increase in sales but also in the types of e-bikes that are gaining popularity. The biggest change was the increase in cargo e-bike sales.

“We definitely saw an increase there, with a lot of parents and young kids trying to skip the school drop-off line and save a lot of time, or folks just looking to use that to get with their kids and get around downtown Bentonville,” he said. “They get to events and things in a little bit more efficient or fun way. … That’s a really encouraging thing that we saw.”

Martens said the shop attracted many new customers thanks to the rebates and hopes it will lead to their continued business. 

How to Apply for a Rebate

The Bentonville E-Bike Rebate Program is open to all Bentonville residents age 18 and over, and recipients are selected through a random drawing. The first application period of 2025 was earlier in March. 

Additional opportunities to apply will be May 5–12 and July 7–14. 

The first round of rebates in September 2024 received more applications per capita than any other e-bike program in the country managed by APTIM, the company that runs the online portal. The program is 100% privately funded with contributions from Walmart and the Walton family. 

Rebate amounts for income-qualified applicants are $900 for a standard or mountain e-bike, and $1,300 for a cargo or adaptive e-bike. Non-income-qualified rebates are good for $500 or $900.

See the full program details and FAQs here.