Upway Report Shows Refurbished E-Bikes Match New-Bike Reliability While Beating Rebates on Cost

New updates have been reported about Upway.

Upway has released data showing its professionally refurbished e-bikes are nearly as reliable as new models while delivering materially greater cost savings than typical U.S. e-bike rebate programs, a combination that could expand its addressable market and strengthen partnerships with cities. Based on thousands of transactions in the U.S. and Europe and an independent poll, the company reports that 93% of its certified pre-owned e-bikes generate no returns or refund claims within the one-year warranty, versus 95% for new bikes, effectively closing the perceived reliability gap that has historically pushed consumers to buy new.

The research underscores two main adoption barriers—price and trust—with 58% of prospective riders viewing e-bikes as too expensive and many wary of used products due to quality concerns, a perception Upway aims to counter through a standardized 50-point inspection and professional refurbishment process. By validating that refurbished performance is on par with new while offering discounts that can be two to six times larger than common $200–$600 city rebates, the findings position Upway as a key lever for municipalities seeking to scale e-bike use without materially increasing subsidy budgets.

According to Upway, an average two-year-old e-bike on its platform sells at roughly a 44% discount, translating to about $1,130 off a $2,600 bike, which materially broadens affordability for price-sensitive commuters and could accelerate volume growth on its marketplace. Maxime Renson, Head of Upway U.S., framed the report as evidence that professional refurbishment and a circular-economy model provide a “safe, guaranteed solution” for both consumers and cities, signaling the company’s intent to deepen collaboration with local governments on incentive design and program implementation.

Founded in Paris in 2021 and now operating in nine countries including the U.S., Upway has refurbished and sold more than 100,000 e-bikes and targets over one million units back in circulation by 2030, supported by more than $125 million in funding and an expanding network of UpCenters in markets such as New York and Los Angeles. If cities respond by integrating refurbished options into their incentive schemes, Upway stands to benefit from higher throughput, improved asset utilization, and stronger policy tailwinds for second-hand e-mobility, reinforcing its positioning as a leading infrastructure player in the certified pre-owned e-bike segment.