The Climate Ministry’s repair bonus will be extended with fresh money until 2025 and expanded to bicycles without electric motor support. Previously, federal funding only applied to devices with electronic or electrical components, so e-bikes were included, regular bicycles were not. The voucher for bicycle repairs can be applied for from September, Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) said on Tuesday.
However, the repair bonus could not yet be redeemed at all bicycle dealers. Many dealers do not have a trade license for bicycle technology or mechatronics and are therefore only allowed to carry out simple repairs, but not to replace a disc brake, for example.
Over a million devices repaired with bonuses
According to the ministry, more than a million devices have been repaired since the introduction of the repair bonus. So far, 130 million euros has been made available for this from the EU recovery and resilience fund. €124 million from national resources is now available for the continuation, €92 million for 2024 and €32 million for 2025.
By 2023, 39 percent of voucher-funded repairs were for smartphones, nine percent for dishwashers, washing machines and espresso and coffee machines, and five percent for laptops. According to the Ministry of Climate Protection, an average of around 100 euros is financed per repair voucher. 50 percent of the costs are financed, up to a maximum of 200 euros.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
