One epic giveaway: How 600 free electric bikes changed 600 lives

I’ve long championed the amazing benefits of electric bicycles in providing transportation autonomy to those who can’t afford a personal car and the massive expenses that come along with car ownership. A $1,000 e-bike can be the difference between a one-hour walk to work and a seven-minute ride to work. Now leading US e-bike maker Lectric Ebikes and the popular YouTuber Mr. Beast have teamed up to magnify the impact of a free e-bike 600 times.

Lectric Ebikes is no stranger to philanthropic causes. Last year, the company gave away over a million dollars in donations and then donated over a million dollars more in free e-bikes to worthy causes, including life-saving endeavors like water transportation workers in Africa who now use Lectric’s cargo e-bikes to carry clean drinking water to villages.

Yesterday, a new video from Beast Philanthropy revealed how the team worked with Lectric Ebikes to give away 600 of the company’s new e-bikes to those in need around the US.

The channel initially asked viewers to nominate people they knew who were in need of transportation, such as a way to get to work, visit the doctor, or see family. After reviewing the nominations, 600 people were chosen and sent free e-bikes donated by Lectric Ebikes. Many of those were visited in person by the Beast Philanthropy to receive the new ride.

Maria, an immigrant from Guatemala and a single mother of two children, has an arduous walk to her 14-hour dishwashing shift daily in North Carolina. She sends all of her extra money back to her kids, who she hasn’t seen in years since she came to the US for work. She received a new Lectric XP 3.0 e-bike that helps her get to her job in ten minutes.

Her story is just one of many, showcasing the major impact that electric bikes can have on those without their own means of transportation, especially in a car-centric country like the United States.

Another Lectric XP 3.0 recipient, Conrad, previously walked four hours daily for work. He explained how he is the type of person who could work 80 hours in a week, but without transportation, it’s hard for him even to work 40 hours. “One day I want to own my own business, and now, having my own means of transportation, it’s easier to get to that goal of owning my own business.”

Some electric bikes went in larger groups, like when Beast Philanthropy sent ten e-bikes to the Refugee Interfaith Center. “They’ve left their culture, they’ve left their language, they’ve left their families, and we see them at probably one of the lowest points in their lives,” explained a representative of the organization that helps refugees in the US land on their feet. The lack of transportation makes it hard for them to integrate into society reliably, and so 10 new e-bikes were sent to the refugee center to provide independent transportation.

In total, 600 new electric bikes went out to everyone from struggling individuals to organizations and community centers that work with folks who need a helping hand.

Electrek’s Take

I think these kinds of programs are incredible, both because of the immediate help they offer to those in need, and also because they showcase just how impactful such a small vehicle can be. With minimal investment, these electric bicycles can literally change lives. Transportation is a key obstacle for many individuals and families, especially those with limited resources. Electric bikes are a great solution in many areas, reducing costs and providing opportunities for work and independence.

Obviously, such issues can’t be solved only with free e-bikes, but it’s a great start to helping as many people as possible. I commend Lectric Ebikes and Beast Philanthropy for doing so much good. And I won’t even hold it against Mr. Beast that he borrowed my Ebikes for Good program I started a year ago, giving away a free e-bike at the end of each of my videos to someone in need of independent transportation. You can have that one, Jimmy, especially since you do it 600 times bigger than I can!