Barcelona opens electric bicycle grants for public consultation

The Governing Commission of the Barcelona City Council initially approved on October 22, 2026, the regulatory bases for grants to promote and use electric bicycles, framed within the Climate Plan 2030. The agreement, signed by the general secretary Jordi Cases Pallarès, submits the text for public information for 20 business days from the day after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Province of Barcelona on October 28, 2026, with the reference CVE 202610157963 and file Exp. 2026_EXP_8705425. If no allegations are presented, the bases will be definitively approved.

The document starts from the observation that the initial cost of an electric bicycle “may represent an access barrier for a part of the citizenry,” and that the grant aims to reduce this economic barrier while decarbonizing urban mobility. The subsidies are governed by Law 38/2003, of November 17, General Law on Subsidies, and fall under the de minimis aid regime of Regulation (EU) 2023/2831, which limits the accumulated amount to 300,000 euros over three years per beneficiary. The awarding will be through a non-competitive public call, in order of registration of applications until the credit is exhausted.

Who can apply and what must be purchased

Beneficiaries may be natural persons of legal age registered in Barcelona and legal entities or self-employed professionals with an establishment or registered office in the municipality. The technical requirements for the vehicle are:

• New electrically power-assisted cycle (EPAC), urban or cargo, with a bell, front and rear lights, and reflectors.
• Certificate of Conformity of the EPAC type according to the UNE-EN 15194 standard; for cargo bikes, also the certificate of the UNE-EN 17860 standard.
• Maximum continuous rated power of 250 W, assistance cut-off at 25 km/h, and a motor that only operates while pedaling.
• Mandatory registration of the bicycle in the registry of the Network of Cities for Cycling (RedBici), through the portal biciregistro.es.
• Invoice including brand, model, frame number, and serial numbers of the battery and motor.

Amounts: 400 euros for urban bicycles and 800 for cargo bicycles

The sixth base sets an individual amount of 400 euros for urban EPACs and 800 euros for cargo EPACs, with a cap of 40% of the acquisition price. VAT is only considered a subsidizable expense when the beneficiary has effectively borne it and cannot recover it.

The limits per applicant are:

• Only one bicycle per natural person or self-employed professional.
• A maximum of five bicycles per legal entity.
• Compatibility with other grants, provided that the sum does not exceed the cost of the action.

Deadlines, processing, and control

The call for applications, which will be approved by the competent body and also published in the BOPB, must establish the submission deadline, which cannot be less than 30 business days. In the first call, acquisitions made from December 1, 2026, will be eligible for subsidies, and the justification must be provided together with the application. The maximum period for resolution is six months from the closing of applications, with negative administrative silence.

The instruction corresponds to the Mobility Services Directorate of the Mobility, Infrastructure and Works Area Management, and the resolution to the Councilor for Mobility, with a prior report from a valuation commission composed of four members of the area. Beneficiaries may not sell the bicycle to third parties for two years from the date of purchase, and failure to comply with this or other obligations will entail the reimbursement of the grant with late payment interest. The full text will be sent to the National Subsidy Database (BDNS).

The file can be consulted at the municipal electronic office and at the Mobility, Infrastructure and Works Area Management (carrer Cristóbal de Moura, 121), by prior appointment. With these grants, Barcelona incorporates the electric bicycle into its Low Emission Zone policy and opens the door for citizens and businesses in the sector to plan purchases with a public discount before the end of the year.

Fuente: Official Gazette of the Province of Barcelona, October 28, 2026, section I, pp. 1-14 (official reference: CVE 202610157963).